alfalfa pellets

[Zab]

I'm sorry about being lazy and not reading everything through. But.. I have a question.

If I feed alfalfa pellets (I can get a small amount from horse friends to see if the rabbits will eat it) + free choice hay..
What else would the rabbits require?

Will rabbits eat alfalfa as straw/hay? I'm thinking of the type given to horses since tha's what I can get. It has molasses in it though, can't find anywhere how much. :wall:

Our hay has a good mineral balance. They'd also get scraps from the household and weeds etc from outside. And braches to chew on.

I feed my horse barley, so it's easy to give them that if they would need extra energy.

What exactly does rabbits need more than hay/grass? As it what sort of nutrition, minerals and vitamins do they need extra?
I can't help comparing to our horses who only gets hay and are fine. Well, Crow get a bit of barley since he's not a very hungry horse and requires a lot of energy to not get skinny.

 

[3mina]

Rabbits and horses have very similar digestive systems. Having said that I tried a bag of alfalfa pellets for horses on my rabbits recently, and the rabbits wouldn't touch it. Picky things :angry:
I'd say try it and see. I think, I only know from reading the natural feeds forum you'll be fine with the grain, alfalfa and hay. You *may* want to add a mineral block to make sure they get everything they need.

 

[Zab]

I'd have to try both pellets and straw and see which they like though

Our mineral blocks are full of salt.. it's like salt with some added mineals. But I have pelleted minerals I could use

 

[MKirst]

I recently gave up on mixing my own feed with all the extra grains & what not and started purchasing Producers Pride Rabbit Feed from Tractor Supply.

I think when I first started this rabbit project I got alittle ahead of myself wanting the best of everything.

Then the breeder I buy from took alook at my setup & feeding rations and said I waste my money. :?

So I stopped everything and started buying 50 pound bags of this Producers Pride. So now I give 1/2 a cup in the mornings and 1/2 a cup in the evenings with Timothy/Alfalfa hay in the evenings to each rabbit. I've been doing this for a couple months now and I'm satisfied. Although the directions say feed once a day 3-4 ounces. A rabbit 2 weeks before kindling feed 6 ounces.

This isn't the feed the breeder uses, she uses an all stock feed. I've noticed with this Producers Pride my rabbits keep a nice weight, shiny coat and the babies are growing up nicely too. My rabbits love this stuff.

This feed is a complete feed that says no additional hay or grains are necessary. But I do feed the Timothy/Alfalfa every evening. And kitchen scraps when I have them.

Crude Protein is 15 %

I've noticed with this feed my rabbits don't eat as much Timothy/Alfalfa - I went from my own mixed grain feed (1 cup morning - 1 cup evening) with 1/2 a leaf each evening Timothy/Alfalfa per rabbit to 1/2 a cup morning and evening with a handful of Timothy/Alfalfa hay in the evening per rabbit. I cut my feed bill plus the amount of feed I'm giving literally in 1/2.

So I think it depends on what feed your giving your rabbits - whether they eat more or less Alfalfa.

My racehorses are nothing like my rabbits - my horses will eat every top quality leaf I give them no matter how rich it is - that eating includes a 5 pound bucket morning and evening of racehorse feed. My racehorses would colic on too much Alfalfa long before they'd colic on feed.

My rabbits don't eat like that. I find they are the opposite.

 

[3mina]

That's what mineral blocks are over here too, they'll use what they need.
For me straw is bedding not feed, I seem to be one of the few to use it rather than hay. I feel it cuts down on the food/bed/toilet confusion. Hay is food, straw is for nestboxes and the toilet is whichever corner you choose

 

[Zab]

Thanks for sharing your experience

I'm researching options right now and I might very well mix pelets and natural etc. But I'd like to know how things I have here and that's cheap will be possible to use

_____

3mina; I think we misunderstand each other. I mean alfalfa straw/lucerne. I can get it in pellets or as straw It's not quite like hay though, but I don't think it's fermented.

Regular, yellow straw is what I use for bedding and nestboxes Iput hay in hay-racks and pellets in bowls