Breeding and Nutrition...

[cereshill]

Well, I have had to break down and purchase pellets and some BOSS. Over the past week, it has paid off: three reticent does willingly bred. I can only attribute this to better nutrition...

I would like to feed naturally, but may not be able to do as much during winter time....

 

[DevonW]

Breeding and proper nutrition go hand in hand Would it be possible for you to feed pellets over the winter then ween them back to the natural feeding for the Spring/summer/Fall when they aren't using as much energy to keep themselves warm? I don't feed natural but in the winter I find I always have to drastically increase the amount of pellets they eat to keep them fit happy and breeding.

 

[cereshill]

looks like that is going to be the deal here.

 

[MaggieJ]

I'm sure your rabbits will do better on pellet, CH. It's pretty tough trying to do natural feeding without a good legume hay.

 

[avdpas77]

It is harder for many of us in the winter to try to stick with a "non pellet" diet. Certainly, without pellets one needs a good alfalfa hay. One might be able to get by on good clover, bean, or trefoil hay, but it would take more work making sure they had other nutrients, and usually these hays are harder to find than good alfalfa.

I have neither the time, or a decent South facing window to try to grow greens in the winter, so I only supliment in the summer. I did luck into some greens and apples culled from a green grocier, but it is noting I can depend on. I am trying to raise a breed of (crossed-bred) rabbits that can adapt well to pellets or grains/hay/greens, so it is important that I feed as much of a non-pellet diet as I can in the summer to test them. Still, with all the good imput from the people here, we are getting closer and closer to a good non-pellet system and I thank all of you that have provided so much imput. Even when we fail with a certain diet, it adds to the knowledge.

 

[Anntann]

Excellent news, CH. Glad things are looking better. I think you'll find that the price you had on pellets is a really good deal. Not only in the normal "this brand costs more than THIS brand" but in that the rabbits will do really well for you...minimizing losses, breeding more readily.

Early this year, start looking for alfalfa hay. 2nd cut is the most nutritious, fyi. First cut tends to have some weeds in it (although that's not a BAD thing for bunnies); 3rd cut tends to be more stemmy. If you can find some at a decent price (depending on the type of year we have weatherwise) you could buy some, or contract with a farmer to let you buy XX number of bales at $X.xx per bale and he stores them for you. OR just find someone around who has alfalfa for sale and buy as you need it.

Plant your sunflowers, order wheat/grains..and then you're set for next winter. (although, you may find that pellets are just darn easy to work with.)