Colony Results

[avdpas77]

I published this in the 'nest box' where Maggie asked that I post it here also.....

Results of my Colony Experience

I have been trying to differentiate between the different types of colonies as my information will only be pertinent to one type. I guess the two main factors are:
A) inside (building) or outside.
B) diggable or non-diggable floor.

I have spent the last year experimenting with a pair of rabbits in an outside colony with no floor or digging barrier. The buck was left in with the doe. I was interested in the rabbits burrowing because it would provide a place with no wind or drastic temperature changes and allow kits to b raised both in are cold winters and warm summers. We usually get several days of blow 0 F weather here a winter, and several weeks where the temperature never gets above freezing. The summers have high humidity and may stay in the 90-100 degree range for a month or more.

While the results wouldn't be reflective of all colonies, it might provide some thinking points for others to consider.

A) The buck (which got along very well with the doe) would breed the doe soon after she kindled. The average time between litters was 33 days. This kept the doe worn-down weight wise, but she stayed healthy. The original couple of litters averaged around 8 kits, but around the third to forth set the average declined to ~5. I suspect that this was a natural adjustment by the doe to keep healthy.

B) in an outside fenced enclosure, rabbits will tend to burrow towards "structure" That is, the will tend to burrow towards a large rock, wall, or the side of a building. If there is nothing in the enclosure but a barrel or dog house they will try to burrow towards it. I had no trouble with the rabbits trying to burrow under the fence, as one side of my cage was against a shed. They burrowed toward (and underneath) it.

C) Unless it is a quite large enclosure, they will denude it of foliage in a very short time. Also,the manure may pile up faster than it will naturally decompose. My enclosure was 10 x 24 feet, had two adults and their offspring (to about 8 weeks)

D)One of the largest problems was trying to trap out weaning age kits. At any given time, when the kits reached about 8 weeks(exact time of birth was hard to determine until well after the fact), there would be 3 liters in the pen at one time: babies in the nest, kits a bit older than 4 weeks, and kits a bit over 8 weeks. In the winter, one might end up trapping 4 week old kits as well as an 8 week old kits, the 8 week old kit could stand the cold for 4 hours or so, but a single 4 week old kit might not be able to. I had to trap during weekends or evenings.

There is no sign of coccidiosis among my cage raised rabbits. The colony raised rabbits livers indicate slight to serious coccidiosis.

Hope this helps people when thinking about their design.

 

[Anntann]

Excellent Thanks for posting your results here <br /><br />__________ Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:39 pm __________<br /><br />The coccidia are everywhere out in the wild. It's just plain EASY for the rabbits to pick it up from a passing wild bunny, or for it to be in the ground already from a passing cottontail. Once they pick it up, it's going to be a problem (something freerange poultry people have to deal with constantly). One way to keep it under control is to sanitize the ground before putting the rabbits out, and to put up a perimeter fence at least 6" from the inside fence (to keep out wild buns). Since coccidia is species specific (birds can't infect rabbits, for instance) I'm thinking a surround that's a few feet wide with chickens running in it might be a good answer. LIke some do for the gardens

I wonder if a monthly dose of corrid would be an answer?

I've been told to put my feeder pagoda at the very center of the colony for just the reason you state...they dig under structures or INTO solid things. It's good to hear your take on this.

It's my belief that with a larger area, and more does, each doe will get a rest period. I've heard that from a couple of the large colony breeders, and seen one of my angora does turn on the buck after she kindled. (get AWAY! GRRRrrrr...which he did...rapidly)

Although....thinking out loud now...if she drops the numbers in the litter down to 1/2, and stays in good shape even tho she kindles every 33 days, is that so bad? Tons of milk for the 5 kits, they grow fast enough to wean in 30 days...and she starts over again. ?? I know Michael would rather process 5 rabbits at once every month, than 10 rabbits all at once every 2 months, so that's a consideration (particularly if you're talking 3 does with 15 kits vs 30 kits!) I think I'd probably pen/cage the buck every few months just to give the does a rest, tho. Do you think that would work? Maybe a fence along one end...2feet x 10feet for him while she and the kits rest.

Oh golly. I can not WAIT until we can get the rabbits outside. After your experiences, I'm thinking that I'll put a mini pole building at the center so they can use that as a warren base.

 

[MaggieJ]

Thanks, Frank! Very useful information.

I'm fast coming to the conclusion that colony raising of rabbits is a lot more complicated than it appears. I'm certainly not ready to give up on it, but I would urge those new to rabbits to consider cage raising for the first year or two and then to set up a colony with some of their youngsters, if they feel the need to give it a try.

I think you're right about the smaller litters when the does have back to back pregnancies. Alice's litters have been five, two and four. The latest kits just arrived this morning and since Jasper is still in a dog crate in the colony, her next litter should be more than the usual 30 days away. Unless she backs her furry little butt up to the wire and they get acrobatic! I wouldn't put it past them!