Grow out cage for 5wk old kits

[Jjbackwoods]

Hi everyone , I’m new to raising meat rabbits and wondered if putting kits in a tractor that’ll be moved every couple of days is ok for their young digestive system? I just put them in there and obviously they re munching away. My New Zealand doe had 12 kits her 1st litter with one still born and she turned out to be a great momma with 11 still going and growing strong . Any info would be greatly appreciated and I can make adjustments if needed for a grow out cage

 

[bighairbuns]

That is going to be a big "it depends".

Just like with pretty much everything with rabbits, the ability to thrive on forage has a genetic component. The semi-famous example -Polyface farms has done some heavy line breeding for a meat rabbit that thrives on pasture.

I have heard of people losing kits by putting them on pasture. Whether from GI issues or exposure to microorganisms.

Personally, I think the benefits of growing out on pasture outweigh the cons. I'd accept the risk and put them out there. I'd hold back the best of the litter as a future breeder, and inspect the meat closely while butchering. In a few generations, I would hopefully have a hardy line that can go right from the nest box to pasture with few hiccups.

Do you have a bottom on that tractor? Be wary of dig outs (and dig ins from predators)

 

[Jjbackwoods]

Thanks! Great advice , I did put them back w momma after 20 min on grass. They’ve been eating pellets and alfalfa hay in hutch with her. I think what I’ll do is slowly let them stay longer each time but have pellets available also. I don’t plan on a strict no pellet diet, but the tractor will be their grow out cage is all. Maybe in future I’ll look more into all natural feed. Tractor doesn’t have a bottom , (knock on wood) we’ve not experienced any predator problems in past w chickens being out there for 8 wks - maybe due to 2 dogs roaming . And yes I’ve noticed when I left adult rabbits in one spot too long they ll dig near edge as if they’re trying to escape! Thanks again

 

[imajpm]

What I do to protect young guts, is to feed mama what I want to feed the kits. That way when she drops off her cecotropes for them and seeds thier gut flora with hers, they can eat whatever she's eating. I am weaning kits right now onto garden lettuces and greens since thier mom has been eating them since spring. I've done this for years with barley fodder as well. If mom hasn't been eating greens for at least a month, then the kits do not get any. If the kits don't wean onto greens, then they don't get them period til they are around four months old. That may be extra cautious, but I've never lost a kit to any kind of enteritis or gut related problem so it seems to work, knock on wood.