Is this another huge mistake?

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Albert said:
Good morning everyone,

We're new to rabbit keeping and I think so far I've made some pretty rookie type errors that hopefully I've corrected? Originally we were going for suspended cages in our barn but I think it's too dark and we have 3 semi-wild domestic cats who live in there to keep any rodents down. So stupidly I bought 3 largish "Pet" type hutches before buying our 3 Californians and immediately realised they were way too small. I like the idea of permanent tractors so I've added these fixed runs onto the hutches which seems to work well. Each of our rabbits now has 2.5 square Metres (Yards) of space indoor and outdoor combined. They can stretch out and run and they can always see each other without getting personal. The runs have a fixed wire bottom 5cm (2") gap for grazing and to stop digging out and the tractors are moved every 2 days.

The mistake I think I may be about to make is it's their first breeding at the end of the month and the down ramp from the indoor area / nest box concerns me. Do you think we'll lose a lot of kits who end up outside in the potentially bad weather that wont be able to get back in? And if we keep with our 2 day movement schedule is it likely to make the does anxious and turn on the kits? At the moment they come charging out on move day to see what new grass is available.

Thanks


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I love your rabbit tractors! So nice. I have some chicken tractors I'm not using and I thought I might staple 2X4" wire to close up the floor and use that for growing out the weaned bunnies. Maybe I still will, but I really like what you've done, and the idea of having the mamas on grass does appeal to me. My chicken tractors are heavy; plus, I've been thinking of putting plastic over them and using them for extra greenhouse space, so...

One thing you might want to consider... if you have predators like raccoons, etc., it might be a good idea to think about reinforcing that chicken wire. I've been told raccoons, weasels, etc. can tear their way right through it. Because of that, I've never used chicken wire near the ground, so I don't really *know*. It's just something to consider.
 
Real nice setup you have. Because I don't believe it's been mentioned. A lip on the box extending in to create a corner so that the kits can't get out as easily. Leaving the opening 5-6" high off the floor bottom. Kits can get drug out because they were suckling and mama left the box.
Some newborn ones if you're does aren't experienced. If these are first time does some have to learn to birth in the nest box. Our does, one has been perfect from the start and looses no kits and averaging 9 or more kits. One doe had some kits outside that I placed in the nest and they did fine. One doe that had 1 oversized 1 tiny runt born I found out of the box, expect doe did this instinctively. 1 doe all over the place but by the 3rd breeding she had it figured out. All were good mama after.
Are you prepared for growing out the kits ? Your going to need a couple bigger grow out pens for 24 kits if each doe throws 8 average. I've found that 12 per grow out pen is about all that works. More dominate bucks or does will beat up the runts if too crowded. Our grow out pens were 30" wide as that's the wire I have and 8' long. Minimum of 2 feeding stations.
You look like a great setup with healthy happy rabbits. Kits come on fast. With our 4 does n 1 buck we can have upwards of 55 rabbits at a time. Just a bit of my experience and hopefully helping looking towards the future.
Good luck n have fun
 
Albert said:
Good morning everyone,

We're new to rabbit keeping and I think so far I've made some pretty rookie type errors that hopefully I've corrected? Originally we were going for suspended cages in our barn but I think it's too dark and we have 3 semi-wild domestic cats who live in there to keep any rodents down. So stupidly I bought 3 largish "Pet" type hutches before buying our 3 Californians and immediately realised they were way too small. I like the idea of permanent tractors so I've added these fixed runs onto the hutches which seems to work well. Each of our rabbits now has 2.5 square Metres (Yards) of space indoor and outdoor combined. They can stretch out and run and they can always see each other without getting personal. The runs have a fixed wire bottom 5cm (2") gap for grazing and to stop digging out and the tractors are moved every 2 days.

The mistake I think I may be about to make is it's their first breeding at the end of the month and the down ramp from the indoor area / nest box concerns me. Do you think we'll lose a lot of kits who end up outside in the potentially bad weather that wont be able to get back in? And if we keep with our 2 day movement schedule is it likely to make the does anxious and turn on the kits? At the moment they come charging out on move day to see what new grass is available.

Thanks


View attachment 28743View attachment 28744
Click to expand...
Perfect solution..go to YouTube and search " the rabbitey center" Bobby is amazing and he does totes..he buries them partially to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. I wish it'd be so easy for my set up. He's great though.
 

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