Juggling cages/colony for best results?

[Permajen]

Greetings, Rabbiteers.
I'm very new to the rabbitry caper. Please forgive any silly mistakes.
I'm really hoping for some management input regarding my setup. Perhaps the best way to do this is simply ask what you (as a rabbiteer) would do if you had all the following to play with:

1. a colony style pen about 13 or 14 feet square, with straw on concrete floor.
2. a hutch about 6 feet long by two-and-a-half feet wide (and fairly high) with an inbuilt nest box. The unit is raised on legs and well sheltered, though outdoors.
3. a commercial rabbit cage (doe and litter size) raised on legs. Well protected from all weather, though is sited outdoors.
4. a second commercial rabbit cage (buck size) also raised on legs. Well protected as above.
5. A trio of rabbits that already get along and are (so far) happy in the 'colony'. (Two does are soon to kindle.)

I should add, in my situation (apologies to pet owners) the offspring will be used partly for meat. But actually I'm interested in all ideas, whether you regard rabbits purely as pets or more.

Thank you so much for any thoughts...
Jen

 

[michaels4gardens]

sounds like you have everything you need, -if raised as a "colony" -just make sure the does each have a nest box that is a little secluded and away from each other [private space to kindle in, to help them remain friends]
The other cages can be used for grow-out for kits on full feed, or additional breed stock .
-- I might also add, that having a buck in with the does right after they give birth, may result in does being bred the first day after kindling , and that is usually, not good-- you may want to keep the buck away from the does for a few weeks[at least] to give them time to do a good job with what they have-- before they have some more kits.

 

[Marinea]

If it were me, I would leave the does in the colony and keep the buck separate except when you want to breed, then return him to his cage. I would use the other cages for quarantine, injury, grow out, etc.

 

[akane]

13-14sq feet pen or a 15sq ft hutch isn't really big enough to do a proper colony. I would suggest a minimum of 18sq ft for a pair of does with small litters and the offspring being weaned quickly. Even then I only put small breeds like mini rex and dutch in such setups. You can try it but I would be very cautious putting large breed does with big litters in such an area together. A 10x10 or equivalent building is what I would prefer for a pair to trio of commercial breed does, a place to raise their offspring to butchering size, and buck pens raised above it.

 

[michaels4gardens]

13-14sq feet pen or a 15sq ft hutch isn't really big enough to do a proper colony. I would suggest a minimum of 18sq ft for a pair of does with small litters and the offspring being weaned quickly. Even then I only put small breeds like mini rex and dutch in such setups. You can try it but I would be very cautious putting large breed does with big litters in such an area together. A 10x10 or equivalent building is what I would prefer for a pair to trio of commercial breed does, a place to raise their offspring to butchering size, and buck pens raised above it.

I "ASSUMED" you were talking about 14 foot square [196 square feet], and not 15 square feet.
that would make a big difference.

 

[Marinea]

I'm with Michael on the assumption. If it's 15 square feet total, that is way too small for a colony.

 

[Permajen]

@akane, apologies, yes, I meant 13'x13'. I phrased that badly! Sorry everyone.

@michaels4gardens, thanks for those thoughts. If I put the buck in a smaller cage inside the pen, would I be able to let him out periodically without the does seeing him as an intruder? Seems to me this would be a good way of making sure he's not lonely.

@marinea, great, thanks for the tips. (I didn't even consider quarantine... but of course I may need it.)

It sounds like keeping the buck separate is a bit of a no brainer for maternal health.
Thanks to all.
Jen

 

[michaels4gardens]

@michaels4gardens, thanks for those thoughts. If I put the buck in a smaller cage inside the pen, would I be able to let him out periodically without the does seeing him as an intruder? Seems to me this would be a good way of making sure he's not lonely.
Thanks to all.
Jen

I suppose that would work, I have never tried that, -- but it sounds like a good idea to me,
-some others here have a lot more experience with colony raising, so they might comment on this.
I raised them colony style for a few years, when I was young,[and did not take the buck out] and decided I needed a lot more control of my breeding program.

 

[BusterHill]

I have 3 breeding does, a juvinile doe, and 2 month old kits in a 15x10 give or take pen, with 5 nesting places and a couple extra hiding places, I havent had issues with does killing the others kits or anything, but ive been more careful to not encourage them to hang out in hiding places by making them more kit sized and more open, i had a doe nest in a hiding area and the kits were trampled before i knew they were there....

I used to keep my buck in there with them and i never had back to back litters, i would have a litter, then a month later a different doe would kindle, worked out well until I stopped having litters, so now I keep the buck out and hand breed, this way I know due dates and such... not knowing and having ever litter a surprise isnt as fun as it sounds lol...

In the chicken pen when is bigger, I have a sterile buck so they are always exposed, and I just sold off my last buck for a younger different breed with a wonderful soft coat... he is in a pen nest to the grow out pen so hes not lonely, with how my litters worked out there is about a month difference in ages..

I have individual grow out cages hanging for when I first wean kits, to put on weight, then they go to the grow ou pen, then the ones that are nearing butcher weight (5lbs) go back into the hanging cages for about 2 weeks to finish off faster

 

[Dood]

My grow out cage is a 10 x 10 pen and my 10 year old buck is in there. He can no longer be kept in a small cage or his arthritis seizes him up. So far all is going well, the majority of the young males dont chalłenge him or even fight with each other, but I do need to butcher a few of the bossier ones before 5 pounds to keep the peace.

My does are all caged individually. In my youth i had does and their offspring in a colony but my kit mortality was high from the girls fighting over preferred nest boxes or the older kits hogging the milk and the new borns starving

I have a 48x30 weaning / transition cage for the 4 week old kits before they are put into the colony