Bugzy4Lady
Well-known member
Looking for ideas on how to create pasture area for my buns. Does anyone have examples of yours that you could post or explain what your setup is like. Thanks for your help
Pasture ideas
- Thread starter Bugzy4Lady
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We have movable pens, sometimes called rabbit tractors.
Two inches of large weave wire helps discourage digging at the edges. So far, we only have one digger and she only digs in the center. The door to the hutch opens and closes.
Some of the hutches are made with plywood but we recently started using vinyl siding.
Each pen is a little different and has some changes and/or improvements. We started out with a solid floor in the hutch but quickly switched to all wire. In the winter when does kindle, we'll lay some cut plywood down to help keep the draftiness to a minimum.
We put a latch on the lids to keep the wind from blowing them open. We had a very, very windy month of March and actually had one pen roof ripped off.
We move the pens daily, sometimes daily depending on how thin the grass is.
We're going to be adding a low pressure water system - 5 gallon bucket on top with tubing to a nipple.
Two inches of large weave wire helps discourage digging at the edges. So far, we only have one digger and she only digs in the center. The door to the hutch opens and closes.
Some of the hutches are made with plywood but we recently started using vinyl siding.
Each pen is a little different and has some changes and/or improvements. We started out with a solid floor in the hutch but quickly switched to all wire. In the winter when does kindle, we'll lay some cut plywood down to help keep the draftiness to a minimum.
We put a latch on the lids to keep the wind from blowing them open. We had a very, very windy month of March and actually had one pen roof ripped off.
We move the pens daily, sometimes daily depending on how thin the grass is.
We're going to be adding a low pressure water system - 5 gallon bucket on top with tubing to a nipple.
The only problem I see with the gravity water system, Ollitos, is that the water will get awfully warm on summer days... just when the buns need cooling the most. They may not drink enough if the water is not refreshing.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
MaggieJ":39xiqtkm said:
I saw another problem- 5 gallons of water is about 40lbs! That will add a lot of weight when you move the bunnies. The water getting warm is an issue in water bottles, too though. I am planning a gravity fed system for my growout pens using 5g buckets also- if we freeze large bowls of water and dump those into the buckets it will help keep the contents cool.
I hadn't thought about the weight, but you're right about that too, MSD. Ice in the bucket would definitely help the cooling.
Sounds like more work and more risk from predators than gathering the greens and feeding the buns in a safe cage or colony situation. But I hope I'm wrong and that it works for you.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
I have multiple concerns with pasture pens. Digging, soiling the forage before they eat it, poisonous plants, predators, parasites, high winds blowing the structures away, and a lack of flat land to place them on. I am collecting 1-1/2 5 gallon buckets of grasses, wild mustard, and filaree twice daily, and it takes about 15-20 minutes to do so each time. I think it would take me longer moving the pens around than gathering it myself with a pair of household scissors.
For the number of pens we have, it would take a lot longer to gather greens than to move the pens. They only get moved about 4 feet a day. We haven't had any problems with predators. If a predator was at the wire, trying to reach in, the rabbits have an enclosed hutch they can hide in for protection. We only have one digger but she's stopped since having a litter. We'll line the bottom of her pen with wide wire if she starts again. The wind did blow the roof off one pen but we have latches now. Our goal is to make the pens heavy enough that they don't blow away (another reason to keep the water buckets on top) but light enough that I can move them myself. The rabbits tend to poop only in a particular area, keeping the rest of their grass area clean. About once a month, I add some diatomaceous earth to their feed. This kills any worms they might have and adds it to their poop which keeps bugs in the pasture down.
We took the concept of pastured chicken pens that we have used successfully and applied it to pasture fed rabbits.
The benefit to our pastures has been incredible. We had two rabbits last year that we moved all over for fresh grass during the spring, summer and fall. We have insane, thick clover growth where they were last year. If we could get all our pastures that thick in clover, our cattle would be overjoyed.
Between the pastured chicken and rabbits, we're able to naturally revitalize pastures that are almost burnt out of nutrients. It's a huge win for our farm and it's all being done naturally. For our farm and our needs, this is by far the best way to raise our rabbits and chickens.
We took the concept of pastured chicken pens that we have used successfully and applied it to pasture fed rabbits.
The benefit to our pastures has been incredible. We had two rabbits last year that we moved all over for fresh grass during the spring, summer and fall. We have insane, thick clover growth where they were last year. If we could get all our pastures that thick in clover, our cattle would be overjoyed.
Between the pastured chicken and rabbits, we're able to naturally revitalize pastures that are almost burnt out of nutrients. It's a huge win for our farm and it's all being done naturally. For our farm and our needs, this is by far the best way to raise our rabbits and chickens.
Farm Girl
Well-known member
I am so glad it is working out for you.
I would like to try it after a while.
:bunnyhop:
I would like to try it after a while.
:bunnyhop:
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
Ollitos, I didn't mean to offend or disparage your methods at all, simply stating my personal concerns in my situation without going into detail. It was meant as food for thought for Bugzy and others who might wish to pasture their rabbits, not as a disparagement to those that already do. There are downsides to cage raising too, mainly a lack of stimulation, but no way is perfect by any means... although if anyone finds the secret to the perfect set up I am all ears!
Different options work well in different areas, and I am glad you found an easy way to fertilize your pastures. We have lots of predators in our area- badgers, coons, foxes, coyotes, bear, mountain lions, as well as rattlesnakes, king snakes, gopher snakes... the ground squirrels are also infested with fleas and I fear they might find rabbits palatable as well, although the dogs and cats don't get fleas. Our area is very arid, so we don't have huge problems with parasitic worms, but I'm sure that is a concern in the more lush and wet areas of the country.
On another note, I made some waterers using 2-1/2 gallon buckets and placing the valves on the buckets themselves- if you could hang the buckets inside your pens they will be shaded, which should solve the warm water issue for you. If you have a hole saw and drill a hole in the top, you can fill them without having to remove the lids.
There are downsides to cage raising too, mainly a lack of stimulation, but no way is perfect by any means... although if anyone finds the secret to the perfect set up I am all ears! Different options work well in different areas, and I am glad you found an easy way to fertilize your pastures. We have lots of predators in our area- badgers, coons, foxes, coyotes, bear, mountain lions, as well as rattlesnakes, king snakes, gopher snakes... the ground squirrels are also infested with fleas and I fear they might find rabbits palatable as well, although the dogs and cats don't get fleas. Our area is very arid, so we don't have huge problems with parasitic worms, but I'm sure that is a concern in the more lush and wet areas of the country.
On another note, I made some waterers using 2-1/2 gallon buckets and placing the valves on the buckets themselves- if you could hang the buckets inside your pens they will be shaded, which should solve the warm water issue for you. If you have a hole saw and drill a hole in the top, you can fill them without having to remove the lids.
Heritage Homestead
Well-known member
We are planning on doing something like what you are doing for our meat bunnies ollitos. Those pictures are great. Now I have a "floor plan" to go off of.
Just one question (for anyone). At what age do you put your bunnies out on grass? I had read not to give them greens at an early age, but of course no book would tell me when it was okay :?
MSD, we used a water system like what you described for our chickens and it works very well!
Just one question (for anyone). At what age do you put your bunnies out on grass? I had read not to give them greens at an early age, but of course no book would tell me when it was okay :?
MSD, we used a water system like what you described for our chickens and it works very well!
Oh, I wasn't offended at all. I hope I didn't come across as defensive. Just stating that we definitely considered those things and for our situation, this is a great solution. Not the best solution for everyone, but it works for us.<br /><br />__________ Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:20 pm __________<br /><br />
We don't put new rabbits directly on grass. We keep them in the barn and give them incrementally larger amounts of grass every few days and watch their digestion. If we see loose stools, we back off. Once they are acclimated to the grass, we put them out on pasture.
As for the kits, they are kept in the same pen as their mom so they start eating grass as soon as they leave the hutch.
Heritage Homestead":2f0d6u2h said:
We don't put new rabbits directly on grass. We keep them in the barn and give them incrementally larger amounts of grass every few days and watch their digestion. If we see loose stools, we back off. Once they are acclimated to the grass, we put them out on pasture.
As for the kits, they are kept in the same pen as their mom so they start eating grass as soon as they leave the hutch.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
ollitos":bhnss1yc said:
Oh, good!
I just wanted to be sure since your post came directly after mine, so I wanted to be certain and offer my apologies if necessary.
Heritage Homestead":1x1xr5o0 said:
I would suggest you disregard the books on this one. My kits eat greens from the moment they emerge from the nest box and I have never once lost a kit to any kind of GI disorder. Start off as you mean to continue. If the greens are there from the beginning, the kits nibble and develop the appropriate gut flora, just as they would in the wild. The problem occurs when kits not exposed to greens from the beginning suddenly discover how delicious they are and overindulge in something they cannot digest.<br /><br />__________ Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:50 pm __________<br /><br />Ollitis, you deserve a lot of credit for developing a working system for pasturing rabbits. Given predators, dig-outs, parasites and problems with over-heating, it is not an easy thing to do. :goodjob:
Bugzy4Lady
Well-known member
Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I hadn't even given a thought about putting wire down on the ground to prevent digging. Currently I am just giving mine a handful of greens each day in their pens. Still not sure which method is better since I have a homegrown predator from our "dog kennel" who almost got Bugzy when he was young, thankfully my husband saved him just in time from Zeke. Zeke managed to get the cage door open and Bugz ran for his life. I think for now I will stay with collecting greens, at least it gives me exercise! Thanks again
I have been looking into "pasture pens" and everything I find makes a comment about escaping because of digging or slipping out from uneven slats. To stop this there needs to be a wire placed on the bottom of the cage but, in doing so it pushes the standing grass down to where it's harder for the rabbits to get to it. So here is what I am thinking on a pasture pen.
I am thinking a rail system where the wire is already down between the rails and the grass is growing threw the wire. The pen would be on rollers and would make it easy to move on the rails. There would be no wire on the bottom of the pen. There would have to be some tight tolorances to account for but that can be doable. Once ready simply push the pen on down the rail and to fresh already standing grass. Once at the end (if the rail was long enough) you could push the pen back to the beginning and start over. I also considered moveable rail sections but, if using wood they would be heavy. I am still playing with the idea on paper and trying to come up with an easy, simple and quick say to keep my rabbits on fresh FREE grass every day.
I am thinking a rail system where the wire is already down between the rails and the grass is growing threw the wire. The pen would be on rollers and would make it easy to move on the rails. There would be no wire on the bottom of the pen. There would have to be some tight tolorances to account for but that can be doable. Once ready simply push the pen on down the rail and to fresh already standing grass. Once at the end (if the rail was long enough) you could push the pen back to the beginning and start over. I also considered moveable rail sections but, if using wood they would be heavy. I am still playing with the idea on paper and trying to come up with an easy, simple and quick say to keep my rabbits on fresh FREE grass every day.
I have been pasturing my kits in a pen for the past 3 weeks (they are just starting their 8th week) and I use an enclosure 7'w x 7'l x 24"h made from 1/4" hardware cloth wired together and 4 rebar stakes. Today, I also topped the pen with an old king sized sheet held on in the 30-40mph winds with spring clamps. These babies generally don't dig, but when there is a bare patch of nice, moist dirt, one really started digging yesterday I am also out there with them all day so I can monitor them. They also like to see me, so if I go around the corner of the house for a chore, I make sure to go and check on them and talk to them. I also provide a pan of pellets and oats along with the water bowl, and I use the halves of a pet taxi for hidey holes. This can also be used to block any gap in the fencing, and I will also use bricks to line the outside of the pen if needed. These babies started on greens in the mother's cage, and I started increasing their greens in the inside corral and by limiting their outside time, working up to being outside from 9am to 7pm.
For the adults, I dug out about 6" in an area where there is only about 2 hours of sun 2x per day and laid down a chain link "flooring", wired it to the sides, then back filled with about 4" of dirt. I have been scraping up the bermuda grass that has invaded my expansion joints in my sidewalks and transplanting it into the adult pen along with more dirt on top. The adults are all diggers, so I am probably losing about a quarter of the bermuda transplants, but when it takes, I will be able to get it to fill in the spots where they want to dig. I am also building a sand box for them to take a dust bath in where I will be able to include some DE. This will be taken in when we are going to have rain, so it will stay dry. I am also including plenty of weeds and have several local weeds that they love growing out so I can harvest seed to spread in the pen. I have also thrown in some parsley and basil seed, and have alfalfa growing to seed here too.
So far, I only put a sheet awning over the baby's pen as the adult pen is 4' chain link with a foot print of 9' x 7'. I also live inside city limits and don't have too many aerial predators ... the occassional red tailed hawk, and the local cats are a worry, but so far, the pellet gun has convinced them to avoid my property :lol:
I realize that most cannot be outside and attentive to open-topped cages like I can, but they are convenient for me and the buns love them. However, the adults only get a couple of hours each (5 adults) to run in the pen, but after the first half hour of running, marking, digging, and checking for possible escape routes, I find them either eating on the grass, or lounging around in the shade. The best part is that the babies are easy to move around the lawn and provide 4 footed, all terrain lawn mowing
I am also out there with them all day so I can monitor them. They also like to see me, so if I go around the corner of the house for a chore, I make sure to go and check on them and talk to them. I also provide a pan of pellets and oats along with the water bowl, and I use the halves of a pet taxi for hidey holes. This can also be used to block any gap in the fencing, and I will also use bricks to line the outside of the pen if needed. These babies started on greens in the mother's cage, and I started increasing their greens in the inside corral and by limiting their outside time, working up to being outside from 9am to 7pm.For the adults, I dug out about 6" in an area where there is only about 2 hours of sun 2x per day and laid down a chain link "flooring", wired it to the sides, then back filled with about 4" of dirt. I have been scraping up the bermuda grass that has invaded my expansion joints in my sidewalks and transplanting it into the adult pen along with more dirt on top. The adults are all diggers, so I am probably losing about a quarter of the bermuda transplants, but when it takes, I will be able to get it to fill in the spots where they want to dig. I am also building a sand box for them to take a dust bath in where I will be able to include some DE. This will be taken in when we are going to have rain, so it will stay dry. I am also including plenty of weeds and have several local weeds that they love growing out so I can harvest seed to spread in the pen. I have also thrown in some parsley and basil seed, and have alfalfa growing to seed here too.
So far, I only put a sheet awning over the baby's pen as the adult pen is 4' chain link with a foot print of 9' x 7'. I also live inside city limits and don't have too many aerial predators ... the occassional red tailed hawk, and the local cats are a worry, but so far, the pellet gun has convinced them to avoid my property :lol:
I realize that most cannot be outside and attentive to open-topped cages like I can, but they are convenient for me and the buns love them. However, the adults only get a couple of hours each (5 adults) to run in the pen, but after the first half hour of running, marking, digging, and checking for possible escape routes, I find them either eating on the grass, or lounging around in the shade. The best part is that the babies are easy to move around the lawn and provide 4 footed, all terrain lawn mowing
Put up an electric fence, ollitos, and soon!
My dogs did squat to keep predators away and they even tore open cages, they will find a way.
Better to get the fence up now in a relaxed and calm way than rush once they start killing everything non stop.
I tell people not to avoid predator animals on the road, just run em b-stards over!
And picking greens for 6 adults and 3 pens of babies is VERY hard! I fill a 5g bucket at least once a day, just packed tight. Though, I like to get them greens again before I lock up. My lawn is no longer mowed by the rabbits. I used to move the Cali kits up to three times a day! They really got the grass down! But now I'll have to do it and that will suck. Harder to shove around a mower in the hot sun than drag around rabbits and let them do it.
Also, now I need to freeze water bottles so the hanging rabbits don't over heat. They don't use them, they chew holes in them. It's really annoying. At least in the cages the ground helps keep them cool.
My dogs did squat to keep predators away and they even tore open cages, they will find a way.
Better to get the fence up now in a relaxed and calm way than rush once they start killing everything non stop.
I tell people not to avoid predator animals on the road, just run em b-stards over!
And picking greens for 6 adults and 3 pens of babies is VERY hard! I fill a 5g bucket at least once a day, just packed tight. Though, I like to get them greens again before I lock up. My lawn is no longer mowed by the rabbits. I used to move the Cali kits up to three times a day! They really got the grass down! But now I'll have to do it and that will suck. Harder to shove around a mower in the hot sun than drag around rabbits and let them do it.
Also, now I need to freeze water bottles so the hanging rabbits don't over heat. They don't use them, they chew holes in them. It's really annoying. At least in the cages the ground helps keep them cool.
