Pastured Rabbit Questions

[CanadianRabbit]

I've seen some great pictures of pastured rabbits!

My crazy question is this:

Is it possible (in a very large movable pastured cage) to have several pregnant does (bred on the same day) inside that each give birth to their litters.? (I know doe's are territorial - so this may be a horrible idea)

Why would I even dream up this idea? I'm a big fan of Joel Salatin from Polyface Farms. Their big push is to raise their livestock in ways that mimics how the animals would be in the wild.
Reasons for this is that the health of the herd is increased, the land is healed because of the animals presence, and the animals can then act like they were meant to live in the wild.

By having one (or several) of these big movable cages- means less work for whomever has to move them. Only have to move one cage instead of three smaller ones. The rabbits can then also socialize and then when they are weaned could be separated by male and females until they are butchered.

Possible problems I foresee - perhaps that many rabbits (even in a big cage) would be too much risk of disease / sickness because they would litter the ground with manure and urine in no time.

Would LOVE to know any thoughts on this - and how many rabbits people keep in pastured cages.

THANKS!

 

[silver0202]

I think that could be possible. I've seen two does share a horse stall and build their nest apart from each other. It actually so happened that one of the does was not able to get to her nest for a whole day. The other doe took over and nursed both litters.

 

[WildWolf]

I don't think there would be a disease problem... I'd be more worried that the pen is large enough. It depends on your does temperaments.

 

[paradox]

Several people on here raise rabbits in colonies. Maybe run a search for discussions about that and see what they say about it.

 

[Secuono]

Would have to be large enough, but the floor wire would have to be small enough to keep kits in, which can be hard to do. Combine both and it'll be pricey and heavy.

 

[Cottie]

I have a tractor that was built with that concept in mind. I can't move it. It's VERY large and VERY heavy. I will be using it for a grow-out pen instead.

I've been experimenting with kindling tractors and different designs. Got a good one down that costs less than $40. I just don't think it's profitable. We use 1x2 furring strips are runners on the bottom, placed ~2 inches apart, to prevent kits from escaping. Based on how they squeeze through the colony fence, they could get through that itty bitty space if they really wanted to. I may add a skirt to it, just to see what happens. It's roughly 10sq ft, so larger than a cage, and works great for the bucks. I just don't think it would be good for kits.

Don't ever ever ever use chicken wire. I tried, as a wink and nod to Salatin's methods. It must be a great combo of low-drive predators, good fences and guard dogs that lets him get away with that.

Had two does with nests in a large colony area (80+ sq ft). They STILL fought, and one attacked the other's nest, then her kits.

We're also big fans of Polyface, but if you read more on his care of rabbits, it's more than just tractors. Does live and/or kindle in cages in movable hoop houses (sometimes shared with chickens and pigs). It's only really the grow-outs that live on pasture.

 

[Andrei]

If you pick a calm breed and maybe 2 sisters and 10X10 ft with a lot of artificial hiding places it might be a success.
Why not keep only youngsters in a pen?

 

[CanadianRabbit]

Thanks RJSchaefer - I didn't even think about the runners or wire mesh on the bottom.

Makes sense grow-outs live on pasture at Polyface. Before they go out to pasture do you know if they are fed fresh grass cuttings? I would assume it would be a pretty big shock to their system to one day be picked out of a cage and go onto pasture <br /><br />__________ Thu Jul 11, 2013 4:58 pm __________<br /><br />Was able to find the answer on their website!

I'm not up on my rabbit breeds - but does Polyface have New Zealand Red's?

Any advantages to a red rabbit? From the reading I've been doing New Zealand White's are meatier.

Thanks! I'm keen to learn!

 

[JessiL]

So far we have had one litter on pasture from birth to near-slaughter weight (they are only 5 weeks now). No losses at any point. Our various tractors all have floors with 2 inch by something (varies from 4 to more inches depending on tractor) spacing with no escapes. But we have flat level ground for the tractors...

I am regularly weighing both the pasture babies and their close relatives (mothers are sisters, father is same buck) in a cage as they develop. If both sisters manage to kindle on similar days this round, I will cross-foster a few babies from each litter to the other to rule out genetic influences on weight gain (yes, I am a scientist by trade).

We are moving to small ultralight tractors that house one doe and her litter, a growout group, or two bucks (divided). 4' x 4' total footprint. I find it easy to quickly move the little tractors every morning with just light arm strength, the other large ones I dread dealing with. I'd think there would be problems housing two or more does together. We currently have a doe and buck as tractor "roommates"(still separated by a divider; one of the older designs); the doe I had in place of the buck really wanted to kill the other one. The buck just really "likes" his doe roomie.

But this is just what seems to work for us so far. Let us know how your system works out!

-Jessi

 

[ollitos]

Posting in this so I remember to come back. Have a lot to add but at 4am, I'm too tired to think!

 

[Frecs]

I'm a big fan of Joel Salatin from Polyface Farms.

THANKS!

Have you read about his son, Daniel and his rabbit project? you might want to. Daniel has been pasturing rabbits but he experienced very high death rates for several generations before he finally had stock that could handle it.<br /><br />__________ Fri Jul 12, 2013 8:44 am __________<br /><br />

We're also big fans of Polyface, but if you read more on his care of rabbits, it's more than just tractors. Does live and/or kindle in cages in movable hoop houses (sometimes shared with chickens and pigs). It's only really the grow-outs that live on pasture.

He is also a proponent of combination rabbit/chicken houses...with the chickens running under the rabbits.