Pastured Rabbits and Organic Feed

[Mackay]

Hoodat sent me over here from the Easy Garden...thanks Hoodat. I dont have rabbits yet but I'm starting to visualize for the future. I see there is lots of good info here and most of my questions are answered already.. except this one.

Is anyone pasture raising their rabbits and using a "rabbit Tractor" or something similar? I'd like to learn about that if possilbe. I'd like to raise my rabbits as organic as possible.

also any info on organic pellets?

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

You cant buy organic pellets for rabbits... but you can get organic grains and feed them hay and grass, weeds. ect. .. There are few members that does use rabbit tractors ...

 

[MaggieJ]

Glad to have you with us, Mackay! :welcome:

Here in Ontario there is a company that produces organic rabbit food. You need to feed it along with hay. It is mix of grains and other things like peas and roasted soybeans. The company is Homestead Organics.
http://www.homesteadorganics.ca/default.aspx
Unfortunately, there are very few companies that make organic rabbit food and even when you find one, they are usually extremely expensive.

I feed a natural diet of alfalfa hay, grass hay, whole wheat (or other grains) and as much green feed (mainly weeds) as the season allows. In winter I feed more hay and fewer fresh foods, but they always get something fresh. Sprouting grain or growing grain grass is an economical way of providing the fresh greens in winter.

I've often thought of using rabbit tractors, but they have more risks than I am willing to take with my rabbits. There is the problem of dig outs and predators. They are more exposed to summer heat and sun. In winter there is not much out there for them so for several months of snow and cold they get no benefit from the tractors, at least in my climate.

Instead, I have a small colony inside a shed, an area about 8 feet square. I pick the greens from our own land and take a big bucketful to the rabbits. The Safe Plants for Rabbits list will give you a good idea of what to bring them.
safe-plants-for-rabbits-list-t55.html

Trinityoaks has put together a grain mix that quite a few members are now using.
trinity-oaks-grain-feed-mix-t6809.html

 

[Amy]

I am still new at the rabbit raising thing, but pasturing/organic food is pretty important to me as well. I did find a co. in WA state that had an organic feed w/alfalfa pellets in it, but not sure if they are still producing it. Their name is Scratch n' Peck. Overall I was not happy with it, there were way too many fines in the mix. I've instead been using the organic grains, pretty much the grain mix posted above.
In the growing seasons, you can pasture them with a properly made tractor and then put them in at nite. I've done that some with my rabbits and they love it. Eventually, I'd like the colony setup. The tractor/pasturing them is a great way to allow the rabbits to be rabbits. They are so much happier when able to be on the grass and able to run and do blinkie's.
The nice thing about raising rabbits is that you can pretty much do what makes since and what is important to you, as long as it meets the rabbits needs. There is such a range of how people raise their rabbits.

 

[MaggieJ]

The nice thing about raising rabbits is that you can pretty much do what makes since and what is important to you, as long as it meets the rabbits needs. There is such a range of how people raise their rabbits.

Very true, Amy! There is no "one right way" to raise rabbits.

 

[Secuono]

I don't believe you can get organic rabbit food, better to use mixed whole grains and add hay, grasses and weeds.

Many people use tractors, they tend to be pricey if you make them to be four season cages and add wheels for ease of moving them.
I have pastured rabbits, just like pastured sheep or pastured cows. But to do that, you need to eliminate all ground predators and find a way to keep hawks and owls out.

Google "Rabbit Tractor" in the Images, you'll get a ton of pictures to get ideas from.