Rabbit Colony Set Up? / Free Range / Large Cages?

[DubiousOrchid]

I currently have a small set up of rabbits in individual, elevated cages for breeding and butchering. I would like to grow my rabbitry but am not sure if I want to continue doing cages. I want to be able to let the rabbits be on the ground and have a large set up to forage in and be their rabbit selves; but I don't want them to be able to burrow out. And I would want them to be protected from predators. I also keep chickens are currently use a Joel Salatin esque chicken tractor (8'x8' chicken wire box with a roof) that I move once daily; so I have been wondering if there is a similar set up for rabbits.

I guess what I'm trying to get at: Does anyone have a set up where they keep rabbits on the ground full time but protected? Do you move them daily/weekly? Or how do you clean out waste? And/or what do some of your colony set ups look like? I don't have the time to move my rabbits to an outdoor pen and then put them back into their cages every day.

Any info would be appreciated Thank you!

 

[judymac]

Last year, I put several weaned rabbits into a small chicken tractor, and moved them daily. Before moving them out, I made sure they had increasing amounts of fresh green leaves so they were accustomed gradually to the new diet. Happily, we did not have any digging issues, so we did not have to use the garden fence floor that allows the grass to be eaten but not to be tunneled. I have been to other rabbit tractor setups that did have constant digging issues, I think it probably has more to do with breed and individual temperament. Our rabbits stayed out through several early snows (they got hay on those days) until early December. The test rabbits did well, and were in the same condition as their 'control group' siblings that stayed in the barn.

That said, there is another big issue with outdoor colonies, and that is the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD2) and its cohorts that are now spreading through the country. It is deadly and quick (over 90% mortality, and no warning of illness), and carried by the wild rabbits once it enters your area. Many places in the country are still blissfully free of this disease, but once it enters your area, I don't think rabbit tractors are going to be a viable option. There's a wealth of information on RHD2 at the American Rabbit Breeders Association (ARBA) at Announcements

 

[RabbitDad]

I currently have a small set up of rabbits in individual, elevated cages for breeding and butchering. I would like to grow my rabbitry but am not sure if I want to continue doing cages. I want to be able to let the rabbits be on the ground and have a large set up to forage in and be their rabbit selves; but I don't want them to be able to burrow out. And I would want them to be protected from predators. I also keep chickens are currently use a Joel Salatin esque chicken tractor (8'x8' chicken wire box with a roof) that I move once daily; so I have been wondering if there is a similar set up for rabbits.

I guess what I'm trying to get at: Does anyone have a set up where they keep rabbits on the ground full time but protected? Do you move them daily/weekly? Or how do you clean out waste? And/or what do some of your colony set ups look like? I don't have the time to move my rabbits to an outdoor pen and then put them back into their cages every day.

Any info would be appreciated Thank you!

I'm VERY new at this so verify my advice before trying it.
One very spoiled rabbit has free run of our house. The rest are in the barn.
They have hutches & a "play area" on the ground with access to an enclosed area outside. It's 100% enclosed so they can come & go as they please without concern of predators or disease.
We have a huge wild rabbit population and I don't want them getting acquainted.
So far it appears to be working & everyone is happy.