Rabbit rookie questions

[Racingjunky]

I started raising rabbits in March. This forum has helped me out a lot so far. I'm very thankful for all of the information you all have offered. One example is, After I moved my rabbits outside, the adults would not drink water. My buck didn't hardly drink anything for a week. We had started giving them more vegetables and fresh grass, some fruits and not sure if they were getting water from that, but I read somewhere on here that they love orange Gatorade. I mixed 50/50 with water and Yip, they loved it. It seemed to get them drinking again. Here is a link to a pic of my set-up.

http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc4 ... abbits.jpg

I had this set-up inside because I thought it would be easier, but it only took 2 weeks for it to stink up the house. I watched all the youtube video's by a dude called urban survivalist and he said with dirt, peatmoss, and earthworms to catch the poo, he changed out the dirt once a year. But after 2 weeks there was soo much poop in the buckets, and it stunk, so I'm thinking "yeah right". Here is a link to this guys youtube video and his set-up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1sEpGxeTsg

What do you all do with all of your poo?? I've been putting mine in the garden but this dirt set-up seems like more work than I was hoping for. I moved them outside because of the smell.

My 9 NZW kits are all a hair over 2 lbs. and they will be 8 weeks old in 4 more days. I thought they would be bigger by now. They have had and unlimited supply of pellets since weened at 31 days old. Momma and buck weigh 8 lbs. Are my kits small?

Will the kits be ok all in the same cage until 14 weeks? I saw one trying to hump the others a few days ago.

I've been spending a lot on pellets so the adult rabbits have been eating different things like. Hay, fresh grass, potato skins, watermelon, strawberry tops, carrots, lettus, corn husks and cobs, cucumber skin, green pepper tops and centers, stale bread, apples (no seeds), avocado seeds and skins, and a lot of hay. I found so much conflicting info. on the web about what is ok for them to eat and what is not. No troubles so far and no signs of the Hershey squirts.

Any comments or constructive criticism is welcome. I'm really wondering about the best thing to do about the poo and the small size of my bunnies.

 

[ottersatin]

Hello Racingjunky,
the first problem I see is:
By feeding a conglomerate of this that and the other
human foods you a displacing the balance of nutrition.
A good quality pelleted rabbit feed is nutritionally balanced
to provide the proper nutrition that a Rabbit requires
to maintain optimal health and condition.
Your kits are not reaching weight quickly enough. I also
feel that your Seniors/breeders are quite a bit under weight for the breed
I would expect them to be at least 9 or 10 pounds. Are you certain that they
are Newzealands? Did you breed them early, before they reached Senior weight?
I believe doing that in some cases may stunt their growth, never allowing them
to reach senior weight due to using their energies to produce offspring
before they are really ready. I realize that rabbit feed is constantly
raising in price but believe the benefits of using it far atpays for the cost.
As always, JMPO.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[WildWolf]

I just have big buckets underneath their potty corners... if it smells too bad, then I sprinkle lime (I think it was lime... it was last year, sorry...) on it, but so far I've only done that once. We have a whole lot of insects and worms, and it composts quickly. When it is composting well, there is very little smell.
Your kits really should be separated at 12 weeks. There are some rabbits who can breed very very early. I can't say about their weight though- I have 0 experience with NZs. Good luck with your rabbits!
I'd just like to add- look in the forum, there is a Natural Feeding section. A lot of people feed no pellets. I am transitioning my new bunnies to no pellets right now... but, as with anything, there are benefits and loses.

 

[Racingjunky]

Thank you,
I was told my momma and poppa were pure breed NewZealands and a year old when I bought them. I don't know for sure.
I'll check out the natural feeding section, sounds neato.

 

[owlsfriend]

I'd stop potatoe peels (they are from the night shade family) and avacado pits--which are toxic to birds. Think more of dandelions and grape vines, raspberry leaves....greens...in addition to good pellets. I give mullberry and willow branches once a week. This is just to point you in a better direction. Really, do check out the natural feeding section.

 

[mystang89]

What do you all do with all of your poo?? I've been putting mine in the garden but this dirt set-up seems like more work than I was hoping for. I moved them outside because of the smell.

My set up is similar to what the man in the youtube vid has as far as where the droppings go. For myself, all my rabbits are under the inclosed carport and the droppings/urine all go into the dirt that I have underneath their cages. The dirt helps to keep the smell of the rabbits under control for me. I hardly ever notice it and when I do I turn the dirt with a pitch fork. Poof, the smell goes away. I suppose I turn the dirt once everyyyyyyyyy 2 months? :? ish I change it out completely every spring and winter. So spring gets here I changed it, winter gets here I change it. Easiest way for me.

Will the kits be ok all in the same cage until 14 weeks? I saw one trying to hump the others a few days ago.

IMHO, yes. They will be ok. Humping is just part of the dominance game they play. Much longer than that and they MAY start fighting but I can't say because they all find their way to the FC before that.<br /><br />__________ Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:18 pm __________<br /><br />Forgot to say but nice set up btw.

 

[zee]

I had window screens made to fit on top of my poop tray to catch the poop, dry it out, and place the poop in my garden when I need it. I place pine shavings in the poop trays to keep the smell from the urine down. It works. When all the poop and pee accumulates in the tray, I scrape it off the tray with a paint scraper into a bucket lined with a heavy duty trash bag (Once or Twice a week). I then knot the bag closed and throw it in the trash to be picked up by the garbage collection. If I had more space where I didn't have to stack the cages, I'd just do what this guy did in the video.

 

[WildWolf]

By the way- you should probably take mystang89's advice over mine, because I barely have experience. I think their hormones start acting up at 12 weeks, but they can't breed until 14 weeks... I think.

 

[ladysown]

rabbits can breed fairly early BUT they generally don't until they are 12 weeks old.

8 lb NZW seem small. I'd have to query if they really are NZ's.

Two lbs at 8 weeks for a generic meat rabbit isn't bad, but most certainly isn't great.

If you separate the kits they will grow faster. I'd be either plunking all similar sized kits together or separate boy/girl.

 

[Miss M]

Potato skins can be fed if they are cooked first. Cooking destroys the toxin. You can just zap them in the microwave for a minute or a minute and a half, mixing halfway through. If you've got a lot, do it for longer.

As far as all the vegetable material they are getting, it sounds like it's just kitchen scraps, and so probably not a lot for any one rabbit? Rabbits are herbivores (stems and leaves), not vegetarians (fruit), but they can handle some veggie scraps. As long as they aren't getting large amounts, which would displace their pellets and throw off their balance of nutrition, they should be okay.

If you freeze those corn cobs and give them on hot days, your rabbits will be like little kids with popsicles.

I have had my litters together until they are slaughtered. This is 12 - 16 weeks. 16 weeks happens only when we could not do it earlier. But I still haven't separated them. This may not work out with your rabbits, but it's been fine for mine. I have had to deal with bully bunnies twice, but other than that, it hasn't been an issue.

 

[Racingjunky]

Thank you for all the great advice! The natural feeding section is very educational. I love the frozen corn cob idea and will also cook my potato skins now.

Is there anyway I can check to see if my rabbits are indeed pure breed New Zealand?

 

[Miss M]

As far as I know, the only way to know you have purebred rabbits is to have a pedigree provided by the breeder.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I raise NZ's. I seperate the bucks at 10 weeks. I've had them start fighting when I've kept them together longer. I seperate bucks and does at six weeks...right after I tattoo them. Does can usually stay together much longer.

Bigger litters or crowded grow pens often result in slower growth / smaller rabbits. I agree with the others that said you can only go by the pedigree but mom and dad seem small by NZ standards. I know that I actually prefer litters of 7 or 8 as the moms have an easier time caring for them and they seem to grow out quicker and better.

In what part of Kansas are you located?

 

[Ivory]

As far as I know, the only way to know you have purebred rabbits is to have a pedigree provided by the breeder.

Except pedigrees aren't always truthful.

Many years ago (in the days before computers, when checking stuff became to easy) i worked with a guy who had a springer spaniel. I have no idea whether the bitch or the dog she was bred to were purebred.

When it came time to sell the puppies, he sold them with full five generation pedigrees. Every sire and every dam on that pedigree, along with all the supposed titles they had won, were pure fiction.

I find it very hard to believe he is the only dishonest breeder in the world.

The only way to know if you have purebreds is to have them DNA tested.

 

[ottersatin]

The only way to know if you have purebreds is to have them DNA tested.

And that can be very expensive,
It would be to your benefit to "Know who you are dealing with".
Granted that can not always be done, but in most cases
you will be able to assess the breeder when you are making your purchase.
Enter all dealing with an ounce of caution.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Racingjunky]

I raise NZ's. I seperate the bucks at 10 weeks. I've had them start fighting when I've kept them together longer. I seperate bucks and does at six weeks...right after I tattoo them. Does can usually stay together much longer.

Bigger litters or crowded grow pens often result in slower growth / smaller rabbits. I agree with the others that said you can only go by the pedigree but mom and dad seem small by NZ standards. I know that I actually prefer litters of 7 or 8 as the moms have an easier time caring for them and they seem to grow out quicker and better.

In what part of Kansas are you located?

Edgerton Ks. I bought my first buck and doe from a breeder in Clinton, Mo. I also bought a doe on 3/27/13 from a guy in Shawnee, Ks. He turned me onto this website. I wonder if it was you?

 

[stone soup farm]

It does sound small for a 1 yr old NZ, and the grow out is small too. I have meat mutts that are doing better, average of 3 1/2 lb at 8 weeks, some larger and a few smaller (I do partial natural feed, which makes it take longer more like 10 - 12 weeks). It could be they are pure but not the best stock or a mix. NZ should be 10 lb +, and they are one of the known breeds that does usually gets to the magic 5 lbs in 8 weeks. I would either invest in new better stock or work your stock up by keeping the largest, but that may take awhile. I am doing both in my rabbitry, because there are qualities that I like about my meat mutts- they are healthy and the best moms.

As for the poop, and boy is there lots of it, I have panels that slant to a gutter that drains to a bucket with holes to filter out the solids from the urine. I either use fresh in the garden or dry and bag it up for sale or trade. I think is a bummer that anyone would throw out their extra poop- when someone would want it. It could be donated to a community garden?

Best of luck on improving your stock.

 

[Secuono]

How does separating kits make them grow faster?

I have one row of cages where 4 rabbits pee and poop, I don't believe anything but removing the wet poop would limit the smell! Lime works for flies and all, but getting that wet nasty stuff works better.

8 pound NZW is small, too small. 2 pound 8wkers is also small, probably because the parents are small or they aren't bred to grow fast.