Rabbits or not

[dlynn]

That is the main reason why I got rabbits so I would have a reliable source of fertilizer for my land. Raising worms as well, all for the purpose of rebuilding my soil.

Reflections of a newbie.. finally got my rabbits. Been dreaming and planning for a long time. Sandy soil, short growing season, my gardens need all the help they can get. Some good meat I can trust will be another bonus. I have learned much I used to weed out is more nutritious than much we plant. So those "weeds" are allowed to grow. When they need thinning I take a bowl, a bucket and a knife. Tender tips go in the bowl for hubby's salad. Roots are sliced off and left in the paths, Along with anything I don't know is good for the buns,to wilt and add plant matter to our sand. I take a knife and trim all that long grass at the edges, the lawn mower misses to add to the weed bucket. Add some herbs. And the rabbits have salad. I enjoy watching them dig thru the pile for favorite bits and am always surprised at what they pick first. Hubby is a maniac with the pruners. Always led to fights when I thought he over did. Now I think ..rabbit food! I give the rabbits a few scoops of pellets and all our thinings and trimmings and they give me scoops full of what my garden book calls gold..pellets of compressed peat and slow release fertilizer. What I can scoop up is side dressed directly in the garden. My rabbits are on deep litter, so look forward to big harvests of compost periodically. The rabbit pellets cost about what we paid for the questionable bagged "manure" ( the news is full of stories of killer compost contaminated with chemicals I would never use) I think this is a much better investment, economically and for our health. We also got quail this year. Put a ground pen on deep litter over a garden bed. Hoping for fertilizer and eggs. They have consumed 10 times the boughten feed the rabbits did and really stink no matter how much clean up and cover up I do. Think our future will hold more rabbits and less (or no) quail.

 

[user8584]

Wonderful account, wise in your actions you are, be sur to save some of the dandelions for yourself.

 

[LatchawBriarPatch]

The pandemic created an urgency for me to have my kids learn animal husbandry of some sort. The amount of knowledge required to keep rabbits healthy is emense. The more I learn the list of things I don't know about rabbits continues to grow and amaze me! But it gets us outside spending a good half hour morning and evening as a family caring for our herd. I love it! My two year old has developed the patience to stick pieces of hay through the wires and wait for one of the kits to nibble. My oldest brought me proper tools when I called for them yesterday for a small project. He learned about them while helping me build cage stands and such for the rabbits. Another of my children had to learn how to emotionally handle the death of his pet, our breeder buck, when it became too sick to keep. Daily diligence is character building. I love it all!

 

[Olbunny]

Great story Latch. Your instincts towards animal husbandry will have long lasting effects. Having your children known where food comes from. Processing n preparing your protiens. Foraging, learning about the different plans in your area and how to use them.
We raised rabbits for meat when our kids were growing. Now that they are adults. They were the ones suggesting we get back into rabbits. And they are great cooks who know how to garden

 

[user8584]

The pandemic created an urgency for me to have my kids learn animal husbandry of some sort. The amount of knowledge required to keep them healthy is emense. The more I learn the list of things I don't know about rabbits continues to grow and amaze me! But it gets us outside spending a good half hour morning and evening as a family caring for our herd. I love it! My two year old has developed the patience to stick pieces of hay through the wires and wait for one of the kits to nibble. My oldest brought me proper tools when I called for them yesterday for a small project. He learned about them while helping me build cage stands and such for the rabbits. Another of my children had to learn how to emotionally handle the death of his pet, our breeder buck, when it became too sick to keep. Daily diligence is character building. I love it all!

Well done! It is important to teach responsibility myAvitar is an old picture of a young boy selling papers the sign says gone to lunch, but he is telling the dog to watch carefully, the title of the picture is “responsibility“.
always lavish praise for a job well done.

 

[dlynn]

Wonderful account, wise in your actions you are, be sur to save some of the dandelions for yourself.

We don't get many dandelions in the north woods, but my garden is full of lamb's quarters, wood sorrel, sheep Sorrel, violets, violas, daisy, purslane, mint, dill, clover, strawberry, calendula, bee balm, lemon balm, thyme, garlic, horseradish... We too eat them all. The rabbits seem to relish all. I'm surprised they seem to like lambs quarters least. It's one of my favorites

 

[user8584]

The calendula is a wonderful topical cream , you are blessed to have a big herb garden.

 

[Aqrabuamelu]

We don't get many dandelions in the north woods, but my garden is full of lamb's quarters, wood sorrel, sheep Sorrel, violets, violas, daisy, purslane, mint, dill, clover, strawberry, calendula, bee balm, lemon balm, thyme, garlic, horseradish... We too eat them all. The rabbits seem to relish all. I'm surprised they seem to like lambs quarters least. It's one of my favorites

Watch the Oxalic acid. Lamb's Quarters, most sorrels and horseradish have oxalic acid. A little is OK, but too much can cause some health issues. I'm allowing lamb's quarters and sorrels to grow naturally in the backyard area where I'm planning on a mini-open range starting in the spring. As long as I keep plenty of alternatives available the buns will limit themselves, they're smart that way. I also have a short row of rhubarb and horseradish mixed in that area and rhubarb leaves have toxic levels of oxalic acid. Again, as long as I make sure they have plenty of alternatives, they won't touch the rhubarb. Garlic and chives in excess can be a problem, though occasional light samples are supposed to be a good parasite regimen.
I'm encouraging the violets, white clover, both plantains, mint, lemon balm and lots of grasses in that area. I've got American Highbush Cranberries well established and hopefully some bush willow there too for winter feed. I just planted the bush willow - got my fingers crossed, it got a bit burned and wilted in shipping.
I've tried growing thyme a couple times and it never made it through the second year. What variety do you have? I'm in west-central PA., zone 5. I raised rabbits over 60 years ago and I've forgotten enough that I'm restarting very slowly.

 

[user8584]

Watch the Oxalic acid. Lamb's Quarters, most sorrels and horseradish have oxalic acid. A little is OK, but too much can cause some health issues. I'm allowing lamb's quarters and sorrels to grow naturally in the backyard area where I'm planning on a mini-open range starting in the spring. As long as I keep plenty of alternatives available the buns will limit themselves, they're smart that way. I also have a short row of rhubarb and horseradish mixed in that area and rhubarb leaves have toxic levels of oxalic acid. Again, as long as I make sure they have plenty of alternatives, they won't touch the rhubarb. Garlic and chives in excess can be a problem, though occasional light samples are supposed to be a good parasite regimen.
I'm encouraging the violets, white clover, both plantains, mint, lemon balm and lots of grasses in that area. I've got American Highbush Cranberries well established and hopefully some bush willow there too for winter feed. I just planted the bush willow - got my fingers crossed, it got a bit burned and wilted in shipping.
I've tried growing thyme a couple times and it never made it through the second year. What variety do you have? I'm in west-central PA., zone 5. I raised rabbits over 60 years ago and I've forgotten enough that I'm restarting very slowly.

You mention health issues, what kind of issues?

 

[Aqrabuamelu]

You mention health issues, what kind of issues?

https://rabbits.life/can-rabbits-eat-spinach/Kidney and bladder stones and/or renal failure. On occasion it can also trigger diarrhea as the acid can irritate the bowel lining and otherwise throw the gut biome off.
That word 'diarrhea' ... looks like someone lost control of their vowels ... especially the British spelling, diarrhoea.

 

[dlynn]

Reflections of a newbie.. finally got my rabbits. Been dreaming and planning for a long time. Sandy soil, short growing season, my gardens need all the help they can get. Some good meat I can trust will be another bonus. I have learned much I used to weed out is more nutritious than much we plant. So those "weeds" are allowed to grow. When they need thinning I take a bowl, a bucket and a knife. Tender tips go in the bowl for hubby's salad. Roots are sliced off and left in the paths, Along with anything I don't know is good for the buns,to wilt and add plant matter to our sand. I take a knife and trim all that long grass at the edges, the lawn mower misses to add to the weed bucket. Add some herbs. And the rabbits have salad. I enjoy watching them dig thru the pile for favorite bits and am always surprised at what they pick first. Hubby is a maniac with the pruners. Always led to fights when I thought he over did. Now I think ..rabbit food! I give the rabbits a few scoops of pellets and all our thinings and trimmings and they give me scoops full of what my garden book calls gold..pellets of compressed peat and slow release fertilizer. What I can scoop up is side dressed directly in the garden. My rabbits are on deep litter, so look forward to big harvests of compost periodically. The rabbit pellets cost about what we paid for the questionable bagged "manure" ( the news is full of stories of killer compost contaminated with chemicals I would never use) I think this is a much better investment, economically and for our health. We also got quail this year. Put a ground pen on deep litter over a garden bed. Hoping for fertilizer and eggs. They have consumed 10 times the boughten feed the rabbits did and really stink no matter how much clean up and cover up I do. Think our future will hold more rabbits and less (or no) quail.

I have to update my reflections. We have started with both rabbits and quail this year, so the learning curve big. To my chagrin discovered part of the big stink of the quail was my failure. A shelter at the back edge of the pen left a small gap. A bird had squeezed in and died buried in wood chips. Not discovered till I pulled everything apart. New shelter has sides bolted directly to cage wall, no gap. The Sandy soil floor stirred up and top dressed with chopped leaves, a little wood ash much easier to keep clean. And they have now started giving delicious little eggs. Instead of eliminating my quail, I am building a bigger aviary. My 65 year old arthritic joints don't enjoy getting down on the ground. They are starting on the 3rd 50# bag of feed, while my rabbits are 1/2 way thru their first( rabbits eat lots of fresh greens and hay) but in reality,that is only a little more than a buck a bird for their 7 weeks. I still enjoy the rabbits more and greatly value their contribution to garden fertility. But have decided quail are a good compliment and diversity. I did not want my comments to discourage anyone else who may be considering the same

 

[HTAcres]

I have to update my reflections. We have started with both rabbits and quail this year, so the learning curve big. To my chagrin discovered part of the big stink of the quail was my failure. A shelter at the back edge of the pen left a small gap. A bird had squeezed in and died buried in wood chips. Not discovered till I pulled everything apart. New shelter has sides bolted directly to cage wall, no gap. The Sandy soil floor stirred up and top dressed with chopped leaves, a little wood ash much easier to keep clean. And they have now started giving delicious little eggs. Instead of eliminating my quail, I am building a bigger aviary. My 65 year old arthritic joints don't enjoy getting down on the ground. They are starting on the 3rd 50# bag of feed, while my rabbits are 1/2 way thru their first( rabbits eat lots of fresh greens and hay) but in reality,that is only a little more than a buck a bird for their 7 weeks. I still enjoy the rabbits more and greatly value their contribution to garden fertility. But have decided quail are a good compliment and diversity. I did not want my comments to discourage anyone else who may be considering the same

Thank you. Quail is on our future list.

 

[Missy's Mom]

I just turned 60 as well and always wanted to have a homestead. Kids' father did not agree so I spent decades in neighborhoods. Finally getting my wish now is funny and didn't expect for it to be a necessity. I wish I was better at the gardening though part of that is just that I'm gardening in a rather inhospitable environment. My goal is to be feeding at least half forage by the end of the summer. There is no tractoring here - no grass. I'm doing mostly tree hay because it is more dependable. If I micro-irrigate it, and can keep the wild animals off of it long enoug, it will grow.

What kind of trees do you use? I haven't had grass to cut since early July due to drought! My "safe" shrubs are withering due to lack of rain. I have "pollarded" a couple of maples in my very dry woods to give the buns something green. Chipmunks have been stealing everything out of my garden, except for a little chard, but I don't like to give the buns too much of that due to oxalic acid levels. Looking for alternative feed sources!

 

[Aqrabuamelu]

What kind of trees do you use? I haven't had grass to cut since early July due to drought! My "safe" shrubs are withering due to lack of rain. I have "pollarded" a couple of maples in my very dry woods to give the buns something green. Chipmunks have been stealing everything out of my garden, except for a little chard, but I don't like to give the buns too much of that due to oxalic acid levels. Looking for alternative feed sources!

Last evening I stumbled onto a fantastic resource! There's a search field at the top of the page where you can enter common names or scientific names for trees and shrubs and it'll show what results are available for that name. Some of the results that I looked up included the quality of the inner bark nutrients. I've got American Highbush Cranberries, Nannyberries, Honeysuckle and Willow. The viburnums show good vitamin C content which is what I'm looking for if I decide on getting into raising Guinea Pigs.
American Cranberry facts and health benefits

 

[HTAcres]

What kind of trees do you use? I haven't had grass to cut since early July due to drought! My "safe" shrubs are withering due to lack of rain. I have "pollarded" a couple of maples in my very dry woods to give the buns something green. Chipmunks have been stealing everything out of my garden, except for a little chard, but I don't like to give the buns too much of that due to oxalic acid levels. Looking for alternative feed sources!

Currently I have mulberry, willows and a plum tree. Willow is favorite - mine are weeping, Salix babylonica, but I am pretty sure they can eat any kind of willow. My mulberry is a volunteer fruiting white mulberry so nice. It grows back almost as fast as the willow. I have them all microirrigated which is especially helpful this year, the drought is very bad in west Texas. They also like rose buch pruning though my roses are not growing as much this year. I'm planting more willow and mulberry - trees are easier for me than gardening though I am successfully growing some sweet potatoes (for the vines). I can usually grow herbs though I have now officially killed multiple comfrey roots and crowns. The third time was the charm for sunchokes/Jerusalem artichokes though they are still establishing though I haven't used any yet. Oh, and I think I killed my moringa tree transplanting it. very sad. I have more seeds germinating hopefully.

 

[KelleyBee]

And they have now started giving delicious little eggs. Instead of eliminating my quail, I am building a bigger aviary.

A friend of mine recommended I might enjoy raising quail but I was uncertain after reading a little and seeing how small their eggs are. Can you share more about how you use them, how often they lay, etc? Thank you!

 

[dlynn]

A friend of mine recommended I might enjoy raising quail but I was uncertain after reading a little and seeing how small their eggs are. Can you share more about how you use them, how often they lay, etc? Thank you!

I have the Coturnix jumbo pharaohs. The birds can get close to 1#, eggs about 1/3 size. Standard quail I've read maybe 1/5.Think eggs are a little richer, meat is dark. ( Some of the bratty boys ended up on the grill) if I can believe what I read they are supposed to have an anti- inflammatory component and be good for people with asthma and joint pain(me) 7of my 14 hens started laying at 7 weeks old. Each day a few more. 11 yesterday in the evenings after supper. They are supposed to lay almost everyday.So far my favorite is simply boiled, sliced in half on top of salad.yolks a little creamier than chicken eggs.also tried fried. Baked in potatoes cups( yummy). I choose quail because of fast growth. 18 day hatch. 7-10 weeks to egg laying, and I can legally have them. Considered captive game birds ,despite being domesticated for thousands of years, so not restricted like the ducks I lust after, or chickens. Some quail need a DNR permit, Coturnix are exempt, at least here.females are very quiet. Have read they are so domesticated they often don't go broody and hatch their own eggs. Think that's because many raise them in wire bottom cages. After 2 days knew that wasn't for me. Tried solid bottom with wood chips. What I like best is dirt bottom. Ours is dry and sandy. Clay might not work as well. I stir up the bottom frequently, sprinkle a little wood ash or kaolin occasionally top dress with chopped leaves, pine needles, dry grass clippings. They like the dirt. Dust bathe, dig nests... easier for me.(scraping **** off wire mesh not fun) had started with planted base of clovers, edible flowers, they loved the kale. Took one week for plants to be done in. Easier cleaning now. I give them a bouquet every day. Hang it from the top so they can reach and peck. I put in clay pots on sides for nest box as I saw in pictures. They didn't seem interested. Made them some grapevine baskets tipped on sides, handle framed front, bottom made some roof that hid but still let light in.there was still a dirt bottom they could dig into. Put in hay. Immediately went in rearranged hay and gave me my first egg.7 hens used that basket that evening I have read some with ground pens are getting their hens to hatch eggs. Think if we want them to act like normal birds, not a piece in a machine we have to give them a normal environment. I have seen cages, wire bottom, slant floor so eggs roll away to a trough. Feels assembly line factory. I enjoy watching them at least a little more natural. Still caged to protect. Enjoy

 

[HTAcres]

I have the Coturnix jumbo pharaohs. The birds can get close to 1#, eggs about 1/3 size. Standard quail I've read maybe 1/5.Think eggs are a little richer, meat is dark. ( Some of the bratty boys ended up on the grill) if I can believe what I read they are supposed to have an anti- inflammatory component and be good for people with asthma and joint pain(me) 7of my 14 hens started laying at 7 weeks old. Each day a few more. 11 yesterday in the evenings after supper. They are supposed to lay almost everyday.So far my favorite is simply boiled, sliced in half on top of salad.yolks a little creamier than chicken eggs.also tried fried. Baked in potatoes cups( yummy). I choose quail because of fast growth. 18 day hatch. 7-10 weeks to egg laying, and I can legally have them. Considered captive game birds ,despite being domesticated for thousands of years, so not restricted like the ducks I lust after, or chickens. Some quail need a DNR permit, Coturnix are exempt, at least here.females are very quiet. Have read they are so domesticated they often don't go broody and hatch their own eggs. Think that's because many raise them in wire bottom cages. After 2 days knew that wasn't for me. Tried solid bottom with wood chips. What I like best is dirt bottom. Ours is dry and sandy. Clay might not work as well. I stir up the bottom frequently, sprinkle a little wood ash or kaolin occasionally top dress with chopped leaves, pine needles, dry grass clippings. They like the dirt. Dust bathe, dig nests... easier for me.(scraping **** off wire mesh not fun) had started with planted base of clovers, edible flowers, they loved the kale. Took one week for plants to be done in. Easier cleaning now. I give them a bouquet every day. Hang it from the top so they can reach and peck. I put in clay pots on sides for nest box as I saw in pictures. They didn't seem interested. Made them some grapevine baskets tipped on sides, handle framed front, bottom made some roof that hid but still let light in.there was still a dirt bottom they could dig into. Put in hay. Immediately went in rearranged hay and gave me my first egg.7 hens used that basket that evening I have read some with ground pens are getting their hens to hatch eggs. Think if we want them to act like normal birds, not a piece in a machine we have to give them a normal environment. I have seen cages, wire bottom, slant floor so eggs roll away to a trough. Feels assembly line factory. I enjoy watching them at least a little more natural. Still caged to protect. Enjoy

Have a rabbit friend who also raises this kind. I have traded for quail and eggs. Excellent. It is on our list but not at the top, must get some other jobs finished first. She has a special little device for taking the shells off. She does raise in wire bottom cages just like her rabbits. I did not know that differentiation about the legal classification - interesting!

 

[KelleyBee]

I have the Coturnix jumbo pharaohs. The birds can get close to 1#, eggs about 1/3 size. Standard quail I've read maybe 1/5.Think eggs are a little richer, meat is dark. ( Some of the bratty boys ended up on the grill) if I can believe what I read they are supposed to have an anti- inflammatory component and be good for people with asthma and joint pain(me) 7of my 14 hens started laying at 7 weeks old. Each day a few more. 11 yesterday in the evenings after supper. They are supposed to lay almost everyday.So far my favorite is simply boiled, sliced in half on top of salad.yolks a little creamier than chicken eggs.also tried fried. Baked in potatoes cups( yummy). I choose quail because of fast growth. 18 day hatch. 7-10 weeks to egg laying, and I can legally have them. Considered captive game birds ,despite being domesticated for thousands of years, so not restricted like the ducks I lust after, or chickens. Some quail need a DNR permit, Coturnix are exempt, at least here.females are very quiet. Have read they are so domesticated they often don't go broody and hatch their own eggs. Think that's because many raise them in wire bottom cages. After 2 days knew that wasn't for me. Tried solid bottom with wood chips. What I like best is dirt bottom. Ours is dry and sandy. Clay might not work as well. I stir up the bottom frequently, sprinkle a little wood ash or kaolin occasionally top dress with chopped leaves, pine needles, dry grass clippings. They like the dirt. Dust bathe, dig nests... easier for me.(scraping **** off wire mesh not fun) had started with planted base of clovers, edible flowers, they loved the kale. Took one week for plants to be done in. Easier cleaning now. I give them a bouquet every day. Hang it from the top so they can reach and peck. I put in clay pots on sides for nest box as I saw in pictures. They didn't seem interested. Made them some grapevine baskets tipped on sides, handle framed front, bottom made some roof that hid but still let light in.there was still a dirt bottom they could dig into. Put in hay. Immediately went in rearranged hay and gave me my first egg.7 hens used that basket that evening I have read some with ground pens are getting their hens to hatch eggs. Think if we want them to act like normal birds, not a piece in a machine we have to give them a normal environment. I have seen cages, wire bottom, slant floor so eggs roll away to a trough. Feels assembly line factory. I enjoy watching them at least a little more natural. Still caged to protect. Enjoy

Thank you for such a thorough answer. Would I be asking too much for photos? I am not fully visualizing the basket thing, purpose, etc. I would also like to see your cage setup.

 

[dlynn]

Thank you for such a thorough answer. Would I be asking too much for photos? I am not fully visualizing the basket thing, purpose, etc. I would also like to see your cage setup.

Hi Kelly, sorry took so long to answer. Some rainy days and some busy days.baskets were to encourage laying eggs in one spot. I have 2. They prefer the one with dirt bottom. I have had as many as 9 eggs in there. The one where there is a wood floor maybe 1 or 2. Sometimes they all hide eggs in their shelter. It's fun to give them a handful of fresh hay in nest basket and watch them run in to rearrange. I've watched a male dig a bowl in the dirt bottom then stand next to it all proud, as if he's saying " hey ladies, look what I did for you". I have noticed warm days some will dig hollows in the sand and nestle down with their bodies pressed flat against the cooler earth. This is a" row cover pen. Made doors on angle so I can sit on short stool and reach down. That also lets me lower taller things( like a 1/2 gallon waterer) in an 8" door. If I make another I would go taller and make shelter an add on, with flip up roof for easier access. The side roof now is a pain and I can't reach the back corners where they like to hide eggs without opening the roof. The plastic panel works well attached with straps across so I can slide it back to access doors, or block east wind. The green is a shade cloth or rain cover. It's an old blow up float.front corner is dust bath. They are so happy with fresh sand. There are flaps on the side that are folded out as fox skirts to stop things digging in, or can be folded in for wire bottom. After watching how happy they seem with the dirt, doubt I will fold in. I am making an aviary I can walk into with more shelter for the egg layers and their few males. I dug down put a wire box below the sand so aviary more secure but they can still dig. Trying to design so it could be used for either rabbits or quail. Will use the row cover cage in summer for chicks or extra males growing for harvest. The eggs are small but plentiful and tasty. So cute on salads. The pottery was made by my sister in law . She made a bunch of sugar bowls and honey jars after we were talking about how sweet rabbits were.