Using Deer Food Plot seed to grow greens for rabbbits.

[Wheels]

I was looking a the food plot seeds and had the bright idea to buy some and plant the far back area of my yard with the stuff - I've got enough room to make a rabbit food pasture of sorts. the mix I liked the best was called ProGraze by Evolved Harvest. It contains Rape, Turnip, Chicory and Clover, it boasts a potential of 38% crude protein.

Know any reason why this might not be a good idea or know anyone who has done something similar?

 

[Secuono]

Can they just eat those deer feeds...?

 

[Wheels]

?? I'm not sure, not sure I understand the question

The seeds are very small so it would be like consuming sand - also they are expensive seed. 2 pounds for 10-12 dollars. Once planted the plants are perennial so I'd think you'd get more bang for your buck by planting.

Around here sacks of deer feed are pretty expensive or just about the same as buying rabbit pellets so I didn't even consider it a possibility.

 

[Miss M]

I just purchased a bag of livestock forage to plant instead of grass. :razz: It was on clearance at TSC.

Does the bag tell you the botanical names, the binomial nomenclature, for the plants? That would really help you find out. My concerns are rape and clover. Rape is a brassica, which can cause gas in rabbits (but to which rabbits can slowly build up tolerance, if you start and increase the amounts very slowly). Some rape is quite toxic, though you would think they wouldn't put that in deer seed.

If I recall correctly, sweet clover isn't supposed to be fed to rabbits. But you'd need to find out better than from my fuzzy memory. :thinking:

 

[Wheels]

ah see this is why I asked first - I thought clover was clover and it would be okay. I don't know the botanical names, although I know it's on a sticker on the bag. I'll have to go back to the store to see. I tried looking it up on the producers website but it was vague. What I could gather is it's a mix of New Zealand forage brassicas, New Zealand chicory and ladino clovers.

There are other seed mixes some have rye grasses, only clovers and there are some with a rape/turnip hybrid. This may be more homework that I expected!

 

[Miss M]

It is some homework, for sure, but worth it if you find a mix that works out!

The mix I got has a couple kinds of orchardgrass, white and red clover, rye, and a few other things that are bunny safe.

Shame the producer didn't have the label or list on their site. I always find that irritating.

 

[owlsfriend]

sweet, or yellow, clover can become toxic if exposed to heavy frost...there is a new hybrid type (from Canada) that doesn't do this, but you can pretty much bet that any found roadside is bad now.

 

[bitterroot]

Question for those of you who grow greens and then dry and store them. How do you store the harvest until use? I'm looking into doing a feed plot for the bunnies since I got a coupon for 50lbs of any mix one of the local mills makes, but am unsure on what to do with my excess once it's dried. How do you keep it from molding, yet keep it from getting dusty or exposed to too much light?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

MaggieJ saves the mesh bags that onions and potatoes come in. You could also use burlap sacks. Our feed store sells them for $2 each. If you dry it thoroughly and don't pack it too tightly the air flow should keep it from developing mold.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Would young sunflower fodder be a good feed choice for rabbits?
Im planning to add bunny greens to my gardens in the spring too.
And is sorghum safe for rabbits?

 

[ridgerunner1965]

the last couple years i have fed my rabbits litterally tons of turnip greens, champion radish greens,brassicas and red and white clover when i can get it in the spring.as well as a lot of winter wheat foliage.i planted a few mustard greens and they liked them also along with turnip roots. some rabbits wont eat turnip roots but most of mine will.i wouldnt mess with the deer plot mixes but just buy the seed separately.turnips would be my first choice, then champion forage radishes and wheat.this year i want to grow some mangles beets,sunflower seeds and rutabegas.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Would young sunflower fodder be a good feed choice for rabbits?
Im planning to add bunny greens to my gardens in the spring too.
And is sorghum safe for rabbits?

Sunflower is perfect-- and sorghum is perfect! Also, if you grow corn- strip the leaves if you wish, feed them fresh AND dried-- dry the stal;ks after the ears are harvested-- sort of like a corn 'hay'- works for sorghum, as well. In Bird Seed packages, Sorghum is also called 'milo' You can also try growing the millets, Rapeseed is mustard. Thistle seed- should not be planted-- most bird seed packages, thistle has been irradiated anyway, to make it 'sterile' In the US, Thistle, or Nyjer seed, is illegal to plant without a producers permit, due to it's'invasive' nature *Now, if you were to find a plant growing roadside, and MOVED it to a hidden corner of your lot...*

 

[nicnmike]

I've been storing hay in cabbage sacks. which lok like large onion bags.

If you wanted to grow thistle, you might try growing artichoke instead.

 

[hoodat]

the last couple years i have fed my rabbits litterally tons of turnip greens, champion radish greens,brassicas and red and white clover when i can get it in the spring.as well as a lot of winter wheat foliage.i planted a few mustard greens and they liked them also along with turnip roots. some rabbits wont eat turnip roots but most of mine will.i wouldnt mess with the deer plot mixes but just buy the seed separately.turnips would be my first choice, then champion forage radishes and wheat.this year i want to grow some mangles beets,sunflower seeds and rutabegas.

It doesn't take long for rabbits to develop the proper intestinal organisms to handle coles. My rabbits are so used to them now that I can feed quite large amounts with no problems when other greens are scarce. Most of the kale and collards I grow are meant for my rabbits. They are very nutritious.