Well, drat! Never lost a fryer before.

[MaggieJ]

When I took the bucket of greens down to the rabbits, our largest fryer was lying motionless in a corner. It was still alive and I took it up to the house but it died within minutes. It had minor poopy butt and looked slightly bloated.

For years now, I have fed my rabbits alfalfa hay, whole grain (usually wheat) and as much fresh food, mainly weeds, as the season allows. I have never had a fryer die and, indeed, never seen even a sign of gastric problems. The others from the same litter are active and healthy. This one has never been as active so I'm wondering now if it had an ongoing problem.

Very odd and a bit disturbing.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Sorry you lost one Maggie! Are you going to do a necropsy?

I have had a couple deaths recently as well. No clinical signs at all. I think it may be the heat. I fed them to the dogs without processing, but in retrospect that may be a mistake. If it happens again, I will do a necropsy to see if other factors are at work.

 

[MaggieJ]

No, I didn't do a necropsy. If it's a one-time problem, not much point. If it happens again, though, I definitely will. It wasn't the heat here. The temperatures have been moderate, mid 70's for the high.

The rabbits have been rather rambunctious at night lately. They even knocked over a heavy stoneware half gallon crock of water. It's just possible that the fryer got stepped on and had internal injuries.

On a happier note, I found four healthy kits in one of the nest tunnels. They look about a week old. Pretty reds.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Yay for popples!

:mbounce:

Reds are so lovely.

 

[fuzzy9]

Sorry for the loss, Maggie, it's never nice to lose anyone, but yay for popples!

 

[MaggieJ]

I should have done a necropsy. It occurs to me that it might have been coccidiosis. Last time we butchered there were a couple of livers with a few spots. We cleaned out the colony thoroughly, but it may not have been enough.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

What did you do with the body?

 

[MaggieJ]

Brian took it out back. We have 32 acres of bush and old fields. Gift for the coyotes or raccoons.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Oh- too bad. We sometimes do that with dead critters too, but take them down to our valley so they are not too close to the live critters.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Terribly sorry for your loss, MaggieJ! Though if he was always sluggish I'd be suspicious he had something on the inside gone wrong.

 

[MaggieJ]

I think you're right, Kyle. I should have opened him up and taken a look.

In a colony setting it is harder to spot possible problems since quite a few of the rabbits are not very tame. They are not aggressive in any way, just tend to go to the back of the colony when I open the gate. So I didn't think much of it when this bunny didn't come forward with his siblings when I fed them.

 

[ZRabbits]

So sorry to hear of your loss. I think it's amazing how you raise your rabbits in a colony and all natural. Maybe this rabbit just didn't have it all together. Sometimes it does happen that one in a healthy litter just shuts off. Hoping this is just a fluke but like Kyle suggested, I would check the next time, just to ease your mind.

Karen

BTW, congratulations on the kits!

 

[MaggieJ]

Thanks, Karen. No one likes to lose a rabbit, but I am more puzzled than upset. I have never lost a young rabbit after weaning - until now. I've had a couple of adults die suddenly and unexpectedly, but never a youngster. I should have opened it up and taken a look. If it happens again, you can be sure I will.

Raising the rabbits naturally in a small colony is not difficult if you have access to reasonably priced alfalfa hay. Here is is only about $3.50 a square bale. The grain is more expensive - about $15 per 50 pounds - but it goes a long way. The gathered weeds really help from May to October... but again, it is only feasible if you have a large enough area to gather from. When I started doing this, there were cries of horror from many people on another forum I belong to (this was long before RabbitTalk) but it is, after all, the way rabbits were raised for centuries before the development of commercial feeds.

 

[ZRabbits]

Thanks, Karen. No one likes to lose a rabbit, but I am more puzzled than upset. I have never lost a young rabbit after weaning - until now. I've had a couple of adults die suddenly and unexpectedly, but never a youngster. I should have opened it up and taken a look. If it happens again, you can be sure I will.

Raising the rabbits naturally in a small colony is not difficult if you have access to reasonably priced alfalfa hay. Here is is only about $3.50 a square bale. The grain is more expensive - about $15 per 50 pounds - but it goes a long way. The gathered weeds really help from May to October... but again, it is only feasible if you have a large enough area to gather from. When I started doing this, there were cries of horror from many people on another forum I belong to (this was long before RabbitTalk) but it is, after all, the way rabbits were raised for centuries before the development of commercial feeds.

Not close to enough to gather and living in the most contaminated state in the Nation, I would never go that route. I'm thankful for all the research on commercial feeds to be able to make sure my rabbits get what they need to grow healthy with no contaminates.

Karen

 

[dragonladyleanne]

Dang, I hear you on the contaminants, Karen, I live between a Navy base and a chemical company, and have my suspicions about an insect here I NEVER saw before moving to this side of town, even though I grew up within a 20 mile radius. I am hoping I solved my problems by finding some "window planters" with those coconut liners (they were clearanced about 2/3 off), and using fence ties to hang them along the chainlink. I did it mostly because I have trouble bending down for more than a minute (dizzy spells) or kneeling (can't get up), fence is waist high, but the soil is bagged "potting soil" too, so less likely to be contaminated! So far I have onions, basil, spiderwort and (yayyy, finally) butternut squash. I transplanted 3 rutabagas that had "sprouted" in the store and one beet which had a nice root stalk (I gave the rabbits all but 3 of the youngest leaves). I have also just started carrots which I will transplant to a hanging box once they get beyond weedy seedling stage. I use less pellets every day, last thing is to make a drying rack for freeeeeeee Kudzu!!!

 

[ZRabbits]

Dang, I hear you on the contaminants, Karen, I live between a Navy base and a chemical company, and have my suspicions about an insect here I NEVER saw before moving to this side of town, even though I grew up within a 20 mile radius. I am hoping I solved my problems by finding some "window planters" with those coconut liners (they were clearanced about 2/3 off), and using fence ties to hang them along the chainlink. I did it mostly because I have trouble bending down for more than a minute (dizzy spells) or kneeling (can't get up), fence is waist high, but the soil is bagged "potting soil" too, so less likely to be contaminated! So far I have onions, basil, spiderwort and (yayyy, finally) butternut squash. I transplanted 3 rutabagas that had "sprouted" in the store and one beet which had a nice root stalk (I gave the rabbits all but 3 of the youngest leaves). I have also just started carrots which I will transplant to a hanging box once they get beyond weedy seedling stage. I use less pellets every day, last thing is to make a drying rack for freeeeeeee Kudzu!!!

Smart move on the window planters. That's why we started building a grow room down the basement. So far the wheat grass is doing really well. I've been reading a lot and have been gathering a list. Plan on dandelions, rosemary, oregano, parsley, basil. I've got a compost going this year so we will have lots of good soil as well for next year. Knew very well about the contaminates in our State, and in our township, so have a Reverse Osmosis water system which purifies the water. We have more wildlife coming to our house than you can shake a stick so know the water is good. Baby steps.

Karen