Winterizing Rabbitry

[andyva]

Wondering what tips you have for winter rabbit care. In the mountains here it can get pretty chilly, but I notice a lot of people from Canada on here, so it must be do-able. Thinking about getting some of the nipples that go on a 2-liter bottle, so we can rotate them out as they freeze. Has anyone ever had a rabbit freeze its' tongue to the metal nozzle? It seems that the nozzle, being metal, is going to freeze long before the water in the receptacle. Has anyone tried tampering with one, or using a worn out one so that it drips? Does anyone just use crocks in the winter? I guess there are always water heaters, but I'm thinking more along the lines of 7 year old powered, character building, cottage industry. Trying to keep it low tech!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have an automatic system in my BunnyBarn, and some of the valves were dripping last winter. It kept the lines from freezing for the most part, unless it got down into the 20s. I have yet to find a bunny stuck to a valve by its tongue- but I imagine it could happen. :x

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I think most people in areas where it freezes often will go to crocks for the winter. We may have one or two days where it freezes and last year, it frose the water IN the nozzles, but not the water in the bottles, so the rabbits *appeared* to have water, but they could not access it... I had to give them all crocks for the day.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Up here i really would not want drips as it could make things awfully slippery.... We do use crocks...the thinking being that the rabbits can, and Do, lick or chew on the ice... should it freeze over between our chore times. ( and saying that... when we get to the Real winter... water is done several times a day !)

Our huge thing is keeping the ventilation good in the barn. The winds can be brutal so i am concerned with drafts. Normally i can open and close several doors to keep air quality on the 'gooder' side... but when the sn*w drifts and freezes, a couple doors are rendered non-useable.

 

[andyva]

Crocks seem like a good idea for the really cold periods, a few minutes inside and then they can be dumped. And when the snow melts you have an igloo by your door. (What we do for the dogs!) I didn't want to ask if rabbits could lick ice, but was wondering. How bad are the rabbit nozzles about freezing and busting?

 

[ladysown]

I use crocks.

I bring out a bucket of hot water, and just do the melt and change. The frozen ice chunks get dumped on my garden.

I only do that ONCE a day, in the evening I just top up the water in the bowls. It always amazes me how seldom the water crocks freeze solid. (mine are in a portable garage).

 

[skysthelimit]

I use crocks. Usually I swap other crocks and let the others thaw in the house. I was contemplating trying to heat the barn but it would be foolhardy to try with my old barn

 

[3mina]

I use 1 pint steel dog dishes for water in the winter so I can bang the ice out of them without breaking anything. They do freeze from about now to March. I water in the morning, making sure everyone gets a good drink and refilling the dishes. I do the same in the evening after banging the ice out. In the evening there's usually hoes in the ice where they've been licking during the day

 

[ottersatin]

I despise Water-bowls,
but in the winter months I have no choice
so I use them. They are very strong thick plastic bowls
that do not shatter when the Ice is knocked out of them.
Using Water Bottles is useless as the nozzle freezes
in probably seconds to where the water is unattainable.
I water three or more times per day because if a rabbit
cannot drink, it will not eat. I have been doing this
for more than just a few years and even though at times
I feel I may be ending up with frostbitten fingers,
doing so has become a necessity. I do cut down the size of the herd
as winter sets in to make it more easily maintained.
A suggestion: Wear waterproof gloves while watering and feeding.
Those metal feeders are quit COLD in Winter. Make your rabbit
chores as comfortable as you can, so that you are not constantly
thinking about tossing in the towel. It would be SO much easier
to just stay in the house with a nice warm breakfast and leave
the COLD outside instead of going out and embracing it!
Yep! I "Do believe" that anyone that has and properly cares for
their rabbits throughout the winter has simply "Got to be just
a little bit OUT OF THEIR MIND"! :twilightzone:
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

so true ottersatin. ... I have metal water cups. I take hot water with me and melt most of the ice in the cups. I dont have to dump them . Sometimes the new rabbits are just learning that if you dont drink as soon as i give it ,,, The water is frozen right up to the top. those i have to take a knife and flip the ice out as there is no room for water. The others that knows will drink there fill and be holes in the remaining ice that is left. ... It is the wind that is worst than anything. The cold dosnt bother me. It is the darn wind. Yes i were gloves to water if not , My hands with water dosnt last long. I have to get a new pair everytime i go out ... THen i put the wet ones near the fireplace and go again. Sometimes i tell myself why do i do this to myself. But another winter goes by and i am doing it again.

 

[grumpy]

Here's a pic of my water cabinet. Each barrel has a 350 GPH submersible water pump attached to the exit nipple on the bottom of the barrel. Each barrel has a return line going into the top.

I've now got the entire cabinet lined with rigid styrofoam insulation, including the backs of the doors. You'll notice a "dairy-parlor" heater on the bottom left side on the floor. Once closed, I can heat the cabinet to 100+ degrees. With the pumps working 24/7 they'll keep warm water flowing through the system successfully at a minus 12 to 15 degrees fahrenheit. If the ambient air temps fall to 18-20 below zero....the water valves will "freeze" but the main lines will still be functional. It only takes a couple of degrees in temp increase and the nipples will begin working again.

I have lost portions of the watering system when I've had "glitches" occur. The biggest concern is keeping the water levels higher during colder weather. It allows more "mass" to be heated with less loss of heat when the water remains in the cabinet for a longer period of time.

grumpy.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You'll notice a "dairy-parlor" heater on the bottom left side

...and a lap warmer on the right side.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Nice, Grumpy! I like the setup...and the "lap warmer"

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

I wonder if My husband could put together something as wonderful as that for me by next winter. I know I can forget this winter already, as its just around the corner.

 

[Secuono]

I'm in VA, too!
Last year was no winter, but other than keeping out drafts, watching the babies like a hawk and using crocks for water, there's not much more you need to do. Crocks are easiest to dump and refill, you can use warm water to help keep it from freezing for a little while. But I've seen my rabbits just chew the ice if they really needed to and I didn't get to changing them in time. I'd say in the AM and PM is the best time to change the water and make sure they all drink some before it freezes again, since that's when they are most active.

 

[andyva]

Last year was not much of a winter, but here in the mountains it can stay in the teens for weeks, you can drive two hours and find 60 degree weather! Go from two feet of snow here, and within a 45 minute drive find where it turned to rain. Wild stuff. Seems like the rabbits will be ok, we already have chickens, goats, dogs, sheep and cows, what's a few more water-troughs to chop out!

 

[grumpy]

You'll notice a "dairy-parlor" heater on the bottom left side

...and a lap warmer on the right side.

__________ Fri Oct 05, 2012 2:23 pm __________

Nice, Grumpy! I like the setup...and the "lap warmer"

LOL. Yeah...Boots is doing just fine. She's had her first round of shots and going in next week for her permanents. She's been growing like a weed! She's been a good buddy for me, taking my mind away from other things. I'll take some newer shots of her in a few days.

Going to the next to the last "Home-Game" for my son's football team this evening. One more game and I'll fulfill a promise I made nine years ago of never missing a son's football game. It's a bitter-sweet time for me, insofar as my journey with these remarkable young men is coming to an end. They have enriched my life in measures that can't be counted.

I carried my oldest boy to his job this afternoon....He wanted to go to his little brother's Home-Coming game, but couldn't. He smiled when he got out of the van and said, "Thanks for the lift. Love you, daddy." 23 years old and he still calls me daddy. Hey....that's okay with me. If I was any "prouder" I'd pop!!

Grumpy.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

" 23 years old and he still calls me daddy. Hey....that's okay with me. If I was any "prouder" I'd pop!!

I am 41 and I still call mine "Daddy"......

 

[grumpy]

Tough loss tonight.........56-7. OUCH!! My boy just wanted to come home and get "WARM"!!! Froze his patooty off...!!

 

[fishdip]

I dont think the cold is as big for a rabbit as the hot summer days are.