North Idaho / Eastern Washington

i read about someone using a 5gal water bucket system w/tubing to feed their water bottles or a nipple at ea end for ea rabbit cage; i like this idea. i have lots of garden watering tubing, i wonder if i could rig something up with this? but when it gets hot here the water gets hot also; just like in the many water buckets i have out for the ducks, after a few hours the water is warm, so i refill w/cold water for them. and then in the winter the water will freeze??? we got (from the rabbit owners) 2 water bottles w/heated bottoms, i havent pluged them in to see if they work yet, hopefully these will work in the winter?
what do you do?


I was having issues with using a 5 gallon bucket, but since I moved to a 55 gallon barrel it stays quite cool for them and I use a mesh tarp to help shade everything. If you have the tubing in the sun, it will get quite hot and even grow algae. In winter, I use crocks (cheap version is a breakfast bowl from Big Lots for $2). I have enough now, that I can bring out hot water and bowls from inside and trade out the frozen bowls twice a day. I also put a sheet of plywood around the base of the pens to keep out drafts and use tarps to keep them protected even more. Where the hutches are, I'd have to run extension cords to keep heated bottles and in my experience, it's easier and cheaper to go with crocks.
 
I cannot hatch anymore (per hubby) but the day I gave away my last rooster, I slipped 2 eggs under hen. one was a blue egg, one was a tan egg with purple spots. the tan egg hatched and the blue egg is pipped. Tan egg chick below, mom was a smooth gray frizzle, dad was a black silky.




Second baby hatched.

The grey chick is "Pecan", and the black one is "Piney" Their dad's name was Peanut.
 
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I cannot hatch anymore (per hubby) but the day I gave away my last rooster, I slipped 2 eggs under hen. one was a blue egg, one was a tan egg with purple spots. the tan egg hatched and the blue egg is pipped. Tan egg chick below, mom was a smooth gray frizzle, dad was a black silky. Second baby hatched. The grey chick is "Pecan", and the black one is "Piney" Their dad's name was Peanut.
Those are cuties!!
 
I currently have a pair of Opal Rex and a Black Otter Netherland cross doe. I've raised quite a few breeds in the past, so I MIGHT be able to tell breed, but rabbits cross very well, so it's a guess at best. But feel free to send them my way and I'll give it a shot.
oh my goodness, the black otter rabbit is adorable and the opal rex is beautiful. is the opal your meat rabbit? they are large. the blk otter is a pet?
i sold my mama rabbit and 2 of her male babies, to my neighbor, today. i have 11 rabbits now. later, i will breed daughter/father and see what i get.
 
I cannot hatch anymore (per hubby) but the day I gave away my last rooster, I slipped 2 eggs under hen. one was a blue egg, one was a tan egg with purple spots. the tan egg hatched and the blue egg is pipped. Tan egg chick below, mom was a smooth gray frizzle, dad was a black silky. Second baby hatched. The grey chick is "Pecan", and the black one is "Piney" Their dad's name was Peanut.
adorable.... great pics
 
I was having issues with using a 5 gallon bucket, but since I moved to a 55 gallon barrel it stays quite cool for them and I use a mesh tarp to help shade everything. If you have the tubing in the sun, it will get quite hot and even grow algae. In winter, I use crocks (cheap version is a breakfast bowl from Big Lots for $2). I have enough now, that I can bring out hot water and bowls from inside and trade out the frozen bowls twice a day. I also put a sheet of plywood around the base of the pens to keep out drafts and use tarps to keep them protected even more. Where the hutches are, I'd have to run extension cords to keep heated bottles and in my experience, it's easier and cheaper to go with crocks.
so, do you put the crocks right in the cage w/rabbit? they do not have tops/lids? do the rabbits spill them? where my dh built and mounted the new hutches, the rabbits will never see direct sun. i will have to take them out into the sun a few times a week. i want to make a pen area for them, kinda like a playground. i will put wire on the bottom and then throw some grass seed down. how long can they be out in the snow, come winter time?
 
oh my goodness, the black otter rabbit is adorable and the opal rex is beautiful. is the opal your meat rabbit? they are large. the blk otter is a pet?
i sold my mama rabbit and 2 of her male babies, to my neighbor, today. i have 11 rabbits now. later, i will breed daughter/father and see what i get.



Every rabbit we produce is a potential meat rabbit. My black otter is the best mother I've ever had and a sweetie in general, as long as she's in an escape proof cage lol. Just be careful linebreeding, because it enhanced everything, good and bad. So, cull hard if you do.

so, do you put the crocks right in the cage w/rabbit? they do not have tops/lids? do the rabbits spill them? where my dh built and mounted the new hutches, the rabbits will never see direct sun. i will have to take them out into the sun a few times a week. i want to make a pen area for them, kinda like a playground. i will put wire on the bottom and then throw some grass seed down. how long can they be out in the snow, come winter time?


Crocks can be square bowls or rounded bowls, but, yes they are open and possibly tippy. Because you're dealing with freezing stuff, anyway, you're planning on filling water a few times a day. I don't give my rabbits direct sun. They do have access to sunlight at the front of the pen and they don't seem to seek it out. Since we avoid the groun, I have no idea on the rabbits and snow. We purposefully avoid the ground so our rabbits don't get cocci or interact with wild rabbits, which can carry a whole host of diseases, such as tulameria.
 
I currently have a pair of Opal Rex and a Black Otter Netherland cross doe. I've raised quite a few breeds in the past, so I MIGHT be able to tell breed, but rabbits cross very well, so it's a guess at best. But feel free to send them my way and I'll give it a shot.


I have an opal rex as well! Just got her about a month ago! She is sooo pretty. I also got a lilac rex buck. Do you raise yours for meat? Or pets?

OMG I've been looking for Opal Rexes near by for a while. I just got a broken Opal doe from a breeder in Seattle. Are either of yours bucks?? Are they Pedigreed? I might want to breed Penelope/Patches when she hits 6 months old in 2 months... LOL

I have a Chocolate Rex doe, lilac otter buck, my broken opal doe, castor doe, and broken castor buck. Opal has my heart tho. Beautiful color!
 
I have one buck- he is a lilac
Two does- the opal is a doe.
I will be breeding them in october. They are not pedigreed. The lilac buck is show quality tho. So is my broken castor doe. The buck may have been pedigreed.. I didnt get his tho.
.. I beleive the buck/dad was pedigreed and the mom wasnt on the girls.
the lilac buck i got has a tatoo and was going to be a show bunny. Im not going to show but he was so pretty and so friendly, i just had to have him.
They lady i bought them from breeds for show/ meat. She told me my buck- lilac colored carries chocolate. Im hoping to get a chocolate otter!!
400

400
 
OMG I've been looking for Opal Rexes near by for a while. I just got a broken Opal doe from a breeder in Seattle. Are either of yours bucks?? Are they Pedigreed? I might want to breed Penelope/Patches when she hits 6 months old in 2 months... LOL

I have a Chocolate Rex doe, lilac otter buck, my broken opal doe, castor doe, and broken castor buck. Opal has my heart tho. Beautiful color!

The two together are the does- opal and broken castor
The single is the buck- lilac :)
i got them from a breeder in spokane, who shows hers
 
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