Bunny rabbit as 'flock protector' ?

[jmc]

Now don't laugh, cmon!

Seriously, suppose you had one of those big kinda rabbits that don't have rabbity ears but floppy ones.
Those big rabbits like the size of a coon which are harmless (and defenseless) but are big and may give a number of predators second thoughts if they saw it in the poultry yard.

Plus they don't bark; yet they do have a presence if they are bigger than a hawk or a possum or weasel--especially if they don't have ears that 'advertise' that they are delicious huge rabbits!!!

Now don't laugh, cmon!

I don't know nothin about rabbits or how to get a big one that could live outside with the chickens year round, even sleep on the floor of their pen...........i dunno

could a big rabbit and chickens live together?

and what 's a big rabbit breed that is easy to come by

I'd love the thoughts of some bunnie people.

I know someone who has a dutch bunnie living with 8 week old chicks. but i think maybe a dutch would be too small.


??????????????

 

[Bullitt]

A rabbit in the open is going to look like a nice slow-moving meal to a predator. Rabbits could probably live with chickens, but the rabbit would offer no protection to chickens.

 

[sourland]

The rabbit would be the first thing eaten. Unless you could get that Monty Python attack rabbit.

 

[yinepu]

The rabbit would be the first thing eaten. Unless you could get that Monty Python attack rabbit.

lol.. that's the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread

 

[Geckochick]

The rabbit would be the first thing eaten. Unless you could get that Monty Python attack rabbit.

Yes, I think the bunny sits lower than the chicken on the food chain.

 

[animals1981]

rabbit is easier to kill than a rooster, roosters and ducks dominate rabbits when kept together lol u would n need a good rooster to protect the rabbit

in a flock the rooster is always the one that has the best chance on defending id say by far the big bunny even if he is mean is going ot fail with a wild predator even weasels take them out really easy, i think during the day a rooster would flog a weasel but i dont know for sure i just guess. A rabbit would probably beat up something like a rat though.But so would an adult hen or rooster.

rabbits defense is flight speed domestication took that way so they are sittig ducks they can try to fight but wild predators know how to counter attack that and still kill it.

 

[zazouse]

I think the chickens would protect the rabbit more than the rabbit protecting the chicken

 

[Oregon Blues]

It doesn't matter how big the rabbit is. It still looks like a rabbit and smells like a rabbit, and it is on everybody's dinner menu (including mine).

On plus side, if it is really big, it provides a huge meal and the predator won't be back for 2-3 days.

 

[TrystInn]

You want a decent flock guardian that's not a dog, get a potbelly pig. Honestly, not much will want to mess with a pig and they seem to like chickens. Ours were very protective of the chickens and refused to allow our THREE dogs to eat chicken feed.

 

[Billy-jean]

Now don't laugh, cmon!

Seriously, suppose you had one of those big kinda rabbits that don't have rabbity ears but floppy ones.
Those big rabbits like the size of a coon which are harmless (and defenseless) but are big and may give a number of predators second thoughts if they saw it in the poultry yard.

Plus they don't bark; yet they do have a presence if they are bigger than a hawk or a possum or weasel--especially if they don't have ears that 'advertise' that they are delicious huge rabbits!!!

Now don't laugh, cmon!

I don't know nothin about rabbits or how to get a big one that could live outside with the chickens year round, even sleep on the floor of their pen...........i dunno

could a big rabbit and chickens live together?

and what 's a big rabbit breed that is easy to come by

I'd love the thoughts of some bunnie people.

I know someone who has a dutch bunnie living with 8 week old chicks. but i think maybe a dutch would be too small.


??????????????

I have a flemish giant rabbit who is living with the chickens and ducks,,and she ,no joke,is their guardian! I laughed when I read this because I thought I was the only one that had a guard rabbit.If you get yourself a giant flemish pure breed, it will scare away,or at least make other animals think twice about coming into their area. works for me ) No joke! I will always have a flemish giant,some are the size of beagles,,