Can a rabbit be housed with chickens?

[mskittydjs]

My son and daughter were given a 6 month old doe rabbit. Daughter named her Bella. DH hates caged animals (won't even go to a zoo because of this). So he has let her run free in the chicken yard. The yard is completely fenced/dug in to ground to prevent predators. The yard is 20x80 rectangle. Bella loves it and she doesn't bother the chickens and they don't bother her. She runs back to her cage to eat/drink which is on the ground and always open for her. The chickens never go in there but will stick their heads through the cage to get a few grapes I give to Bella, so I have to wait to give her treats til night when the chicks go to roost inside their coop. Is there any reason Bella should not be allowed to run free with them? Are there any diseases they could pass to each other? There are no other plans to increase the bunny population so she would be the only one in there. Anyone have any ideas???

 

[littlestars17]

I remember seeing someone post about their rabbit chewing a chics leg but if your chickens are all grown I dont think it would be a problem, will let someone with more experience chime in- Our bunny is a house bunny(hops around the house and he goes into his cage when he needs a break/at night), he did fine even when our chickies were running around inside

 

[CMV]

I have seen lots of posts here about people housing rabbits and chickens together. The posts usually included very cute pics of rabbits and chickens together. I don't recall ever hearing any downsides to it.

 

[banks]

Let me introduce you to a web site that will answer that question.
Thehencam.com

Very informative and interesting and very addicting

 

[secuono]

You can always just go for it if you are able to relocate the rabbits IF things go wrong. If you do not have the space, then I wouldn't try it.

If you get young rabbits and they grow with the birds, they will accept them better than adult rabbits that have no idea what a chicken is.

Rabbits do like to chew, so feathers might get nibbled on, but if the birds roost up off the floor, that really shouldn't happen. The birds will peck the rabbits if they annoy them.

For the digging, you can bury chicken wire all along the bottom, just a few inches is fine. Or even lay it on top.