change diet for recently aquired rabbits

[VanUnamed]

No well i meant to give the straw to them for one day and see. I am really glad you can help. I guess for now i will feed the hay i got, throw away what they don't eat, and supplement with a cup of mix barley/oats (thats the only grains i got that are good quality and that mice didn't get into recently). I observed today when i put a fresh piece, they go immediately for broad-leaves in the hay. There are quite a few "seed heads" of fescue, possibly because when it gets very dry in.. technically summer, but lately it begins in mid spring, grasses go to seed very quickly. i will update, thank you!

 

[Stephine]

Yes, most animals will go for the softer, leafy part of the grass hay as those blades are most nutritious. Once the seed head begins to form the grass turns from being blades to being stems. Stems have a lot more indigestible fiber and are a lot less nutritious. The seed heads themselves are nutritious and animals will eat those before they will bother with the stems (unless the seed heads are contaminated with toxic molds of course). If the hay is very stemmy it will not be nutritious enough to feed most animals. You always want to go for leafy, green hay.
Good luck to you!

 

[VanUnamed]

well, thanks for the advice, but my idea of rabbits is indeed a failure. the hay I have is OK for maybe keeping them, but they will never breed, or thrive. the only hope would've been the greens that grow in spring, but, then what? even if they managed to successfully breed, the heat of summer, temperatures often exceeding 100F/40C are the rule here. I don't even put chickens before september as they don't grow well at all and die in the heat. I don't know what to do to possibly salvage this, even though i think little can be done at all. I don't want to eat more grain raised meat anyway. Maybe sheep or goats could do better on hay than rabbits.

 

[Stephine]

Sorry, but this sure doesn’t seem like rabbits would work for you. They are sensitive to heat and you‘d have to make sure to cool them down or they’ll die of heatstroke. Even temps in the 80s are a problem for them.
Goats will do fine with heat. Some sheep will, too - provided there’s shade of course. No animals will do well on toxic hay though - I would change what you grow.

 

[Stephine]

Should add there is a new fescue that does not have the toxicity issue, might look for that, or anything else that grows well - just read up on the value as feed hay.

 

[VanUnamed]

there is no evidence my hay is "toxic". sheep graze on lands surrounding mine and seems to not die. the only evidence i have now, is that those rabbits wait all day for me to feed grains I don't have. when i don't look, they eat their hay.

 

[Stephine]

there is no evidence my hay is "toxic". sheep graze on lands surrounding mine and seems to not die. the only evidence i have now, is that those rabbits wait all day for me to feed grains I don't have. when i don't look, they eat their hay.

Fescue most commonly has a toxin, it is well known. Levels can vary and different animals can handle it differently. It does cause problems, though, especially when you are trying to breed and need to have your livestock in great shape. I highly recommend reading up on it to avoid disappointment.