Chickens eating rabbit poop

[Lil Chickie Mama]

I just bought meat rabbits 2 weeks ago and the shed I built for them is open to the chicken run. The cages are hanging and the poop falls to the ground or onto the board hanging in between the top tier and bottom tier of cages. I was amazed at just how much output there was! I have 6 adults, 10 babies and there is a lot of dung. I have been noticing though that despite rinsing off much manure there is little to none on the floor of the shed after a few hours so I can only assume the chickens are eating it. I don't even think they are simply scratching it apart but I will check more thoroughly tomorrow morning. I know there is a fair amount of undigested food in bunny berries but it still concerns me. I have read that the chickens will sift through it and maybe eat some but they are completely cleaning up after all of these rabbits. I should mention I have 9 chickens. They still clamor after me if I have fruit, scratch, or other treat but are really eating very little of their layer pellets or mash.

With consuming so much manure should I be worried about them? Should we still eat the eggs? I know about Polyface Farms and have read the other BYC posts on the subject, but my concern is the sheer amount consumed. They eat it all.

I may have to put collection bins underneath the rabbits just so I can keep it for my garden, with the amount of output from them I should already be able to spread it over all our plants but there is none left! I am glad I didn't order worms for vermicomposting yet! They know that every morning I rinse off the board and they scurry to feast. Silly chickens! Also, for the warnings I am sure to get, no the chickens have not and cannot perch on top of the cages, there isn't room, nor can they perch on anything to reach kits inside cages. Their houses share a wall but they are separate so for now I am not concerned about coccidiosis.

 

[chooks4life]

I think your chook eggs should be fine to eat as long as you're not feeding the rabbits medicated feed or using antibiotics or other medicines in them. They may also still be within a withholding period which can stretch for months after using pharmaceutical/ artificial treatments on them, so since you've only had them a short time, for all I know something may carry into the eggs... Might be best to check with the buyer, and then do some internet searches on the drugs used.

About the poops: I'm not a rabbit expert but aren't the rabbits generally supposed to consume their own poops, and and the second time it's been through their system they've digested it right? I read that rabbits don't digest it properly the first time, so eat it again, and the second time they're done with it. This could be why the chooks would eat it so enthusiastically, and I'm not sure but it's possible that there are some non species specific probiotics in their poops which the chickens are benefiting from. The poops would be like fermented, more bioavailable pellets I'd guess.

Best wishes.

 

[iwiw60]

Quote: I'd be rethinking the placement of your rabbit cages. While it's true that it most probably won't hurt your chickens to eat the rabbit pellets remember......chickens are what the eat.....me personally? YUCK!!!

 

[chooks4life]

I'd be rethinking the placement of your rabbit cages. While it's true that it most probably won't hurt your chickens to eat the rabbit pellets remember......chickens are what the eat.....me personally? YUCK!!!

I'd think vegetation predigested by a herbivore would be preferable to offal and meat byproducts combined with synthetic vitamins and petroleum based or known-toxic and harmful oils such as many pellets are made out of.

Then there's free range chickens who eat snakes, mice, insects, etc.

Best wishes.