Gardening with Rabbits

[Raech]

So I am starting this thread to see if there is anyone else that has rabbits and gardens with them in mind. I would like to get some ideas from others on what they companion plant and possible pictures of their gardens and rabbit set ups. In order for me to have rabbits they have to have a purpose, my rabbits are providing fertilizer for the gardens and now they will be meat rabbit breeders. This is a new journey for me, and I would love to share my experience with others.

Every year I plant a garden with a few things for my rabbits, such as carrots and peas with lettuce from the neighbors garden last year. This year I plan on planting more peas, bush beans, carrots, kale, potatoes(they can eat the skins), strawberries, and lettuce. Most of this will be eaten by the family, but the rabbits can eat the pea shells and bush bean leaves. Kale they can eat the whole plant and stems. Potatoes are the peels for after I make soup. They can also eat the whole strawberry plant which is handy for when I thin them out, I currently have over thirty plants. Along with these veggies I will also plant pumpkins, watermelon, cucumbers, corn, zucchini and cantaloupe.

 

[Raech]

Just some ideas for the bunny garden, here are some rabbit friendly foods: (from imperfectlyhappy.com)

Greens with higher oxalic acid content:

• Beet Greens
• Mustard Greens
• Parsley
• Spinach
• Sprouts
• Swiss Chard

Greens with lower oxalic acid content:

• Arugula
• Basil
• Bok Choy
• Carrot Tops (actual carrots are ok too but basically candy for rabbits)
• Cilantro
• Dill leaves
• Kale
• Red & Green Leaf Lettuce
• Romaine Lettuce
• Turnip Greens

GROWING A RABBIT GARDEN – OTHER VEGETABLES

• Asparagus (small amounts only)
• Bell peppers
• Cabbage (small amounts only)
• Squash

GROWING A RABBIT GARDEN – GRASS

Grow a little patch of these grasses or sprouts in your rabbit garden or grow as fodder:

• Wheat grass
• Barley

 

[Raech]

Well my three new hutches rolled in this morning. They are now currently sitting in my backyard waiting for their new resident to show up, one will be here come spring, that will take the big hutch and the bunny in the big hutch will take over the large white hutch. Two residents, that share a cage will be here anytime. Will post pictures of the hutches in the morning when the lighting is better. This spring we will be relocating all three garden beds to accommodate the rabbit hutches to be put over them.

 

[Raech]

Here they are, nowhere near the garden but they are home. Soon as it thaws a little bit I will be moving them and the raised beds around the better my next garden. I only garden in the summer, I have yet to expand into cold frames and hoop gardens, but I will eventually. This year I am also venturing into the vertical garden, my cucumbers will be up on frames with lettuce growing under it. My plan is to have the frame leaning up against the blue hutch where the bottom board(not straight) will hold the frame up. and if the plants go over into the hutch they will be naturally trimmed. I have the same plan to do that with my peas but on the other hutches and up on curved pieces of wire that I found after we moved in to this house.

 

[Raech]

 

[Raech]

Not for the bunnies but look what I'm adding to the garden this year!! Finally decided that only peas and lettuce will be planted at my house this year, the rest will be planted at the new house (aka Dad's house) since we will be moving this fall.

 

[Raech]

Otter our buck
Kirby our doe. Breeding these two yesterday and today, hopefully we will have a fall off soon, he is a young buck so needs a little trial and error to figure out his job.

 

[catherine26]

The rabbits looks so cute.

 

[Raech]

Bred Kirby on the 26th, hopefully we will have babies in a month. Built a pen for a rabbit to go out onto the grass during the day, it has chicken wire on one side so I don't want to leave them in there overnight, it also doesn't have wire on the bottom to prevent them from digging out so I need to fix that as well. But here is Otter in the pen eating the neighbor's grass, with permission, normally I mow her yard but my mower died yesterday so I asked her if I could put my rabbits there instead.