Hens & Rabbits

[ShortStopFL]

I'm here to learn practical suggestions as I've just renovated my chicken coop and am ready to introduce a dozen 5 week old pullets into their new 20'x8' secure run with elevated nesting boxes and varying height roosts. I've got 6 egg laying (pet) breeds and have been familiarizing them with each other, my voice and touch in a huge temporary dog cage coop. Before I let them roam free I want to hear the pros and cons of introducing 2 mini lop rabbits (with their own 2 story rabbit playhouse hutch) in the same secure space. Thanks for your feedback.

 

[GabrielBernard]

Okay we had rabbits and ducks, and I can't speak on chickens, but rabbits tend to be rather..rabbid(pun).
I have seen rabbits molesting full grown hens, and I have seen them kill other animals they did not like when they were in too close of a space.
Rats who came into the same enclosure did leave it in a plastic bag filled with mushy bits and pieces.
They will kill pigeons in the same enclosure, specially squabs who are still a bit slow to get away.

I do not trust rabbits, might just be my bad experience but, nope..
I know guinea pigs and rabbits are often kept in one space, but I would not even do that.
Rabbits are herbivore, but they have a dark, dark side most people never see from them.
If Monthy Pyton taught me anything, never trust a rabbit.

 

[ShortStopFL]

hmmm, I've had the opposite experience. I once had 2 cats, a bird dog (brittany spaniel) a mini ring-neck macaw and a french lop and they all played together. I even got the lop to sit up and beg. Upon introduction I had to tell the cats NO to bringing baby birds home any more so the next morning they brought ONE and left it at my door kinda saying "I could if I wanted to, but I respect your request" and never killed again LOL. THIS TIME, the 2 cats & 2 dogs are in/out doggie door house trained and the COOP is fully covered but safely enclosed with 3 layers of fencing against predators.

 

[Raptor Mountain Farm]

Last year I kept my Ranger and Cornish Cross in with my baby rabbits to grow everyone out to weight. They are each other's food and the worse thing that happened was a rabbit got an eye infection from being pecked. I have just put them all together this year. The rabbits hopping scares the chickens at first, but there isn't any fighting.

I believe you said you just want their hutch inside the coop or run to keep secure. In my opinion you should be fine. When I was able to free range my chickens they were frequently visiting their rabbit friends. The chickens clean up any food the rabbits drop out of their hutch. My chickens also spread the used hay all around and search for bugs. My mama hens take their chicks over all the time because the chicks fit under the hutches close to the ground and are safe. Hope this helps.