I think my rabbit has started killing some of my chickens.

[Abriana]

Ah yes Rabies!! We don’t have it here in the UK (very rare cases have occurred) so I forgot to mention that’s a possibility.

Ah ok

 

[El - Ahrairah]

I don't live in America, so we don't have problems like raccoons, coyotes, great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, etc. A friend of mine has lost some chickens to Eurasian Eagle Owls, though (I'm from Mainland Europe). Also, rabies is rare where I live. And no, I don't think it was another predator. It was far more brutal and savage, as if from a relatively inexperienced animal. When I say "killed quickly", I also forgot to mention about the physical trauma around the body in general, which might have been due to blunt force. Also, a weasel or mink would have taken the rabbit first (they have a taste for lagomorphs in particular). The clawmarks were reminiscent to the one on the door and hutch.

And the wire was for keeping dogs and foxes out, not for rabbits. So I'm not ruling out the possibility of the rabbit digging in just yet.

 

[lazy gardener]

Please answer my ? in previous post.

 

[El - Ahrairah]

Ah, sorry. Mostly give her mixed grass and Timothy hay, lettuce, asparagus, celery, green beans. Might give her the occasional fruit. The rabbit did have a mineral block. Never gave her meat.

 

[Table4Six]

That diet seems perfectly fine to me. I agree with @Abriana and @GracieJ. It sounds like your rabbit could be suffering from rabies or some other disease that gives her unchecked periods of aggression. So sorry for your loss.

 

[Abriana]

I would take her to a vet before the aggression gets (IF it gets) worse

 

[Morrigan]

I did a quick search and there was an old thread on this forum in which someone recounted a male rabbit killing chickens. Everyone was baffled and assumed it was some combination of male hormones and being territorial. I guess this type of rabbit aggression although quite odd, is not completely unheard of. So, it may simply be that you have a very aggressive rabbit.

Other than taking the rabbit to the vet just to rule out a disease or disorder, the only thing to do is to keep the rabbit separate from the chickens. That was how the problem got solved in the older thread -- the rabbit got a separate run.

Here is a link to the other thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rabbit-killing-chickens.116708/

 

[pvaldes]

If you think that the rabbit could be rabid don't try to touch it. Isolate it if you can, but if the rabbit does not cooperate, avoid fighting and being scratched or bitten.

An agitated rabbit and an urge to dig can be explained by some predator around, could be a racoon, a snake or a weasel that killed first the easier preys. A rabid racoon or rat could bite the bunny also developping a strange behaviour. Rabies in rabbits is uncommon, more frequent in the USA east coast but uncommon. The risk of rabies will depend on your country.

To me the simpler explanation for a female acting suddenly aggresive and trying to dig and eat proteins is the heat. A symptom of heat is delivering more urine and with a stronger odour.

 

[El - Ahrairah]

I've already stated that there are no raccoons where I live. Also, again, the weasel would have likely gone after the rabbit first. Aren't any snakes around where I live that could take on a rooster, and a snake wouldn't try to literally rip a chicken apart. Rat could be a likely candidate, though.

Also, the rabbit doesn't appear to be rabid. I'll go to the vet anyway. Thanks for the comments!

 

[sourland]

Ah, sorry. Mostly give her mixed grass and Timothy hay, lettuce, asparagus, celery, green beans. Might give her the occasional fruit. The rabbit did have a mineral block. Never gave her meat.

I doubt that this diet fulfills the nutritional needs of the rabbit. It is just trying to balance it's diet by adding some protein.