Illinois...

[Faraday40]

Who breeds rabbits? I found another group of babies in the garden. It's fenced in, but the rabbits don't seem to care... I relocated the first two groups. One to the plants around the mail box and the other to near the fence after seeing the mother bolt into the neighbor's yard. This group I decided to keep... crazy maybe, but I hate the idea of throwing too the wolves (or hawks and cats actually) if they don't find mom after I boot them from the garden. They are not itty bitty. They are the size of my fist (not the tiniest but not huge hands here either). There's 5 or 6 I think. I should have counted as I caught them. Anyway, now I'm wondering are they big enough to eat greens and hay now. And is there a need to deworm them?
They are pictures here just in a brooder we are not using at the moment with straw just so they can snuggle and hide.
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They look old enough to find mama. Wild rabbits are not the docile, manageable type. They are pretty skittish and (unless injured) will scratch and run away. Probably best to let them find mama and fill the nest so they get the idea of their eviction. Rabbits have a good sense of smell. Sometimes mama will abandon or kill them if touched. (Why they say not to touch the nests) Since they're older with opened eyes, the mama may relocate with them.

Because several neighbors feed the wildlife here, I joke that our wild rabbits are tame enough to pet. Technically no, but they do let us get very close and make nests right next to where our dog goes potty. Not the sharpest pencils in the box! Our former dogs used rabbit nests like cookie jars. Our current dog is just curious and chases. A few times we literally tripped over/ accidently kicked a hiding rabbit who decided to bolt at the last sec. (Once me; the dog twice. LOL) The rabbit population tends to go in cycles. It continues to build up for a few years, then a fox hits the area and wipes them out.

PS- The chickens ate a fallen squirrel once. (Must have thought it was a treat and played an intense game of keep away. Not much I could do about it.) They may eat baby rabbits too, but I never witnessed it.

 

[Molpet]

Who breeds rabbits? I found another group of babies in the garden. It's fenced in, but the rabbits don't seem to care... I relocated the first two groups. One to the plants around the mail box and the other to near the fence after seeing the mother bolt into the neighbor's yard. This group I decided to keep... crazy maybe, but I hate the idea of throwing too the wolves (or hawks and cats actually) if they don't find mom after I boot them from the garden. They are not itty bitty. They are the size of my fist (not the tiniest but not huge hands here either). There's 5 or 6 I think. I should have counted as I caught them. Anyway, now I'm wondering are they big enough to eat greens and hay now. And is there a need to deworm them?
They are pictures here just in a brooder we are not using at the moment with straw just so they can snuggle and hide.
View attachment 2662100View attachment 2662101

Ditto above thoughts
Usually they get stressed out and die.

 

[BReeder!]

Keeping an eye out for mama rabbit. If she comes around I will let the littles out into the yard and see if she takes them. For now they are in the brooder. I don't think I will keep them forever if we do hang on to them. Thinking of just getting them big enough to release. If mama rabbit takes them, it takes the burden off of me. I just hate dumping them and risking a predator simply snatching them up.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

Can you manage to get a few few "pet" goats? I'll visit frequently if you do.

I too dream of a few acres, and I too already have much of what I would want: chickens, ducks, large garden, mini orchard (at least there's a peach tree... the others just got planted are will be planted soon), room for the kids to play, and more. However, I still want goats, highland cattle, and two horses (for DW and I, the kids will just have to share ours). I wouldn't mind always having a pig or two around either to naturally clear underbrush and fill a smoke house once a year. I would have to add geese too. I imagine a poultry yard with a shallow pond in the back for ducks and geese and chickens running all over.

We can dream...

Last I checked I can keep a goat or a pig up to 250#. Pigs just destroy everything though.

 

[BReeder!]

Last I checked I can keep a goat or a pig up to 250#. Pigs just destroy everything though.

Not in incorporated Plainfield though...

And I would want a "few" goats, so I would still need more land than just my backyard.

Pigs can be destructive, but that can be used to an advantage to clear brush in overgrown or previously unmanaged parts of a property, preparing the area for planting the next year.

 

[Faraday40]

I'd love goats...... but they're not neighborhood friendly. We may get rabbits someday. I used to breed them as a kid. I even have a cage/hutch available. Somehow a few quail moved back in it 2 weeks ago. (Freeloaders are not laying yet!) DS really likes their eggs, we already had everything we needed to care for them, so I said yes. The bottom cage is still empty, but last year it was very helpful to use that cage as a broody apartment or hospital care. Rabbits will probably get put off for another year.

 

[Molpet]

Lost 2 turkeys hens yesterday.
Found a headless first thing.. assume owl.
4 pm I was out picking eggs. Everything ok. 5:30 I went back out. Birds alerting and I seen a white lump out by the burn pile. 2 turkey hens were nesting in the burn pile. Ripped out Feathers in the nest, thighs had blood and puncher wounds, windpipe was exposed but no blood. Nothing was eaten. I was thinking canine. Couldn't find any tracks though. Walked Annie around the perimeter and she didn't scent anything. Maybe an eagle or big hawk. ..
The other hen went back to the nest and moved farther in.
Another hen keeps jumping the fence and laying somewhere....under the high power lines, I think. I guess she is as safe as the ones in the poultry yard.
I have been feeling sick to my stomach over all the poor birds. I should still have 20 turkey hens, which is too many. So I guess God is taking care of the extras for me by feeding his other birds

 

[Faraday40]

@chickendreams24
I'm mentioning you on this thread so you can come back and join us.
Of course you MUST post pics of your human child as well as your feathered ones.

 

[BReeder!]

The baby rabbits would not eat or drink for me. I even attempted to syringe feed. I was glad to see the mother bunny (I believe it's her) just on the other side of the febce in my neighbors yard. She was feeding on dandelions. I took let three babies out of the brooder bin right at the fence and encouraged them to go through into the neighbors yard. I also let some hay there for them to hide. I'm keeping an eye on them still and hoping mom takes them tonight. What I read says the mothers tend to look for the babies in the evening for nursing under the cover of dark. Hoping she takes these little buns and raises them outside of my garden.

 

[Molpet]

The baby rabbits would not eat or drink for me. I even attempted to syringe feed. I was glad to see the mother bunny (I believe it's her) just on the other side of the febce in my neighbors yard. She was feeding on dandelions. I took let three babies out of the brooder bin right at the fence and encouraged them to go through into the neighbors yard. I also let some hay there for them to hide. I'm keeping an eye on them still and hoping mom takes them tonight. What I read says the mothers tend to look for the babies in the evening for nursing under the cover of dark. Hoping she takes these little buns and raises them outside of my garden.

Usually the mother stays long enough to nurse and then she is gone. They look like they may be almost too big to nurse.