Keeping rabbits and chickens together!?!

[karhernandez33]

Just keep in mine the doe's dig... and mine made holes for the babies one hen got to close and was killed... since I didn't see what happened I can only guess by what I seen.. the hen was in the rabbit hutch ( which is in the chicken coop ,the hens like to lay eggs there) next to one of the holes and was kill by the doe as I assume protecting thebabies

 

[ashyndin]

Just keep in mine the doe's dig... and mine made holes for the babies one hen got to close and was killed... since I didn't see what happened I can only guess by what I seen.. the hen was in the rabbit hutch ( which is in the chicken coop ,the hens like to lay eggs there) next to one of the holes and was kill by the doe as I assume protecting thebabies

that is something to keep in mind. maybe as a temporary home while i construct a suitable hutch.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Just keep in mine the doe's dig... and mine made holes for the babies one hen got to close and was killed... since I didn't see what happened I can only guess by what I seen.. the hen was in the rabbit hutch ( which is in the chicken coop ,the hens like to lay eggs there) next to one of the holes and was kill by the doe as I assume protecting thebabies

I think you should not house them in the coop nor the does and buck together. I let my does run in the chicken yard with the chickens. There weren't problems with that except the does dug out and I had to stop it. All locked up together with an aggressive roo and chickens in a coop could result in the does hurting each other, roo hurting rabbits, rabbits hurting each other or chickens. Not a good idea. Could be tragic.

 

[TNchickies]

I too have rabbits and chickens. I do not have them caged together, but they seem to get along well when let out together in the run. HOWEVER, if you have roosters, they may decide rabbit looks yummy. If you have a big enough run/yard, you shouldn't have a problem though. Be cautious---some rabbit are terrified of chickens! i've learned this by experience! Big enough run/yard, and the right rabbit, you should be fine!!!! Good luck!!!!!!

And if you do decide to get a rabbit, CONGRATS ON ENTERING THE RABBIT WORLD!

 

[ashyndin]

I have been doing some research and reading on hutch design. I found a good article on creating a colony. I think I will try this. A 6x8 run with a 3x6 closed area with individual nesting areas. It may be over kill for 3 rabbits but I have room to grow. I bet chicken math will carry over to the rabbits.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I have been doing some research and reading on hutch design. I found a good article on creating a colony. I think I will try this. A 6x8 run with a 3x6 closed area with individual nesting areas. It may be over kill for 3 rabbits but I have room to grow. I bet chicken math will carry over to the rabbits.

Sounds good! I made my hutch out of a 3'x6' chicken run I wasn't using. My granddaughter and I made a base for it with 4 legs. We fitted a tarp with zip ties to permanently cover 1/2 for the summer and in the winter the cover is over all of it. We put hardware cloth on the bottom and in winter we keep a thick covering of hay that we add to. We only have two rabbits in there. There are two rabbit houses in there too. They seem

to do well. We added tunnels from PetSmart which they live to run through.

 

[TNchickies]

Sounds good! I made my hutch out of a 3'x6' chicken run I wasn't using. My granddaughter and I made a base for it with 4 legs. We fitted a tarp with zip ties to permanently cover 1/2 for the summer and in the winter the cover is over all of it. We put hardware cloth on the bottom and in winter we keep a thick covering of hay that we add to. We only have two rabbits in there. There are two rabbit houses in there too. They seem to do well. We added tunnels from PetSmart which they live to run through.

THAT looks amazing! very impressive!

they look very happy. Such cute rabbits too!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

THAT looks amazing! very impressive!   they look very happy. Such cute rabbits too! e

Thanks. I used to live in Knoxville. First in Farragut, then on Duncan Road in close in west, then in Hall's. I loved it. TN is my favorite state.

 

[SixSassyHens]

I have kept 3 rabbits with ducks AND chickens and they never bothered eachother

 

[sweets3068]

As a rabbit breeder, I can tell you that letting your rabbits run loose in your barn is not a good idea. As everyone else said, they can get coccidia. Besides that, letting roam around in a building like that can be dangerous for them. They are also very destructive when it comes to chewing. if your building is wood, they will chew their way out. Best thing to do is keep them caged, in rabbit hutches, seperate from the chickens. Rabbits have different nutritional needs then chickens do. some types of chieck feed(the medicated stuff) can be toxic to them. Also, a caged rabbit, fed rabbit pellets and hay will tend to finish out better, and be in better condition then one that isn't. You also take chances of them breeding like crazy when the run loose together. Then you end up being overrun with a bunch of severely inbred rabbits.

I have been reading up on breeding rabbits and I am confused by the final statement here. I have read that if siblings both have good qualities you want to bring out it is ok to breed siblings. Or it is ok to breed mother to son and father to daughter. I understand this to be inbreeding. I have also read that you do need to bring in another bloodline, you can't just keep inbreeding. So in what generation does the new bloodline need to come in? I have sibling giant chins that I have not yet breed but I am planning on doing so in May of 2014

It's so confusing trying to learn the right way to do things when it comes to genetics