Mixing Animals With Chickens

[Camp Davis]

I think we're going to inherit a bunny and really don't need to add another animal to the chore list. It sounds super lazy but, I'm an out-of-the-box thinker sometimes. Has anyone ever kept a bunny in a chicken coop/run? Ours is pretty big, coop is 12x20, run is 20x35. Im hopping, pun intended, for a happy and cool union of the species.

 

[FrankieDoodle]

I would think that the chickens would peck the bunny. We had our chickens next to the bunny & they freaked out. I don't think either one would like it

 

[Leighe]

There's lots of people who mix them and lots of people who say don't mix them. If your rabbit cage is up off floor the hens love to come eat the rabbit poop. Please note rabbit urine smells, lol. My rabbits were in their pen inside the chicken run so everybody got along.

 

[Leighe]

I would think that the chickens would peck the bunny. We had our chickens next to the bunny & they freaked out. I don't think either one would like it

Good point. If you're bringing in a rabbit to full grown chickens, probably won't work.

 

[Camp Davis]

Thank you. I saw another thread where it was discussed as well. I see the trade-offs.

 

[dainerra]

also, rabbits will prefer to eat the poultry food, which is high in corn. Not good for them, especially if you are feeding layer pellets which tend to be high calcium.
I've kept my bunnies and chickens together before. Food was the biggest challenge. And a bit disconcerting to stick my hand into the nest box and find this:

 

[dainerra]

she had her buns in a nest box. Strangely the chickens never bothered them.

 

[Camp Davis]

Is that a snake eating the bunny?

Do you think the bunnies attracted it more than the chickens?

 

[FrankieDoodle]

also, rabbits will prefer to eat the poultry food, which is high in corn. Not good for them, especially if you are feeding layer pellets which tend to be high calcium.
I've kept my bunnies and chickens together before. Food was the biggest challenge. And a bit disconcerting to stick my hand into the nest box and find this:

Ew, when we first got our bunny, she was a stray under the neighbors car. My mom caught her & stuck her in the chicken run (without the chickens in it.) their nest was never the same...

 

[dainerra]

Is that a snake eating the bunny?
Do you think the bunnies attracted it more than the chickens?

it's just a nest full of bunnies. they are a couple days old in this pic.
I didn't know she was pregnant. Went to get eggs and was a squiggly mass of baby buns instead