Rabbit in colony setup

[The Moonshiner]

 

[The Moonshiner]

 

[The Moonshiner]

 

[The Moonshiner]

 

[The Moonshiner]

 

[Finnisher]

Do you keep them fenced in or are they completely free?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Do you keep them fenced in or are they completely free?

Few of the pics are groups in large pens in our barn. Those are the pics with the large groups.
Couple pics are rabbits in our barn but they come and go as they please. Those are free range. All the pics where they are outside in grass or field are free range.
All of those are completely free. We do have a lot of our land fenced with goat fence but its 4" square holes and they can go right through it. They can go anywhere anytime.

 

[Finnisher]

Do you shoot the ones that free range? If you do don't they all run away?

 

[The Moonshiner]

No I dont shoot them. They are pets.
Sometimes we do rabbit roundups.and box trap what I can for a few weeks and then take extras to auction.
I wanted to share my experience in raising rabbits in groups since you were getting some replies about how rabbits are not social and do not like to live together.
I find them to be very social and do enjoy being with other rabbits. Also i find no truth in tbe idea that it is a good way to spread disease. Over crowding and unclean conditions causes diseases and spreads diseases. That can happen in colonies or single caged set ups.
I get it that most dont see them as social animals. I didnt either for years and years.
They aren't much different then chickens. If they dont have the room they need then issue can come up. Adult males can be just like roosters. They live to reproduce and every male wants every female to have their offspring.
Just like chickens if you throw two, three or four males in a small area with a few females then they will fight to be dominate and females will get over bred but that doesnt mean they arent social. Its the same thing but you never hear people say my roosters cant get along so that means chickens arent social and raising them in groups is not only asking for trouble its begging for it.