My daughters rabbit is in its hutch in an uninsulated shed.IT's first winter......BBBRRRR This morning its water was totally frozen. I was wondering if we could put the rabbit in the chicken coop.Insulated and I am trying the deep litter method.Straw and shavings.The rabbit hutch is to big to go through the door but we could make a winter hutch . Also do you think he would be okay to run around in there with the girls? Sometimes? It'[s a 7 by 3 coop approx. Wondering about the poop? ...thanks ! Ps....Next Question is how to figure out the sex of a rabbit...everything down there is so close together and tiny....hahahha
My concern with letting the bunny run with the chickens is that she may be pecked in the eyes by a chicken. Bunny eye injuries need immediate attention, and can be a very bad thing. Also, if you have a true deep litter method that is operating properly, often the litter has bugs and things in it. Even though it is winter and fly strike isn't as much a concern, it just seems like that may be taking a chance. Neither do I know what parasites may be transferrable with that level of proximity; that may be a question for a vet. As for sexing bunnies, that is not so easy, which is why people are always ending up with unexpected litters from ignorant breeders and pet shops. To sex a bunny it needs to be on its back, so if you haven't trained bun to be calm for a couple of seconds on her back you will have to work on that. Don't let bunny kick while on her back - very dangerous for her spine! Push gently on the front part of the genitals and the tissue will pop out. A doe under 4 months will have a cone shaped bit with a slit running along it. An older doe will look the same but the cone may be more fleshy. In a young buck, the tissue will be round with a hole in the middle. An older buck will have obvious testicles. Have you ever checked out the House Rabbit Society's web site? It's fabulous! www.rabbit.org
The risk involved is rabbits and poultry carry similar diseases that can be spread from one to the other. Also make sure the rabbit pen is atleast a couple feet above any softwood shavings such as pine. Softwood shavings cause respiratory problems in rabbits. Cover the top of rabbit pen in case chickens roost up there. The good thing is having the rabbit in there gives the coop a little extra body heat. All that being said my rabbit lives in a cage four foot above my coop floor and everyone is happy.
Thanks so much for all the great information !! I am certainly glad i asked....I am going to check out that rabbit site and also I think we are going to make a hutch for inside the coop about 4ft off the floor....thanks again........... Happy Turkey Day!!!
you have no reason to worry, The rabbit can stay where it is now, chickbea nailed it great. The frozen water is fine just thaw it out and fill it back up every day, they will be fine it happens here everyday make sure to give her plenty of straw and hay cover the cage floor with around two inches of straw and it will be fine. You can always PM me if you have any questions! Megan.. Here are the best sites ever that will help you! I am on every one of them so you can contact me there too! http://z3.invisionfree.com/Bunny_Bytes/ http://s13.invisionfree.com/RabbitAddicts http://s13.invisionfree.com/RabbitHabbit_Forums/ rcmrabbits.tripod.com good luck!