Rabbits TO chickens????

[mboreham1]

I have introduced many a chick or chicken to my flock, i just got the Mrs 2 rabbits for our anniversary, i have a solid run constructed for the chickens that the rabbits couldn't dig out of if they had a Deere tractor, only issue is, how is the best way of introducing them? Will the chickens try and put them in their place in the pecking order and hurt them? or will the recognize they arent chickens and leave them alone?

Any tips?

Thanks

 

[tcbfan5]

I would imagine that the chickens would leave the rabbits alone..we had chickens & rabbits together, & everyone pretty much kept to themselves, ((however, i think size of everyone may matter a little bit too))... if you're concerned, ya might put the rabbits in a cage, in with the chickens for a little bit, & see how the chickens react to the rabbits first...Good Luck!

 

[mboreham1]

thats what i think i will do, i build a hutch, turned out a little bigger than i imagined, i will put it inside the run, then have a ramp up to the hutch, no doubt my Mrs McBossy butts will have a good investigation of the new digs but hopefully they will head back home to roost in the evening. My main concern is pecking, i will wait until the rabbits are a little older before introducing.

My wife is in the process of introducing the Beagle to them....... might not even have to worry about introducing them to the chickens!

 

[DianeS]

My chickens and rabbits occasionally are together in the chicken run. The chickens peck the rabbits, and the rabbits jump on the chickens. Nobody's gotten hurt (so far), but I can see how it could get out of hand. I keep it to short periods of time so none of them lose their tempers. And I have lots of things in the run that the different animals can use to hide. I take the ramp down from the chicken coop, so only the chickens can get in it. And I put some boards in the run that are low enough only the rabbits can get under them. Everything has gone fine so far.

 

[mboreham1]

oh, i like that idea, low boards for rabbit only areas and areas for chickens only!

How long is short periods? and also, do the chickens draw blood?

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
What if they had a better tractor?

[not a John Deere fan]

 

[mboreham1]

LOL! What about a Caterpillar? I am not that confident in my construction!

 

[DianeS]

Quote:
Oh, maybe a half hour or so at a time. Mostly times when I'm outside doing work on something.

The chickens haven't drawn blood that I've seen - they seem to be fascinated mostly by the rabbits' ears and fur. It's rather funny, to watch a chicken and a rabbit facing off. The rabbit wants to hop forward, the chicken wants to investigate the rabbit's ears. They stare and stare, the rabbit inching forward and the chicken twisting its head from side to side. The chicken takes a peck just as the rabbit jumps forward, and one of them breaks off and runs away. And it happens over and over and over. Makes me laugh.

 

[lauren6]

check out this blog she has a rabbit hutch in her chicken run

http://www.hencam.com/henblog/

 

[alhanse77]

We have two grown rabbits and 4 chickens. They all free range in the back yard (along with the dogs and cat) and tend to stay out of each others way. My biggest problem is that the chickens get into the hutch and eat the bunny food.

I have also found the bunnies sleeping in the coop before.

As many others have said, do a trial run. They may have a harder time getting along in a smaller area.