# Setting up my first rabbitry. Hi! Couple questions.



## Tre3hugger (Feb 2, 2021)

Hi everyone. I am in the process of setting up a small meat rabbit system and figured I would introduce myself. I'm Bryan. My partner and I have a 5 acre homestead in western Massachusetts. I currently keep chickens for eggs and meat, guinea fowl for tick control, and will be starting with rabbits and quail this spring. 
   My goals for rabbits are reliable meat and fertilizer for the garden. I would like to have a buck and 1 or 2 does that I alternately or concurrently breed giving me a harvest of 1 litter (about 6) rabbits to harvest per month. The cages ( https://www.kwcages.com/cages/modular-wire-cages/72-x-30-x-18-2x-modular-wire-rabbit-cage.html for the buck/grow out,  https://www.kwcages.com/cages/modular-wire-cages/96-x-30-x-18-2x-babysaver-modular-rabbit-cage.html for the does) will be mounted to the walls of the chicken barn. Plastic roofing panels at a slant underneath the cages will direct droppings to a collection bin in the corner. This is the water system. https://www.kwcages.com/accessories...r-kits/nivek-trade-starter-kit-5-hutches.html These are the feeders: https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ware-manufacturing-sifter-feeder-with-lid-5-in

Questions: 
1. I was thinking that some mix of NZW and Californians would be ideal for this set up. Do you agree? If you could choose any trio for meat production WHAT WOULD IT BE?? Which male, which females? This is what I am most hung up on. I am thinking maybe a NZW buck and a doe of each? This way I have a line of pure NZ, but the slightly smaller bones and hybrig vigor in the mixed line? Adjust accordingly? Am I close? Way off? Help!?
2.Anyone else keep chickens and rabbits in the same building, but separated? Any foreseeable problems?
3.Anything I'm not thinking of?

I have the smaller of the cages assembled and hung. Second cage is here but not yet hung. I am planning to get the rabbits around March 1st. Trying to do my due diligence, and set myself up for success. Thanks so much in advance for any info you can share. I have enjoyed participating in backyardchickens forum, and am looking forward to being an active part of this forum as well.


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## Alaskan (Feb 3, 2021)

Tre3hugger said:


> f you could choose any trio for meat production WHAT WOULD IT BE?


Sounds great and well thought out.

Personally I would pick a trio that were super healthy, and genetically had easy breeding ( moms had great success with breeding without any interference).

But......   then I have never raised rabbits... 

Kids and I have butchered spent rabbits from a breeder,  and wild rabbits.... and sure the domestic ones are way bigger and meatier than wild....

But rabbits are just so dang easy to butcher...  and so tasty.. . Eh... all good.

So.... super healthy, and excellent mothering instincts would be vastly more important to me than exact breed or size at maturity. 

Because I have read some of the issues and heartache that happens when things don't go right with rabbits.....


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## Alasgun (Feb 4, 2021)

@Tre3hugger, it appears we are on a similar path. When we we’re on the ranch, many years ago; in the Dakota’s, we kept rabbits and chickens in the same building. Rabbits in hung cages and chickens where ever they cared to roam. It worked fine!

it looks like you’ve done some reading which is a good thing. Being a reader as well, i located a guy who’s site is called “rise and shine rabbitry” and find him to be a reliable, knowledgable sort.

like you, my goal is to have a good manure source for the garden and, of course the meat!

i’ll follow along and watch your progress!


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## promiseacres (Feb 4, 2021)

Make sure you have cages and plan on replacing does yearly. If they are bred that often. I haven't researched commercial set ups but am guessing does won't last much beyond that if they are having 6 litters a year. Not sure how many cages you're planning but plan on cages for those replacement does. Bucks I would guess would last 2,3 years. New Zealand and California are mature around 8-10 months. 
With the chickens I would just try to keep them from roosting on or above the rabbits.


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 4, 2021)

Thank you for the replies! I will continue to update this thread as I progress. Any more advice on breeds or breeding schedules that people use successfully? Thanks again!


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## SA Farm (Feb 4, 2021)

I agree with the above. Parenting ability and health are the most important. If you’re getting young rabbits, be aware that some can get aggressive when they reach maturity. I always culled those. Not worth dealing with imo. I always liked keeping an extra doe around to give me options. 

If your breeding schedule isn’t too intense does should last 2-3 years. Breed, 4 weeks later kindling, 4 weeks later breed, 2 weeks later wean kits, then 2 weeks later should be your next litter so the doe gets a 2 week pregnant without nursing break. It’s not much, but it’s easier on the doe than strictly back-to-back breedings and easier on the kits than weaning at 4 weeks.
That way, too, if you have a runt kit, you can leave with mom for another week or so to help it out. (Usually only necessary with larger litters. The most I’ve had/heard of is 16 kits in one litter.)

Most grow outs from NZ and/or Cali should be about 5lbs by 8 weeks. Wait much longer than that to butcher and you’ll be putting a lot of extra feed in for only an extra lb or so.

Keep in mind your weather when it comes to breeding as well. If you have a climate-controlled barn, you’re good, but otherwise, you won’t want to have litters during the hottest/coldest parts of the year (depending on what those temps look like where you are.) I always gave my rabbits a few months completely off in the winter and summer with my setup.


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 4, 2021)

@SA Farm Thanks so much for the reply! That is just the schedule I was planning to follow, but at first I will probably alternate does. Call them A and B. So breed A. 4 weeks later A kindles litter 1, breed B. 4 weeks later ween A,  B kindles harvest 2. 2 weeks later Breed A, harvest litter 1. 2 weeks later, wean B. 2 weeks later harvest litter 2, A kindles, breed B. 

This will give does a 4 week break in between litters, hopefully elongating their effectiveness a bit. If I find this is not enough meat I can intensify the breeding but I think this will be a manageable way for me to get used to the rabbit game and breeding rotations etc. Seem reasonable/doable? Thank you again for the input!


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## Kusanar (Feb 4, 2021)

Tre3hugger said:


> @SA Farm Thanks so much for the reply! That is just the schedule I was planning to follow, but at first I will probably alternate does. Call them A and B. So breed A. 4 weeks later A kindles litter 1, breed B. 4 weeks later ween A,  B kindles harvest 2. 2 weeks later Breed A, harvest litter 1. 2 weeks later, wean B. 2 weeks later harvest litter 2, A kindles, breed B.
> 
> This will give does a 4 week break in between litters, hopefully elongating their effectiveness a bit. If I find this is not enough meat I can intensify the breeding but I think this will be a manageable way for me to get used to the rabbit game and breeding rotations etc. Seem reasonable/doable? Thank you again for the input!


They were recommending leaving the kits on 6 weeks.

If you follow the pattern below you will have new kits born every 3 weeks with 6 weeks on and the does getting 2 weeks pregnant without nursing as advised above.
Week 1: Breed Doe A
Week 4: Doe A kindles
Week 5: Breed Doe B
Week 8: Breed Doe A - Doe B kindles
Week 10: wean Doe A
Week 12: Doe A kindles - Breed Doe B
Week 14: Wean Doe B
Week 16: Breed Doe A - Doe B kindles

And keep repeating that pattern.

Edit to add, if you follow this pattern, if all goes correctly, you can have up to 4 does with 1 growout pen that is large enough to hold an entire litter of 6-8 week old kits as long as you harvest at 8 weeks at all times because as soon as you harvest 1 batch, the next goes in the pen.


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## Baymule (Feb 4, 2021)

Many years ago, when I was in my 20’s and the dinosaurs roamed the earth, I raised Satin rabbits for show and meat. I usually had over 300 in various stages. I also had a chicken coop attached to make things easier on me. They scratched through the droppings, eating fly larvae and dropped feed, The chickens kept it turned and there was never a smell. When needed for the garden, I just dug it out and wheelbarrowed it to the garden. MUCH easier than cleaning trays, collection, etc. 

I bred 10 does at a time. This gave me a margin of error. This covered missed breeding-non pregnancy. It also gave me other does to foster kits to, if a doe had too many or rejected her kits. They WILL lose litters, reject kits, everything that can go wrong will smack you up the side of your head. Just know this and don’t be blindsided, get heartbroken and give up. The success and the joys far outweigh the failures.

My advice is to get 6 does and 2 bucks, breed 3 at a time, on the same day. If one skips, you still have 2 to have babies. Or if one rejects her litter, you have 2 other does to foster to. Let them kindle, raise and wean their kits at 6 weeks, give them a week before breeding back. Intensive breed back schedules wear the poor does out and really isn’t fair to them. You can breed the 3 does, wait a couple of weeks and breed the other 3. Or breed all 6 on the same day, to kindle all at the same time, giving you more options for spreading the kits around if necessary. Of course, the does may have other ideas and utterly refuse to accept the buck. Welcome to the world of animal husbandry!

By keeping chickens in the rabbitry, the rabbits will get ear mites from the chickens. Their ears will get all crudded up with crusty gunk that freaks you out. It itches, they will scratch at it with their hind feet, leaving bloody scratches. Gross. This is easily avoided by putting a eye dropper full of mineral oil in each ear on a monthly schedule.

Put a slick top table, comfortable at your standing height, in the rabbity. You will need to examine, groom and otherwise handle your rabbits. Place them on a scrap of carpet so they can get their feet under them and feel secure. This will help you tremendously and be an asset.

This ought to be enough for you to chew on for now. LOL


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## Baymule (Feb 4, 2021)

You have gotten all kinds of good advice. Take what you want, use it to apply to your wants. None of us will get our feelings hurt if you don’t follow exactly what we have said. Different points of view, experiences, and advice gives you a broader idea to pick and choose what works best for YOU.


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 4, 2021)

@Kusanar hey BYC buddy! Thanks so much for that breeding schedule. That is pretty much exactly what I was looking for! I will certain use it as a jumping off point, and will likely follow it exactly at first until I get into my groove and decide if it is producing enough/too much rabbits etc.


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 4, 2021)

@Baymule thanks so much for sharing your experience and input. It made me both chuckle and think. One thing though. I am pretty sure that mites and lice are species specific. Finding conflicting info about it online though so. However the mineral oil trick is a gem for preventative maintenance thank you! I wish I had the space and caging to go in at with 6 does but that just isn't the case right now. I am going to really focus on getting good stock and take the hiccups in stride. I am new to rabbits, but not animal husbandry. I keep chickens and guineas and dogs and am in school to be a vet assistant.


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## Hideaway Pines (Feb 10, 2021)

I see you have gotten some great input already so will only add a few things. I have been raising my rabbits for 4 years and chickens for 6. I have mine in the same building but mostly seperate...one silky chicken gets the run of the rabbit side. I have had not issues - but if you do not separate them, the note on keeping the chicks from getting on the cages is very important. 

I personally found that using large dog cages work for the mom and all her babies. gives everyone more room and allows for a wooden crate for a nest box without crowding mom. I would suggest you not use that feeder you chose, it is *not *a good one... we tossed all ours like that and switched to this one Pet Lodge Solid Bottom Rabbit Feeder - AF5ML | Blain's Farm & Fleet (farmandfleet.com)  They are much better and come in single and double sizes. I personally have two bucks and 4 does, this works great for a good rotation between them. And keep in mind there are times when things do not go as planned... so having back ups is a good idea. I always breed two at at time, so if one mom has issues, the other mom can pick up where she left off. I personally do not breed in the hottest part of summer for several reasons, but breed several times in the early and late part of the year... taking part of June and all of July and Aug off entirely. Depending on the number of people you plan to feed, this produces enough meat to consume and I have also sold some on the side to help cover cost of feed. 

I do the back to eden style gardening, and the rabbit droppings are gold for this process. I know you will find it to be a great option for you.


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## Hideaway Pines (Feb 10, 2021)

I forgot to mention I have cal/NZ mix and one Tamuk. The Tamuk breed is fairly new and bred to handle the Texas climate. I have gone through a rotation of rabbits over the years as some are not good moms, or not good rabbits in general, so finding a good source for local rabbits is key, not only for stock but for help/info. Every climate and area has it's own issues... what we deal with in Texas is not the same in Massachusetts.


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 10, 2021)

@Hideaway Pines Thank you for the well thought out response. I will keep that in mind about the feeders.


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## Rin (Feb 20, 2021)

I've raised rabbits primarily for meat for the last 10\12 years. I started out with NZW, tried Standard Rex for a few years, and for the last 2 years I have been keeping English Angora.

First off, you can have real confidence in the KW cages, I got my first cages from them I wanna say back in 2014 when my old cages started rusting through. With them, I got several of their 3-hole (96 x 24 x 18) modular cages and hung it with chain over my chicken run frame. I kept New Zealand Whites in there no problem and the baby saver saved many babies over the years both from inexperienced moms and from a snake attack on one occasion so those are some good choices. HOWEVER. I do not recommend their watering system at all. I paid extra for the autofill and it always overflowed and flooded my chicken run. This was likely caused by a pressure issue because their nipples were also VERY leaky. Edstrom nipple drinkers all day every day. If I have a leak or clog with them it is because of debris and they fully disassemble for cleaning (another great website for cheap bunny supplies too has them: https://www.bunnyrabbit.com/price/edstrom.htm) I've seen those tractor supply feeders and they are super flimsy. The screen looks like it'll rust out in a year. The kind KW sell have lasted me though as have the ones Bass sells (https://www.bassequipment.com/SCResult/Feeders-226)

Now as for your questions:

1) It really depends on what you want to eat. I prefer roasters, which the Rex did a billion times better than the NZW (with less feed). I got high-quality pelts out of it too. If you want fryers though - almost any mix or breed will work. Seriously. Full-on "Meat mutts" are almost indistinguishable from NZW for personal use and your breeders will consume far less feed. Just stay away from "mini" breeds (smaller litters, throw peanuts. Eg: mini rex, Lionhead, holland lops) and "giant" breeds and you should have a decent meal for the feed.

NZW is really only if you are trying to factory farm rabbits because of how "uniform" they are. Always white, always a specific size for packaging. It gets really boring for a homestead though. Like only having white leghorns forever and always.

2) As previously stated, chickens will try to roost on your cages if they can get to um, will steal rabbit feed out of your j feeders. I'm not sure if this has been touched on but be very careful of air quality. Chicken manure is god awful and rabbits are highly affected by strong smells. They don't really share parasites otherwise (rabbits mainly get fleas or ear mites).

3) You will for sure want to breed your does 2 (or more) at a time. Especially with maiden does. Even with skilled does, sometimes a litter just flops and they have a singleton while your other doe just had 6... you can just sneak the singleton in with the 6. Otherwise, the loner would for sure die. This also opens up the mom that had it to be bred right away (does are most receptive/fertile immediately after birth). Alternatively, sometimes you just get a grossly large litter and there's no way the mom can feed them all so you need to spread it out. I once fostered a single litter out across 4 different moms because the birth mother had a huge loss in condition after randomly having 12... way more than her usual, in the middle of FL summer. She was fine though, just needed a break.   On that note, rabbits do best in colder weather vs hotter. Make sure whatever stock you get comes as locally as possible from someone succeeding WITHOUT A/C. My English angoras come from Florida stock so will breed all summer long, clipped or not. No matter how hot it gets, my bucks have never gone sterile.


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 21, 2021)

@Rin Thank you so much for sharing your valuable experience. What you said about meat mutts and starting stock really assuages the stress i've been feeling about selecting starter rabbits. For my purposes, I don't think breed will matter all that much. 
Also, good tips about breeding two at a time. Seems to be the general consensus. Maybe I will get 3 does instead of 2. If I had 3 does and 1 buck, what breeding schedule would you use? 
Thanks again!


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## Rin (Feb 21, 2021)

I'd breed all three at the same time still personally. I keep babies with mom until 6-8 weeks (depending on how crowded the cage looks). I also introduce the mom back to the buck the same day I move the babies out. This leaves her cage vacant for a bit so I can do a heavy-duty cleaning of her cage (I like to use diluted Nolvasan S for disinfecting cages), this prevents any kit diseases and parasites from cropping up. You can alternatively breed her once her kits are 4 weeks for a more intensive breeding plan.

You'll have plenty to cull when the time comes regardless of your preferred schedule. Honestly, I find the schedules to be sort of case by case. I'd speak to your stock source on what works for them since the specific breeding lines can affect this too. Some does will also breed best if it's done back to back. I had one girl who was a nightmare to breed unless it was done the same day as kindling. She never had an issue with this and was frequently a foster mom because of it. If you missed her right after kindling, she went right back to being almost impossible to breed. I used her kindling schedule to set the schedule for the rest of my herd.  Others will absolutely lose condition if not given breaks though. 

It's also about how frequent and how many you want to cull. A *good* doe will give you 6-8 buns that will make it to cull size. With 3 rabbits, this should in theory pack your freezer with at least 18 every 2.5 months(once you get it going). A rabbit meal almost every 4-5 days. It adds up.


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## HornyToadAcres (Feb 24, 2021)

Tre3hugger said:


> @SA Farm Thanks so much for the reply! That is just the schedule I was planning to follow, but at first I will probably alternate does. Call them A and B. So breed A. 4 weeks later A kindles litter 1, breed B. 4 weeks later ween A,  B kindles harvest 2. 2 weeks later Breed A, harvest litter 1. 2 weeks later, wean B. 2 weeks later harvest litter 2, A kindles, breed B.
> 
> This will give does a 4 week break in between litters, hopefully elongating their effectiveness a bit. If I find this is not enough meat I can intensify the breeding but I think this will be a manageable way for me to get used to the rabbit game and breeding rotations etc. Seem reasonable/doable? Thank you again for the input!


I am just now reading through this thread. I am a new rabbit breeder, my first litter is 4 weeks old.

I am in west Texas where heat is the main issue (though last week we were frozen) so I chose a composite breed called TAMUKs that were bred in Texas for the heat so have large upright ears and short fur. Also good moms, quick maturity, good bone to meat ratio and, for fun, lots of different colors. But probably not your best choice!

I wanted to make a comment on breeding schedules - just something to consider. I have had several mentors suggest breeding at least two does at the same time so that you have an option if something goes wrong with a litter as kits can be put with another doe.


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## HornyToadAcres (Feb 24, 2021)

SO MUCH helpful information in this thread, thank you all!

Rin talked about chicken smell - over the Great Freeze of 2021 I put my small flock in my rabbit trailer as they don't have a proper coop and hardly ever need one. Worked well, lost not a one but THE SMELL. lol Thankfully trailer is not airtight and I only had to have the chickens in there for 4 days.

Because I was blessed with a free pair of TAMUKs (we had a very hard 2020) just before Christmas, I ended up just buying a few Dumor cages at TSC (my poor TSC card) and I wanted to report that overall they have worked very well for the price. They don't have kit guards (I used coastal hay liberally to get through first litter) and the latches are not secure so I put lead clips that hubby had on them. I am mentioning for other newbies who get ahead of themselves as they are readily available in many areas. I also used my dog crates (someone mentioned those, can't find it now) and I will be using a large metal one for my growout for now.

thanks for all the feeder suggestions - I am still using scrounged pyrex bowls


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 26, 2021)

Finally got my cages hung and squared away. They have actually been hung, but the chickens have been finding new and creative ways to access the top! Oh well, this is why I set them up early. Getting the kinks out. I had to better block off the loft and fill in all the spaces with feed bags. Also used feed bags along the wall as a urine guard. Next step, get a couple plastic roofing panels to direct waste away from chickens heads toward a collection bin. Will post pics in a bit, internet is draggin!


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 26, 2021)




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## HornyToadAcres (Feb 26, 2021)

I can imagine it takes some ingenuity to keep chickens off the top. 
It's just calling to them....Come and Roost...


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## Niele da Kine (Feb 26, 2021)

If you have purebred stock, you can sell off rabbits as breeding stock.  Folks will pay more for purebred than meat mutts, usually.  

I keep pedigreed English angoras for their wool but sell rabbits as well.  A pedigreed rabbit is easy, you just keep track of their relatives and have it all written down.  You don't have to send in anything anywhere or pay anything to get them pedigreed, although if you want them registered then I think they have to be pedigreed and inspected by an ARBA rabbit judge.

In any case, keeping records is a good thing and the program that I've found to be the most useful is Kintracks.  It's supposed to be a pedigree program, but it keeps track of just about anything that you want to track.  It's also really handy to keep track of who was bred to whom and when they're due.  Kintracks is a free download and you can load in the first several hundred animals without needing to pay for the full access key.  But, even when you do need to pay for the program, it's only $20 Australian which is less in U.S. dollars.

If you can get a 'proven' doe to start with, that may be good.  Breed them within their first year so they will conceive easier.  It might be nice to get four does and two bucks so you'll be able to keep them from being totally inbred.


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## HornyToadAcres (Feb 27, 2021)

Niele da Kine said:


> If you have purebred stock, you can sell off rabbits as breeding stock.  Folks will pay more for purebred than meat mutts, usually.
> 
> I keep pedigreed English angoras for their wool but sell rabbits as well.  A pedigreed rabbit is easy, you just keep track of their relatives and have it all written down.  You don't have to send in anything anywhere or pay anything to get them pedigreed, although if you want them registered then I think they have to be pedigreed and inspected by an ARBA rabbit judge.
> 
> ...


Do you spin the wool yourself or sell it?


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 27, 2021)

Niele da Kine said:


> If you have purebred stock, you can sell off rabbits as breeding stock.  Folks will pay more for purebred than meat mutts, usually.
> 
> I keep pedigreed English angoras for their wool but sell rabbits as well.  A pedigreed rabbit is easy, you just keep track of their relatives and have it all written down.  You don't have to send in anything anywhere or pay anything to get them pedigreed, although if you want them registered then I think they have to be pedigreed and inspected by an ARBA rabbit judge.
> 
> ...


Appreciate the input! I will definitely try to get unrelated breeders. Maybe at least one pair of purebreds. I was discussing this with my partner last night. Seems like rabbits are gaining in popularity near me and there is no regulations for selling them live. Why not breed some to sell?


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## Grizzlyhackle (Feb 27, 2021)

@Tre3hugger .  Ticks and mosquitos also bother rabbits. Watch around their ears for ticks. I don't know if they can get lyme disease but it's sure rough on dogs. For skeeter's Product called Spartan Mosquito eradicator thins them out pretty good. It's a hanging trap not a spray. I noticed it was better outside. Works about 90 days.  Having chickens ( I don't like chickens) you know you'll have flies. Try to keep everything dry as possible and have pulverized lime on hand for the aroma. Wet rabbit droppings are bad enough add in chickens it can get real bad. Others have said it keep them off your rabbit cages. I'd make real sure that none of them can reach a rabbit thru the cage.  Other than eating them I have nothing good to say about chickens. 
I saw you mentioned quail, what type are you planning on?


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Feb 27, 2021)

Tre3hugger said:


> Appreciate the input! I will definitely try to get unrelated breeders. Maybe at least one pair of purebreds. I was discussing this with my partner last night. Seems like rabbits are gaining in popularity near me and there is no regulations for selling them live. Why not breed some to sell?


Double check your state laws regarding selling rabbits, many states have a law prohibiting sales prior to 8 weeks old. This helps prevent issues as at 8 weeks a rabbit should be fully weaned to pellets/hay. Rabbits younger than that are typically still transitioning from milk to full time pellets/hay and are more delicate and possible to get sick/die.


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 27, 2021)

Grizzlyhackle said:


> @Tre3hugger .  Ticks and mosquitos also bother rabbits. Watch around their ears for ticks. I don't know if they can get lyme disease but it's sure rough on dogs. For skeeter's Product called Spartan Mosquito eradicator thins them out pretty good. It's a hanging trap not a spray. I noticed it was better outside. Works about 90 days.  Having chickens ( I don't like chickens) you know you'll have flies. Try to keep everything dry as possible and have pulverized lime on hand for the aroma. Wet rabbit droppings are bad enough add in chickens it can get real bad. Others have said it keep them off your rabbit cages. I'd make real sure that none of them can reach a rabbit thru the cage.  Other than eating them I have nothing good to say about chickens.
> I saw you mentioned quail, what type are you planning on?


Thank you for your input! I'm not sure how they would get ticks suspended in a shed? Same about the mosquitoes But I will keep it in mind. I plan to hang some fly tape so may as well hang the mosquito stuff too.
In my neck of the woods, I will have flies in the spring/summer chickens or not! I do use pdz in the chicken coop and have adequate venting to promote dryness and respiratory health. I am adding power to the shed this spring so I can provide a ventilation fan in the hottest months.
 The rabbit waste will be directed to a double tote system, separating urine and feces.The urine for the compost pile, the solids for direct garden application and extra for composting. Chicken and rabbit waste won't be mixing.
Not sure what your beef with chickens is lol, but to each their own. I agree they're delicious, especially my pasture raised Cornish X!
I am getting 25 coturnix quail, 23 female 2 male, from myshire farms genetics. My friend is hatching the eggs and raising them until they are sexable and off heat. I have quite the demand for pickled quail eggs by the case! They will be living in a lean to style aviary connected to the chicken.rabbit barn, but not sharing a yard.
Thanks again for sharing your insight!


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## Tre3hugger (Feb 27, 2021)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> Double check your state laws regarding selling rabbits, many states have a law prohibiting sales prior to 8 weeks old. This helps prevent issues as at 8 weeks a rabbit should be fully weaned to pellets/hay. Rabbits younger than that are typically still transitioning from milk to full time pellets/hay and are more delicate and possible to get sick/die.


Just double checked. I am all clear in my state, although I would likely only sell weaned rabbits anyway. Thanks for the heads up!








						Rabbit sale laws in the US
					






					wabbitwiki.com


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## Grizzlyhackle (Feb 28, 2021)

Tre3hugger said:


> Thank you for your input! I'm not sure how they would get ticks suspended in a shed? Same about the mosquitoes But I will keep it in mind. I plan to hang some fly tape so may as well hang the mosquito stuff too.
> In my neck of the woods, I will have flies in the spring/summer chickens or not!


Ticks are notorious hitchhikers. You brush against something in the yard, they jump on and travel with you. I find them in the house in summer.
I mentioned the mosquitos because it's pitiful seeing them constantly flicking their ears. Also I used to raise Bobwhites and there was talk of quail pox being spread by mosquitoes. I sold out 25 years ago. Nosey neighbors.
Chickens are cannibals. I saw 2 in the road fighting over the windpipe of one that got struck. I know commercial farms are way different than keeping a home flock. Perdue farms is headquartered in my hometown. Between the smell at the processing plant, the chicken houses, the manure spread on the fields. Neighbor lady when I was growing up would get a pickup load straight out of the chicken house from her brother in law. Still wet sometimes dead bodies in it. Pile it, not add anything to it then complain when it "burned up her garden". The mice, rats, snakes. The live haul trucks on the road. Get stuck behind one of them on a hot day.
Yeah I've had enough of chickens. Unless someone has a pot of dumplings 😅


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## Baymule (Feb 28, 2021)

Come see us @Grizzlyhackle ee just got 50 Cornish cross chicks to raise. I call ‘em dirty birdies. LOL


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## Grizzlyhackle (Mar 1, 2021)

Baymule said:


> Come see us @Grizzlyhackle ee just got 50 Cornish cross chicks to raise. I call ‘em dirty birdies. LOL


I'll bring the biscuits


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## Baymule (Mar 1, 2021)

I put them in a chicken tractor at 2 weeks and move them daily. It fertilizes the poor sand soil in a pasture. This whole place is white sand, I use everything I can to increase fertility.


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## Tre3hugger (Mar 1, 2021)

My first 25 CX of the year shipped today! @Baymule I also use a tractor for them right out of the brooder. YUM


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## Grizzlyhackle (Mar 1, 2021)

Better than cleaning out a coop anyday.
How long will you keep them in there?


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## Tre3hugger (Mar 1, 2021)

Probably from the age of 3 weeksish when they leave the brooder until 7weeksish on slaughter day. I enclose the tractor within an electric fence.


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