# Tractored rabbits



## Mini-M Ranch (Dec 2, 2009)

Does anyone tractor their rabbits?  Dear husband and I are purchasing three Silver Fox rabbits (2 does and a buck) to start a meat herd for ourselves and some family and friends for fresh meat.

We tractor our chickens all spring, summer and fall, but now that the wintry weather has set in, we have them in an established coop and run.

We love tractoring the chickens and would like to tractor the rabbits.  Each rabbit would have his or her own tractor.  We were planning on about a  4' X 5' wire box with an enclosed box wooden attached for a "house" to get in out of the weather.  Everything I have read says that rabbits tolerate cold very well.  Will the enclosed wooden boxes be enough protection from the weather or will they need to be inside for the winter.  We are planning to go and get them as soon as we can get the tractors made, which won't take long as the construction will be pretty simple.  Also, is 4 x 5 enough "run" space for a large rabbit?


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## FarmerChick (Dec 3, 2009)

Mine was 4 x 8
I had 2 rabbits in it.
small doghouse with hay for shelter
I moved it 1 time per week just a little further down the fenceline of the backyard.  Worked good for me.

My rabbits lived about 13-14 years in that cage.  They were pets.
Gone now but the tractor did fine and yes mine did fine on the ground.

but I think rabbit people will tell you it is best to have them off the ground for meat raising???  I am not sure on this??

But yes ground cages do work if that is the way you want to go...just be sure they are fort knox....lol....but my cage was inside my fenced backyard also.


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## freemotion (Dec 3, 2009)

Scroll down for a picture:  http://polyfaceapprentice.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-02-26T16:41:00-08:00&max-results=7

I may try this next year.  Along with my 7,948,384 projects I want to do.


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## FarmerChick (Dec 3, 2009)

great pics and descriptions for butchering.

those rabbits looked fat and delish definitely!!


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## kenman (Dec 21, 2009)

freemotion said:
			
		

> Scroll down for a picture:  http://polyfaceapprentice.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-02-26T16:41:00-08:00&max-results=7
> 
> I may try this next year.  Along with my 7,948,384 projects I want to do.


Every once in a while, something comes along that makes me re-think how I do things. This post was one of those things.


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## freemotion (Dec 21, 2009)

You just made my day!  

You often never know how much impact a few kind words have..... so I will say a big thank you.  It's been a rough few weeks here, and a little uplifting sentence was very much appreciated.


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## miss_thenorth (Dec 22, 2009)

Yeah, thanks Free for finding tha blog.  I didn't read all of it, but wonder wht they do in the winter.  I have my bunns outside in the summer, but they need to come in in the winter.  I have always wanted to do them outside but didn't know how to best manage them.  I am torn between keepin gm y bunns elevated to collect their poo and do worms, or rotate them around the back yard essentially having them fertilize it.  right now they will stay as is, as the project list is not getting any shorter .


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## waynesgarden (Dec 22, 2009)

miss_thenorth said:
			
		

> .... but wonder wht they do in the winter.  .


Breeders live in cages. Some of the young get moved into the tractor for 6 weeks after weaning, according to the farm's website. 

No, I didn't take the 2 hour tour that Joel Salatin offers for $800 bucks, or $1000 if he conducts it himself.  

Wayne

{edited to see if there was a laughing uncontrollably smilie.}


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## Beekissed (Dec 23, 2009)

Salatin suspends his bunnies over the chickens in the hoop houses for winter.  The chooks eat the dropped bunny food.  He moves a pen of pigs across the hoop house to root up the bedding to prevent a cap from forming.

In the spring when the animals all move outside, he plants tomatoes in the hoop house.  

He has quite a system, huh?


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## kenman (Dec 23, 2009)

I decided to move my does into my coop area and do the same thing. My aunt and uncle did it that way for years. But I thought I had to be fancy. It's going to save to ton of time cleaning out drop pans and cease most of the double stacked cages. Simple. My wife likes simple, so life will be good!


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## Goatzilla (Dec 27, 2009)

I certainly can appreciate Salatin's farm practices. His method of raising rabbits is very efficient for his farm overall, but I don't believe that it is the most efficient way to raise rabbits. He gets the most out of them by managing them in relation to his other animals, but there is no way that he produces a more efficient or better final product over a well managed cage breeding setup.

I have raised and exhibited rabbits on and off for over 30 years so I have enough experience to speak on the subject of cage bred rabbits. I have also done a lot of reading about colony breeding, and have seen actual colony setups in practice. It seems that recently there is a lot of "buzz" amongst hobby farmers and others who are considering using a colony setup. Many of those considering it are new to rabbits, or have very little experience raising rabbits. I understand that it sounds like a more "natural" way to raise them, but of all the research that I have done on the subject, have never seen a convincing argument as to why the practice is "better" than cage rearing. I suppose that the individual's goal should be considered. Is the raiser more concerned about raising the best meat rabbit possible, paying close attention to feed conversion, animal health, specific breeding to produce the optimum genetically sound animal, or simply just "having" rabbits?

If rabbits are raised in a controled environment, specific, genetically superior rabbits can be bred to controlable time frames to maximize feed efficiency, and quality and numbers of offspring, while at the same time monitoring closely the animals health, feed intake, and water consumption. The rabbits are also raised off the ground, which prevents disease and parasites that rabbits on the ground are more prone to come in contact with. Caged rabbits stay dry and clean, with no possibility of injury from fighting. Multiple does can be bred at the same time to make fostering kits easier, should it be necessary. Does are also ensured of a dry, safe place to kindle, rather than a wet muddy hole.

Even in a very well designed colony setup, lots of bad things can happen. Heavy rain can flood burrows and drown litters. Random matings, and brother/sister matings can produce weak, less desirable offspring. It is nearly impossible to be certain that all animals are getting the required nutrition. A sick, or a rabbit that is "off feed" can go on for days, or even die before the raiser recognizes a problem. There are a lot more problems, and I could go on forever.

The constant digging and burrowing can be a problem too, and lead to escapes and lost animals. If the bottom of the enclosure is secured with wood or wire to prevent digging, then you no longer have a colony living "naturally", and instead what you have now is just a big cage. Where's the advantage of a big cage over smaller, individual ones?

I'm not against colony raising, or tractored rabbits, I just don't see the sense in it, or any real advantage over a well managed cage system. I think that anyone who attempts a colony method should first raise caged rabbits to gain some experience, and learn what makes rabbits "tick" before undertaking such a daunting task. It's JMHO that there is no way on earth that a colony raiser, given the same number and quality of rabbits for foundation stock, in the same period of time, could even come close to raising the same amount, or quality of meat that a cage breeder could.  Sure, it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling to see them frolicking around on the lawn, but it it really in the best interest of the rabbit or the breeder?


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