rebelshope
Exploring the pasture
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I just assumed that they would be pets. I have not heard of serious breeders using this type of a system.waynesgarden said:
Do female rabbits EVER get along?!
- Thread starter big brown horse
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waynesgarden
Chillin' with the herd
Serious breeders wouldn't likely use a colony system (hard to maintain any kind of breeding schedule,) but it is becoming more popular for meat production for the homestead.
Wayne
Wayne
JoieDeViveRabbitry
Ridin' The Range
I recently read an article on a breeder who kept her rabbits in colonies in horse type stalls....
Hang on, lets see if I can find it.....
Ahh here we are:
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/articles/clny_valerie.html
Enjoy!
Hang on, lets see if I can find it.....
Ahh here we are:
http://www.rabbitgeek.com/articles/clny_valerie.html
Enjoy!
trestlecreek
Overrun with beasties
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That was a good read.
I enjoyed how the writer plainly explained the cons of this type of system.
I enjoyed how the writer plainly explained the cons of this type of system.
JoieDeViveRabbitry
Ridin' The Range
Yes, that is why I liked it too.
Run-A-Muck Ranch
Exploring the pasture
We used to have about 4 or 5 rabbits living in a 'colony' type setting. They were all females, we did put a buck in when we wanted babies. They had hutches to jump into and also areas that were set up for shelter. They all got along great. We did put wire down on the ground to prevent digging and tunneling. When it came time to have the babies....each doe took her own spot and had there babies in those areas. everyone got along fine.
We have since moved our rabbits and gotten more to where the 'colony' type setting wasn't do able anymore. We had different breeds and what not, and didn't want crossbreeding going on...Now each rabbit is in it's own pen with hutch and set up. When we want breeding we obviously put the bucks in with the does at that time.
We have since moved our rabbits and gotten more to where the 'colony' type setting wasn't do able anymore. We had different breeds and what not, and didn't want crossbreeding going on...Now each rabbit is in it's own pen with hutch and set up. When we want breeding we obviously put the bucks in with the does at that time.
JoieDeViveRabbitry
Ridin' The Range
Nice to hear a first hand account of a colony type arrangment!Run-A-Muck Ranch said:
Bunnylady
Herd Master
Greetings, all! Newbie here (well, new to this forum, but not to rabbits. 20 years+ with them!)
A friend of mine tried to keep rabbit in a colony type setting a few years ago. She had them in different sized pens, but about 20' x 50' was average. She was trying to raise Netherland Dwarfs, Mini Rex, and Holland Lops to sell for the pet trade. She lost adults and babies to floods, snakes, hawks, owls, foxes, bobcats, and dogs (her own included!) Her rabbits dug out, and dug into locations where she couldn't get at them. To add insult to injury, the few babies she did raise had had so little handling, they were a little too wild to be good pets. Not a very successful experiment for her!
But as to whether does can get along, my experience says, "it depends on the does." I have occasionally had as many as 4 or 5 unrelated, retired breeders that I have kept together in one large cage with no problems. I have also had does that had to have a cage to themselves until their dying day, they just wouldn't behave decently to a roommate. One of the latter kind was a great mom, and perfectly sweet to handle, but was pure poison with another doe. Go figure!
A friend of mine tried to keep rabbit in a colony type setting a few years ago. She had them in different sized pens, but about 20' x 50' was average. She was trying to raise Netherland Dwarfs, Mini Rex, and Holland Lops to sell for the pet trade. She lost adults and babies to floods, snakes, hawks, owls, foxes, bobcats, and dogs (her own included!) Her rabbits dug out, and dug into locations where she couldn't get at them. To add insult to injury, the few babies she did raise had had so little handling, they were a little too wild to be good pets. Not a very successful experiment for her!
But as to whether does can get along, my experience says, "it depends on the does." I have occasionally had as many as 4 or 5 unrelated, retired breeders that I have kept together in one large cage with no problems. I have also had does that had to have a cage to themselves until their dying day, they just wouldn't behave decently to a roommate. One of the latter kind was a great mom, and perfectly sweet to handle, but was pure poison with another doe. Go figure!
In commercial setting, males and females are housed together, but the males are neutered, not the females. To house the rabbits, you don't need acres of land. I think 1m2 per rabbit is more than enough for rabbits meant for slaughter. But as for breeders, they are normally housed individually so that they can stay with their litter for some time.
