Fermented grains and my rabbits.

[Kassaundra]

I didn't want to post this until I had been doing it for a week or more to make sure no ill effects were noted. I have had chickens way longer then rabbits and always have given them fermented grains, but never had given the grains to the rabbits. Well two weeks ago I had to put my naked chicken in w/ the rabbits since he is a boy and the main roo just figured it out and tried to kill him. Every time I would feed Rudy, the rabbit's would try and nose him out and eat his grains, so I finally gave up and started giving them fermented grains right along w/ Rudy. They love the grains, and I have seen absolutely no digestive issues w/ the ferment and w/ the sudden introduction into the diet.

 

[David]

what about long term issues that may come up since they arent ruminates and wouldent naturaly eat fermented foods ?

 

[Kassaundra]

These are grow outs so I am only concerned about 16 weeks.

 

[nmred]

Kasssaundra, how about an update? Are you still feeding the fermented grain? And, if so, how are they doing? I, too, have fermented my feed for the chickens but never thought of feeding it to the rabbits. Curious as to the results. What kind of grains are you fermenting? Have you noticed a difference in growth rate and/or health?

 

[Kassaundra]

Yes, still doing it, it is going great, the grow outs are fat and happy, the Two adults eat their fill, she is still popping out litters, preggers w/ her 4th since June, she always has 10+ I have butchered 12 total insides look healthy. The first batch of 6 that I processed had a weight of 19lbs (all processed just meat and bones.) The second batch is still brining tonight so haven't weighted yet. I've been weaning at 21 days (to give her a chance w/o kits before she births her next batch) and the little ones jump right into the fermented gains w/ the rest and no digestive trouble, no lost kits to eating issues. They also get the sprouted grains.

In the ferment is cracked corn, barley, wheat, oats, in the sprouted all those w/o the corn, plus adding a deer forage seed mix and boss

 

[nmred]

Thanks, Kassaundra! I think we'll be trying this, too. Kind of excited about it.... About how much do you feed of the fermented and sprouted grains per rabbit? What else do you feed your rabbits? Do you do any pellets at all? Hay?

 

[Kassaundra]

Yes small amount of pellets, not much, they get dried grass and leaves, at least one 5 gall bucket full a day, if we run out of that they will get hay. They get 2.5 cups of sprouts (measured before sprouting) per day and, not sure on the fermented grains we scoop it out w/ a pan scoop and they get 2 of those scoops a day. We free feed since they are growouts and a female that is usually almost always preggers or nursing.

 

[nmred]

Sorry to take so long getting back to this, but thank you for the info. We aren't fermenting right now (to cold for it to do well) but will start up again in the spring and will definitely be trying some with the rabbits! Cool stuff!

 

[Kassaundra]

Still going strong, they are still eating the fermented grains, no issues healthwise, no kits have even been sick, no food related problems, no health problems, everyone is fertile as can be, all organs look healthy and great on butcher.

 

[Kassaundra]

@Beekissed I looked for the thread about the "rabbitat" we built for our colony set up but couldn't find it, here is the FB album pictures link, you can use it even if you don't have FB https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...029.1073741850.1618822299&type=1&l=a5b80a966a

Parts of the set up have worked wonderfully others need some tweeking. The fridges work awesome in the heat, a frozen bottle of water lasts all day and they don't even pant. The planting spaces were a dismal failure. Will concentrate on planting foods for them outside the colony.