My Cool Colony Rabbit Colony (Picture Heavy)

[hoog]

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[PinkFox]

sounds good but id also suggest adding a dig bed...someplace they can actually dig down into the dirt to help keep cool too.
Something like your planned raised grass bed ontop th ethe welded wire floor and filled with dirt so they can actually dig. keep it moist by spraying it with the house a few times a day on hot days.

I love colony setups and this sounds great for a trio, but you MUST remember, in a situation where the buck si free to run with the girls you have no control over whos been bred when or when to expect babies, also some bucks can be agressive to litters and some does can be VERY agressive to a buck if it comes neer her nest...this is why i personally prefer to keep the buck seperate. in this situation a small arc or hutch inside the colony pen could work and then you can let him out for a week when you want babies and put him in his own space untill its breeding time again.

 

[SarahMelisse]

I like the tub idea for colony nest boxes. If you can, post some pictures!

Has anyone had any luck burying wire? Or would it just rust out and break too soon to make it worth while? I was just thinking if you buried wire or plastic fencing a few feet underground it would give the rabbits freedom to dig without the worry of escape.

 

[mama24]

That sounds awesome! I've been planning something like this myself, but haven't had the time to actually figure out how to do it! Please post pics! I may have to steal some of your ideas! I was planning on planting grass over top of a wire floor, but I had not even thought of an in-ground tub for digging or nesting. How ingenious!

 

[mama24]

btw, I have 2 NZ does and a CA buck that are about ready to breed that I keep in cages. But I got 2 baby bunnies last month that I have just been letting run free in the barn and yards. I'm not sure, but I think they are broken NZ's. They easily get out of the fence. I have chickens and goats, and at first, they stayed in the goat pen, since their space in the barn was with the goats (goats can't get in their space, but they can easily get out) Then they ventured further into the chicken area. Now the female rarely goes out of the fenced area, but the male is all over the place. He likes to hide under our shed. They are ADORABLE hopping around eating grass, but I worry b/c we have all sorts of predators around here. Stray cats, hawks, coyotes, racoons, possums, etc, etc. And neighbors with dogs, though they rarely come into our yard, and when they do, they don't chase our critters. They seem to just be watching them trying to figure out what they are.

 

[carolinasculpture]

Hi! I am very new to meat rabbits, we are just in the planning stages. I am interested in your set up since we are in SC and get pretty warm and humid here, too. Please keep us posted and add any pics as well. Thank you for all the advise!

 

[ClintDowns]

Looks like an awesome setup. I'll have to come and check it out when I get my coop. I hope the buck and the 3 does that you just picked up from me does well for you. If you need absolutely anything just let me know.

 

[PinkFox]

Looks AWESOME! Colony setup is what id like to do next spring when i get a little further into meat rabbit production, was going to colony my current buns but money and time played a part...
Veyr nice! i would probbaly sprinkle clover seed over the entire pen too, i know they have a grass box for nibbling, but the clover will help stop it from becomming muddy (or a giant dust bowl) and grows fast enough and recovers well that the buns shouldnt be able to kill it all in such a large pen. (and as you see the clover getting thin, just sprinkle more seed in and give it a misting with the hose pipe.

Veyr very nice!

 

[sawfish99]

I raised a colony of 5 in a 8' by 16' pen many years ago (in Alabama). 5 rabbits had that space down to bare dirt in very little time, and nothing grew back while they were there. I like your grass idea, however, I don't think it will take very many rabbits to decimate the remaining area.

Good luck.

 

[redtailgal]

This is pretty cool. I'm considering some rabbits in the future, just a small meat venture, but didnt want to have hutches everywhere. Thanks for sharing the pics!