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Winter care for rabbits - part 1: How to provide fresh water in freezing weather

10/30/2013

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Today’s post is the first in my series on livestock care tips.  Check out my previous post here, for more details on the series itself.

Q. How do you keep the water from freezing in cold weather?

A.  The short answer is, you don’t.  To my knowledge, there is no safe way to prevent either a bottle or a crock of water from freezing, short of keeping your rabbits in a heated building.  In most climates of the United States however, heating the rabbitry is unnecessary.  You certainly want to protect your rabbits from extreme elements and from drafts, but with a few provisions, healthy rabbits are able to tolerate winter weather quite well.  This does not, however, mean that you don’t have to provide your rabbits with fresh water.  They still require access to drinkable water, at all times.  So the real question is, how can you do that in sub-freezing weather?

Some larger scale rabbitries have an auto-watering system such as this one which, with a little creativity, could be fitted with a water heater to help ensure the system does not freeze in the winter.  If you have a smaller operation however, or are like me and continuously trying to keep cost as low as possible, you may need a different solution.

So here at Wildflower Valley Farm, we go low-tech and use ceramic crocks (why I don’t use bottles is another post for another day), similar in size and shape to this one.  I sometimes pick them up at thrift stores and yard sales, but fortunately my local Dollar Tree has them in stock relatively frequently.  When I see them, I buy two or three just to keep a few spares.  In the winter, I like to have two crocks for each rabbit (more for does with kits).  Each morning and evening, I provide each rabbit with a fresh crock of water.  When the temperatures drop near or below freezing, I fill them with hot tap water.  Believe it or not, my rabbits enjoy the hot water much like you or I might enjoy a cup of hot tea or coffee.  This encourages them to drink, even in cold weather, and helps prevent dehydration.

My reason for keeping at least two crocks per rabbit, is in case the water freezes solid in them overnight (it rarely stays cold enough here during the day for them to freeze solid before evening).  Should that happen, I have a spare for each rabbit so that I can give each one a fresh crock of warm water, and the frozen crocks can be taken inside to thaw.  Another alternative to carrying them inside, is that I can place the frozen crock in a bucket of warm water (don’t use hot water or the crock will break due to the sudden temperature change).  After only a minute or two, the chunk of ice will float to the top of the bucket, and the crock will be ice free and ready for use again.

So there you have it - my solution for ensuring my rabbits always have access to drinkable water, even in sub-freezing temperatures.  It has worked beautifully for me for several years, but I am always open to new ideas, so if you have a different method I would love to hear from you!


This post is part of a Q & A series on livestock care tips.  Click here for more posts in this series.
Disclaimer:
None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 
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Looking for answers?  Send me your questions!

10/29/2013

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This week I plan to begin a blog series offering tips on caring for the various types of livestock that we keep.  While I do not claim to be an expert, all information provided will come from my own experience in raising these beautiful creatures.
 
Most of the posts in this series will be written in a Q & A format, mainly to encourage you to ask questions!  If there is a specific question you have about caring for rabbits, chickens, goats (and maybe even a few on horses, dogs, or barn cats), submit them through the Contact Us page (be sure to check the box that says “I have a question I would like to see answered on your blog”).
 
While I cannot guarantee that every question will be answered, every question will be acknowledged and, if I am unable to answer your question, I will let you know that as well.
 
Most questions will be answered in the order in which they are received.  The primary exception to that would be, if I should get the same question from a dozen people, I may address that question first due to popularity.  But rest assured, all questions will be addressed in as timely a manner as possible, so feel free to begin submitting questions immediately!

Disclaimer:
None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site.
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How do you tell an older dog that he's getting old?

10/27/2013

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We adopted Jack from our county animal shelter in 2007.  The vet guessed that he was likely 2 years old at the time, which means he is now 8-ish years old.  Not ancient for a husky, but no longer a young pup either.

Jack is happy, healthy, and LOVES being outside.  No seriously - I mean he LOVES the out doors.  He is house trained, crate trained, and behaves himself very well inside, but he only tolerates it.  Anytime I have brought him inside in the past, he enjoyed it for about 5 minutes and then begged to go back out.  If I made him stay inside for some reason, he would lay by the door, patiently waiting for me to take him back outside.  So, because that is where he is happiest, he has been a permanently outside dog for the past several years

I would be fine with continuing with the current living situation, if it weren't for his age.  He is slower than he used to be.  He will still play with the other dogs, but he thinks about it for a minute before he gets up.  He no longer greets me with a bounce in his step.  Oh he still comes to me to be sociable, but rather than half running, half bouncing to me, he just walks over and says "hi mom."  He also requires more food to maintain his weight than he used to.  In the past, he stayed in great shape on only 4 to 4 1/2 cups of the particular brand of food we feed him.  Now he requires 5 1/2 to 6 cups of that same food.  He doesn't act like anything bothers him really.  He doesn't seem to be in pain or otherwise uncomfortable.  In fact, if you met him for the first time today, you would complement him for being such a good dog and would likely never guess that he is starting to slow down.  It is only because I know him so well, that I am able to see the changes.

So this is my dilemma.  With winter coming on, I worry that his age may really begin to show.  Since he already needs more food to maintain his weight, will his body be able to handle the cold like it has in years past?  I know he is a "snow dog" and I know his body is built for cold weather, but even "snow dogs" need extra care at some point.  Should I consider bringing him inside, even though I know full well that he is happiest when he is outside?  Maybe I should bring him in only at night, or only on the coldest days.  But will bringing him inside make him unhappy to the point of misery?  Will he begin to waste away because he is no longer allowed to be outside 24/7?

It isn't cold enough yet for me to have to make an immediate decision, and it may not be for a few more weeks or even a month.  But it is something that has been on my mind, and something that I want to correctly decide.  If I decide to bring him in, I will have to plan for another dog in the house.  I will have to make room for his crate, and will have to make time for exercising him daily.  I don't mind those things.  I was willing to do them the day he came home with me - I just haven't need to since he has lived outside.  It's just that, at this point, I'm not sure what would be the right thing, both for his health and his emotional well being.

Disclaimer:
None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 
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Our soap options have changed!

10/3/2013

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Any of you who may have purchased our soap in the past, will have noticed that we previously offered only one size bar.  We are proud to announce however, that our options have improved!  We now offer three different sizes, with semi-flexible pricing, so that you can find something that fits within your budget.

We are now pricing our bars by weight, due in part to the different size options, but also because it give you some price flexibility.  You can select bars the bars you need based on your preferred size, or you can select them based on the amount of money you would like to spend.  Our base price is $1 per ounce, but we have capped the price at $5.  So even if you choose one of our mega, 6oz bars, you will not pay more than $5 per bar.
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Our smallest bar is our Travel Size* bar.  These typically fall into the 2oz weight range.  They are small enough to carry when you travel, yet substantial enough to use even at home if you just don't like having a large bar of soap beside the sink.

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Our Medium Size* bar is similar in size to the "old" bars we previously offered.  These generally weigh between 3 and 4 oz per bar.  They are a nice size to give as gifts, especially if you would like to give a collection of several scents.

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Our Large Size* is a whopper of a bar.  Weighing in at 5 oz or more (many are close to 6 oz), these bars will last a very long time.  

Along with the improvements to our soap options, we will be adding some new products to our store in the very near future.  Check back with our store often to see these new items as they are introduced!


*Because our soap is made in small batches, and each bar is cut by hand, the weight of individual bars of soap will vary.  What you see in these pictures is meant only as an example of the different sizes we offer, but not a guarantee of the exact weight of each individual bar.
Disclaimer:
None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 
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    Hi, my name is Nicole and my friends think I'm crazy.  I love farming, and my methods can be non-traditional at times, but I love simple living, I love playing in the dirt, and I love life.

    Disclaimer:
    None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 

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