Rabbits
We raise rabbits, mostly for our own personal use. Most of our rabbits are meat rabbits, but occasionally we do offer pets for sale.
Our rabbits are fed a diverse diet, primarily of foraged greens, supplemented with commercial pellets. While we do not discourage the use of pellets, we decided to explore other feeding options and found that we (and our rabbits) prefer a more varied diet. All of our rabbits are fed a variety of yard clippings, garden trimmings, grass hay, alfalfa blocks, and sprouted grains. We strive to feed them a diet that is as close to "grass fed" as is possible with the space limitations that we have (you can't free range anything inside the town limits!). If you would like more details about our feeding program, please Contact Us!
Our rabbits are fed a diverse diet, primarily of foraged greens, supplemented with commercial pellets. While we do not discourage the use of pellets, we decided to explore other feeding options and found that we (and our rabbits) prefer a more varied diet. All of our rabbits are fed a variety of yard clippings, garden trimmings, grass hay, alfalfa blocks, and sprouted grains. We strive to feed them a diet that is as close to "grass fed" as is possible with the space limitations that we have (you can't free range anything inside the town limits!). If you would like more details about our feeding program, please Contact Us!
General Care
Keeping rabbits is fairly simple, and you can control the amount of work you put into them by controlling the size of your herd. A small herd of 3-4 adults can be cared for in as little as 5-10 minutes per day. Adding "kits" and "grow-outs" to the mix will increase the amount of time required each day, but in most cases this time increase is minimal.
Housing:
The two most common choices for housing rabbits are "colony style" (a large space with multiple rabbits sharing the same space), and individual cages or hutches (typically one cage or hutch per rabbit).
Colony style housing can be either in a very large cage, or in an enclosed space on the ground. Some people choose this option when they have a solid-walled barn stall to use for this purpose, and others choose to build a cage-like enclosure with wire walls. If your colony is on the ground, it will require either a solid floor, or wire on top of the ground, to prevent the rabbits from digging out.
Cage or hutch housing is the option we have chosen for most of our rabbits. Each rabbit has its own space (except of course, mothers with nursing kits), and the rabbits are kept off of the ground which helps to prevent parasites.
We also have a small "rabbit tractor" that allows us to keep a small number of rabbits directly on the grass. They are moved at least twice, every day. This continuous movement helps prevent parasites, and it provides the rabbits with a continuously variable diet. Additionally, they mow our yard, so we don't have to!
In our area, keeping rabbits outside is certainly possible year-round. The main concern is protecting them from the elements. During cool weather, rabbits require protection from wind and precipitation. During warm weather, rabbits require adequate ventilation and protection from the heat. It is actually more difficult to keep rabbits comfortable and cool during the hot months than it is to keep them comfortable and warm in the cold months!
Feeding:
Feeding options are as variable as the number of people keeping rabbits. Everyone has their own style of feeding and makes their choices based on many different factors. As stated above, we choose to feed our rabbits a pellet-free diet. This does not mean that we believe pellets are bad - in some circumstances, pellets are actually a preferred choice. Feeding rabbit pellets is certainly the most simple option and is great for beginners. When feeding pellets, choose a feed with approximately 18% protein. Slightly more or less is okay, but may require additional supplementation. Adult rabbits require approximately 1 ounce (weight) of pellets per pound of rabbit. As an example, a 10 pound adult rabbit will need approximately 10 ounces of rabbit pellets. Individual rabbits will vary however, and you may find that some require less feed while others require more in order to maintain their ideal weight.
Some people wonder whether they can feed their rabbits just hay. They reason that wild rabbits do not eat pellets, so domestic rabbits should not need them either. This rationale is not unfounded, but is a little more complicated than "just feeding hay." Wild rabbits eat a wide variety of plants including grasses, weeds, seeds, and even shrubs and roots. If you decide to go the pellet-free route, as we have, it will require a bit of research on your part. You will need to determine what plants grow in your specific area, and which ones are safe. You will also need to decide what you will want to feed them in the cold months, when foraging for green things in your backyard will become much more difficult (if not impossible). Some rabbit-raisers like to grow fodder, because this provides a more consistently available food source, and is less expensive than pellets. We are experimenting with fodder and, while we really like it so far, we are not yet organized enough to share our exact fodder-growing methods with you. When we do get a more organized system going, we will share it here!
Water:
Fresh, clean water must be available at all times. Some people like standard water bottles because they cannot become contaminated with hay, food, or feces. Others prefer water bowls or crocks because rabbits tend to drink more from a bowl or crock than from a bottle. Still others, like to set up auto-watering systems so that they do not have to constantly refill bottles or bowls. All three options have their benefits and disadvantages, so choose the one that works best for your situation.
Preventative Care:
Rabbits actually require very little preventative care. They do not require vaccines and rarely require deworming. Except in rare cases, medicines and medical treatments are only required based on an individual rabbit's needs, rather than a need to treat the entire herd. Some common ailments you will want to familiarize yourself with are ear mites, fur mites, and warbles. Pasturella or "Snuffles" is less common but is one of the most serious things that could affect your herd. While the more common ailments are easily treatable, pasturella is not and will require culling any affected rabbits immediately in order to prevent it from spreading to the entire herd. Weaning enteritis is not uncommon but is not all that common either. It is preventable but not treatable and even with the best of care, almost everyone who raises rabbits for any length of time will encounter it at some point.
Housing:
The two most common choices for housing rabbits are "colony style" (a large space with multiple rabbits sharing the same space), and individual cages or hutches (typically one cage or hutch per rabbit).
Colony style housing can be either in a very large cage, or in an enclosed space on the ground. Some people choose this option when they have a solid-walled barn stall to use for this purpose, and others choose to build a cage-like enclosure with wire walls. If your colony is on the ground, it will require either a solid floor, or wire on top of the ground, to prevent the rabbits from digging out.
Cage or hutch housing is the option we have chosen for most of our rabbits. Each rabbit has its own space (except of course, mothers with nursing kits), and the rabbits are kept off of the ground which helps to prevent parasites.
We also have a small "rabbit tractor" that allows us to keep a small number of rabbits directly on the grass. They are moved at least twice, every day. This continuous movement helps prevent parasites, and it provides the rabbits with a continuously variable diet. Additionally, they mow our yard, so we don't have to!
In our area, keeping rabbits outside is certainly possible year-round. The main concern is protecting them from the elements. During cool weather, rabbits require protection from wind and precipitation. During warm weather, rabbits require adequate ventilation and protection from the heat. It is actually more difficult to keep rabbits comfortable and cool during the hot months than it is to keep them comfortable and warm in the cold months!
Feeding:
Feeding options are as variable as the number of people keeping rabbits. Everyone has their own style of feeding and makes their choices based on many different factors. As stated above, we choose to feed our rabbits a pellet-free diet. This does not mean that we believe pellets are bad - in some circumstances, pellets are actually a preferred choice. Feeding rabbit pellets is certainly the most simple option and is great for beginners. When feeding pellets, choose a feed with approximately 18% protein. Slightly more or less is okay, but may require additional supplementation. Adult rabbits require approximately 1 ounce (weight) of pellets per pound of rabbit. As an example, a 10 pound adult rabbit will need approximately 10 ounces of rabbit pellets. Individual rabbits will vary however, and you may find that some require less feed while others require more in order to maintain their ideal weight.
Some people wonder whether they can feed their rabbits just hay. They reason that wild rabbits do not eat pellets, so domestic rabbits should not need them either. This rationale is not unfounded, but is a little more complicated than "just feeding hay." Wild rabbits eat a wide variety of plants including grasses, weeds, seeds, and even shrubs and roots. If you decide to go the pellet-free route, as we have, it will require a bit of research on your part. You will need to determine what plants grow in your specific area, and which ones are safe. You will also need to decide what you will want to feed them in the cold months, when foraging for green things in your backyard will become much more difficult (if not impossible). Some rabbit-raisers like to grow fodder, because this provides a more consistently available food source, and is less expensive than pellets. We are experimenting with fodder and, while we really like it so far, we are not yet organized enough to share our exact fodder-growing methods with you. When we do get a more organized system going, we will share it here!
Water:
Fresh, clean water must be available at all times. Some people like standard water bottles because they cannot become contaminated with hay, food, or feces. Others prefer water bowls or crocks because rabbits tend to drink more from a bowl or crock than from a bottle. Still others, like to set up auto-watering systems so that they do not have to constantly refill bottles or bowls. All three options have their benefits and disadvantages, so choose the one that works best for your situation.
Preventative Care:
Rabbits actually require very little preventative care. They do not require vaccines and rarely require deworming. Except in rare cases, medicines and medical treatments are only required based on an individual rabbit's needs, rather than a need to treat the entire herd. Some common ailments you will want to familiarize yourself with are ear mites, fur mites, and warbles. Pasturella or "Snuffles" is less common but is one of the most serious things that could affect your herd. While the more common ailments are easily treatable, pasturella is not and will require culling any affected rabbits immediately in order to prevent it from spreading to the entire herd. Weaning enteritis is not uncommon but is not all that common either. It is preventable but not treatable and even with the best of care, almost everyone who raises rabbits for any length of time will encounter it at some point.
For Sale
Occasionally we offer rabbits for sale, for local pick up only.
Currently we have 0 available for sale, but please feel free to Contact us to inquire about availability and with any other questions you may have.
Updated May 29, 2018
Currently we have 0 available for sale, but please feel free to Contact us to inquire about availability and with any other questions you may have.
Updated May 29, 2018
