Starting to plan rabbit Colony: A Successful colony x2!

I have this "Plan" for a possible Rabbit Colony.... AGAIN. I never seem to have it work in my favor because my rabbits are just too prissy and the does seem to be very dominant and just plain non accepting of each other. EVER.

So in this attempt I plan to do it solely for the grow outs. I want to try to have an area in the trees, we have pines with brush and vegetation grown up in it, that I can make a reasonably sized pen with proper wire to prevent them from slipping through and digging out as well as still have a bird mesh so as not to lose any to climbing, digging or flying predators. I hope to also plant Barley in there for them to graze on as well. The rabbits I raise are fully pedigreed, show French Lops so minimal damage to their ears is crucial and has been a very difficult thing to accomplish... it seems to be the first thing they go for when they scuffle and always end up with bites on them. At least the adults and young adults anyways. I should also add that I do NOT raise year round so this would be from April -October depending on the Minnesota weather. Which can change very quickly.

I think if I had even a 20 by 20 area where I could rotate the Jr's or house them for a few weeks until they are ready for their new homes it would benefit their health. Even if it was just to place them there for the weekend or daytime. But I would love to have somewhere I could put my adults in to let them have time out as well. My goat pen is just not quite right for the rabbits. Babies squeeze out and the adults fight over the goat hut Eventually they all quit and just relax but the first 20 minutes are brutal with the occasional scuffle from a couple naughty girls.

I would love to hear other feedback from those who have done colonies or who would like to try one also.

*I am sure I am forgetting part of my "plan" and will probably add to it the more I think about it, BUT this is the majority of it anyways! Thanks! *

Here is the start (hopefully ) to my colony. I will be adding in one or two more does depending on if I decide to keep back the second girl or not, she's still too young to tell on type. Before then, I will have to add another level and will have to expand it once they start to get bigger as well but so far, so good.

We have set up a colony on a small scale- at this point we only move a complete litter to it- doe plus kits- we do separate any bucks out. We do have some dust ups between the girls but the doe keeps the group in check. Ears are a big concern and so far we have been lucky with no issues.

Guessing it all depends on the temperament of the does.

Good Luck!

This is super interesting. I am not in the position to do this now, but want to in the future, so following the discussion. I do keep my does/offspring from 3 weeks to about 3 months (removing the doe at about 6 weeks) in a 3x3 yard tractor pulled across the lawn. They never dig out. It's made from PVC pipe and chicken wire walls, with simple tarp fittings for overhead protection. They love it out there and stay super healthy. I also let the adults run in it (I only have 4 total) when there are no grow-outs.

shanzu farms said:

This is super interesting. I am not in the position to do this now, but want to in the future, so following the discussion. I do keep my does/offspring from 3 weeks to about 3 months (removing the doe at about 6 weeks) in a 3x3 yard tractor pulled across the lawn. They never dig out. It's made from PVC pipe and chicken wire walls, with simple tarp fittings for overhead protection. They love it out there and stay super healthy. I also let the adults run in it (I only have 4 total) when there are no grow-outs.

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So far, so good! All three girls are doing well together still. My youngest girl will be added in around 10 weeks old I think... She is 6.5 now and still with her mom. By then she will be weaned and big enough to handle them all. I am still up in the air on holding back my little REW doe... she is turning out to look really nice type but is closely related to many of my herd.... I do not have any offspring from her mother or father yet though... so maybe.... UGH!!! too many choices! LOL.

I will be adding on a third level this week hopefully and maybe even extending the side by one pannel. So it will be 3Wx2Lx3H instead of 2x2x2. Each pannel is 16"x16" which is why I want to go one more for width and eventually two more for height giving each girl their own individual level to escape to if they are not wanting to be near each other. I am still in the air on it all but planning as I go and learning as I go

I may eventually try a couple of my other girls together as well but not yet... I want to work with my Jr's first.

This is a perfect example of what I am hoping for, I can't believe I found this picture online... ! But it is almost identical to what I want to do.

*The following image is not mine, all rights go to the respective owner. This is simply an example I found online of something I would like to try*

That looks amazing and something I would like to try. Construction looks like a breeze and I bet you could even have a large open "tractor" level for grazing if it was made mobile

Alibo said:

That looks amazing and something I would like to try. Construction looks like a breeze and I bet you could even have a large open "tractor" level for grazing if it was made mobile

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Ohhhhh that is a great idea!

You have gotten me so interested in this idea. I have only seen meat rabbits raised seperately in small cages. Never knew this was a thing. Having DH start on one ASAP, and we do not even have rabbits yet! Haha I would like to do something more like this

Samantha drawz said:

*The following image is not mine, all rights go to the respective owner. This is simply an example I found online of something I would like to try*

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But only a slightly larger scale. With the mild winters in Ga I think it would do nicely. How much square footage do you think I would need for a colony of under 10 full size rex rabbits?

From what I have read and had others tell me is that the more space you can give them the better and also provide places where they can get away from each other if needed/wanted.