Rabbits & Weepy eye

Matthew Richter

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So ive got meat rabbits. Ive tried the hutch thing and that is a constant mess and they seemed really unhappy. I tried putting them with the chickens and they all got weepy eye. I built a wall in the chicken coop for a rabbit specific area. Its been 24 hours and two seem to be getting weepy eye again. is there some magic to this? I SUPER cleaned the area of any chickenness and put down a layer of timothy grass. Help/Advice??? Everybody I have talked to says this is the best way to raise/breed them. Everybody I have talked to that has hutched them had minimal success and just let them all loose and their production went through the roof.
 

mysunwolf

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We don't use any wood in the hutches, just wire, and we have minimal mess and health problems. When we've used wood, there have been issues, and when we've raised them on deep litter, there have been issues, although the rabbits were definitely happier. I've noticed weepy eye can sometimes be genetic. It can also be a product of ammonia fumes, which is why I prefer to house rabbits in the open air as soon as the weather gets nice enough. Other than that, not sure.
 

Bossroo

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So ive got meat rabbits. Ive tried the hutch thing and that is a constant mess and they seemed really unhappy. I tried putting them with the chickens and they all got weepy eye. I built a wall in the chicken coop for a rabbit specific area. Its been 24 hours and two seem to be getting weepy eye again. is there some magic to this? I SUPER cleaned the area of any chickenness and put down a layer of timothy grass. Help/Advice??? Everybody I have talked to says this is the best way to raise/breed them. Everybody I have talked to that has hutched them had minimal success and just let them all loose and their production went through the roof.
Please describe your hutch . Wood sides , wood floor, small guage wire floor where feces can't fall through, etc ? Consider the fact that the commercial rabbit breeders who depend on continuous production of frier rabbits for their livelyhood keep all of their breeding stock as well as friers in ALL wire hanging cages hanging from the ceiling of the well ventilated barn. They also have to contend with the Health Departments, the marketplace, slaughterhouse USDA Veterinarians then ultimately with the buying public. Then consider the fact that keeping rabbits on the earthen floor with hay and feces mixed in and one is exposing their stock to all manner of pathogens and parasites not to mention ammonia gas and soiling of their feet and other areas of their bodies from where they lay onto feces and urine soaked ground and or moist dirt and constantly reinfecting themselves as well as any offspring when they lick themselves to keep their fur clean. I put my money where success is well proven by the commercial breeders. As for everybody else , well ??? :hu
 
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