Feeding Practices ~ Rabbits

[Duckfarmerpa1]

16% pellets milled locally—free fed
apples
apple tree branches
some rabbits like a mineral wheel..some don’t
dandelions and leaves——tons and tons and tons
kale, kale, kale
green beans, squash, spinach
some banAna, strawberries, carrots, corn cob,
timothy hay- endless
frozen water bottles in summer
we have rabbit tractors..they are movable cages on the ground..very large for grazing and playing...they do this daily in the summer love it
they love to play with and chew cardboard...stick an old phone book or magazine up toilet paper roll...a cardboard box, etc

 

[rockyhillrabbits]

Northeast Arkansas.
I feed 16% pellets
Timothy hay or Bermuda/grass mix hay
I also pick grass and weeds for them; plantain, dandelions, clover,etc

I'm going to switch over to a local 17% pellet and mix in oats and Calf Manna.
For nursing does I add some oats to help with milk production.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

Northern NH, been keeping rabbits for 11 years. This year we are starting to raise them for meat in addition to the fertilizer we've kept them for in the past.

What specifically are you feeding?

Pellets, 50% mix of Poulin Grains & Oxbow Garden Select

What are you adding to supplement it?

Fresh Veggies from the garden (mostly leafy greens like dandelions, clover, mustard & kale) & Herbs, Herbs, Herbs, free choice hay, apple cider vinegar. Fruit is very limited, as my rabbits are VERY easy keepers (i.e. they need to hop on the treadmill)

And how does your feeding program change seasonally?

Less veggies in the winter, more Hay, a little extra grain depending on their condition. It goes down to -10/-20 on a regular basis and we have long winters (Nov.-April)

 

[Miss mouse]

Question to the group:
For those who supplement apple tree sticks:
Do you give them new ones once they’ve eaten the bark off or will they chew the whole thing with time?

 

[CraftyHen]

Question to the group:
For those who supplement apple tree sticks:
Do you give them new ones once they’ve eaten the bark off or will they chew the whole thing with time?

Some of mine chew the bark off then ignore it and others will continue to gnaw. Depends on the rabbit.

 

[CraftyHen]

What specifically are you feeding?
Adult bucks, open does get Manna PRO 16% pellets and Timothy hay.
Nursing mamas and kits get Manna GRO pellets I believe it's 18%; Calf Manna. Kits get some alfalfa hay.
What are you adding to supplement it?
Kale. Lots of kale.
apple, banana, carrot, broccoli stalks are occasional treats.
ACV in water.
And how does your feeding program change seasonally?
I give more pellets on super cold nights as well as a bit of BOSS.

 

[Finnie]

I have a question for those who give pinecones. Doesn’t that get sap on their fur? Does it depend on what kind of pine cone? Mine are White Pines, and I picked some up today to give to the rabbits, but my hand got sticky, so I decided not to do it.

 

[WildersMilkMaid]

We raise New Zealand, above ground.

Timothy Grass Pellets
Free choice hay (whatever we’ve got for our goats, changes seasonally)
Mineral Salt Lick
and most days they get a treat from the garden or pasture like a few carrot tops or a handful of clover.

Considering experimenting with growing Comfrey for them. I’m going to make a separate post about that soon, as I’d like to grow it for all my animals, not just the rabbits!

 

[promiseacres]

I have a question for those who give pinecones. Doesn’t that get sap on their fur? Does it depend on what kind of pine cone? Mine are White Pines, and I picked some up today to give to the rabbits, but my hand got sticky, so I decided not to do it.

Probably depends on the type maybe? We have white pines and blue spruce and I can't think of a time there's was any sap.

 

[Finnie]

Probably depends on the type maybe? We have white pines and blue spruce and I can't think of a time there's was any sap.

Ok, so it sounds like I need to find non-sappy ones, and avoid the sticky ones.
I thought maybe people were giving the sappy ones and it somehow didn’t get in the fur.