My pastured rabbit experience. Update!

[chinbunny1]

If you tractor the rabbits and keep your breeding does in cages, it may cut down on your losses. Ive talked with some on the meat rabbits list that are caging up their does but grazing their younger rabbits in pens they can't escape from. They have wire on the bottom that prevents them from digging out, and it keeps them safe. I don't think there is a way to keep your does and newborn litters safe while free ranging them though.

 

[houndit]

or mabye did you move it alot so they awlys had fresh grass
Roo#3

I try to move it quite often. The longer they are in one spot the higher chance they have of digging out. When I first started I had a stationary yard. I thought they would never eat all of it down. They turned it into a barren desert and then wanted out. It needs to be easy to move.

 

[a7736100]

It's nice to read first hand experinces.

I let some of my rabbits run around the back yard. Even after they dug out, most of my older rabbits come back. If they know that I'm the one feeding them they even pester me. I used to go chasing after them if I saw them beyond my fence. Now I don't bother. My worries are that they may get hit by a car.

Some of my will run back in their cages at dinner time waiting for pellets. I let a couple stay out all night. I have to keep some caged while others run around because they do fight. They end up with ripped noses, torned ears, and body wounds. Also I can't let them all out because I'm already up to my azz in babies. I was trying to let one sex out at a time but they get together some how.

I've also had them have babies in warrens they dug. The trouble is to catch the babies before they fall prey to feral cats. Since the babies don't know me they run from me. After a few months caged and handled they can free range.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I am glad to hear of someone elses experience with pastured rabbit. I have attempted it before and it always ended badly. I still would love to see out bunny out in the field. So I'll be paying more attention to this thread.

 

[a7736100]

I figure it's OK to lose a few as long as you're able to continue the herd. It sure cuts down the time required on manure management and cleaning. Of course a lot depends on what preditors you have around.

 

[chinbunny1]

It's nice to read first hand experinces.

I let some of my rabbits run around the back yard. Even after they dug out, most of my older rabbits come back. If they know that I'm the one feeding them they even pester me. I used to go chasing after them if I saw them beyond my fence. Now I don't bother. My worries are that they may get hit by a car.

Some of my will run back in their cages at dinner time waiting for pellets. I let a couple stay out all night. I have to keep some caged while others run around because they do fight. They end up with ripped noses, torned ears, and body wounds. Also I can't let them all out because I'm already up to my azz in babies. I was trying to let one sex out at a time but they get together some how.

I've also had them have babies in warrens they dug. The trouble is to catch the babies before they fall prey to feral cats. Since the babies don't know me they run from me. After a few months caged and handled they can free range.

Id be worried about them setting up a colony and displacing wildife, bothering the neighbors, etc. I have caught a couple of feral rabbits before that the neighbors were not pleased with, and were glad to be rid of. they also attract predators too. So if anyone wants to turn their rabbits loose, or let them go like that, please do not do that. Pen them up during the day and cage them at night, but don't allow them to run loose. Sorry for lecturing, but IMHO not humane, not safe for the rabbits, not proper free ranging. And actually its a bit of a pet peeve since I have rescued free roaming rabbits. Not sure what it is with people that seem to think its ok for their rabbits to run free lately.

OP those pens look pretty nice. I have something similar. Glad you got them in tractoring pens now.

I use one of these, another handmade pen, plus a couple of large dog crates. My rabbits are only out in them when they are home. Otherwise they stay in their cages in the barn. I only put does with litters and single rabbits out in them at a time. Not true free ranging but it gets them out of the cage for awhile.

 

[houndit]

It's nice to read first hand experinces.

I let some of my rabbits run around the back yard. Even after they dug out, most of my older rabbits come back. If they know that I'm the one feeding them they even pester me. I used to go chasing after them if I saw them beyond my fence. Now I don't bother. My worries are that they may get hit by a car.

Some of my will run back in their cages at dinner time waiting for pellets. I let a couple stay out all night. I have to keep some caged while others run around because they do fight. They end up with ripped noses, torned ears, and body wounds. Also I can't let them all out because I'm already up to my azz in babies. I was trying to let one sex out at a time but they get together some how.

I've also had them have babies in warrens they dug. The trouble is to catch the babies before they fall prey to feral cats. Since the babies don't know me they run from me. After a few months caged and handled they can free range.

Id be worried about them setting up a colony and displacing wildife, bothering the neighbors, etc. I have caught a couple of feral rabbits before that the neighbors were not pleased with, and were glad to be rid of. they also attract predators too. So if anyone wants to turn their rabbits loose, or let them go like that, please do not do that. Pen them up during the day and cage them at night, but don't allow them to run loose. Sorry for lecturing, but IMHO not humane, not safe for the rabbits, not proper free ranging. And actually its a bit of a pet peeve since I have rescued free roaming rabbits. Not sure what it is with people that seem to think its ok for their rabbits to run free lately.

OP those pens look pretty nice. I have something similar. Glad you got them in tractoring pens now.

I use one of these, another handmade pen, plus a couple of large dog crates. My rabbits are only out in them when they are home. Otherwise they stay in their cages in the barn. I only put does with litters and single rabbits out in them at a time. Not true free ranging but it gets them out of the cage for awhile.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/jnlldxn/kbunnies021.jpg

I have to say that I agree with chinbunny1 !
Thank you for that chinbunny1

 

[a7736100]

If I eat them to control numbers, they don't get out of hand.

 

[chinbunny1]

If I eat them to control numbers, they don't get out of hand.

But you are letting them run loose. There is no way you can keep up with a colony of feral rabbits like that unless you are shooting quite a few of them. They are not a natural wild species and they shouldn't be out there.

 

[chinbunny1]

If I eat them to control numbers, they don't get out of hand.

Those pens you made look like th eones my dad used to biuld for our chickens when I was kid. Never thought you could use them for rabbits. Good idea. They were easy to move around too. ours were made so you could split them up into two different pens for brooding ducks and hens, and were large enough to put a brooder in. They look fine as long as they aren't digging out. Ours were built out of 2x4's and chicken wire. The one was enclosed with plywood on 4 sides, including the top, with the chicken wire in the front. There only only had plywood on the top. Both ends on each were left open. We covered them with plywood or old truck tail gates. Sometimes we had to rig them with electric fence to keep the coons and rats out of them. I wish I had those cages to tractor with now. We also used them to keep our show chickens, and guineas in for our 4h projects.

Large dog crates also make excellent tractoring pens if you can get a hold of them for real cheap. Your rabbits look nice and healthy too.