Tractored rabbits

[Mini-M Ranch]

Does anyone tractor their rabbits? Dear husband and I are purchasing three Silver Fox rabbits (2 does and a buck) to start a meat herd for ourselves and some family and friends for fresh meat.

We tractor our chickens all spring, summer and fall, but now that the wintry weather has set in, we have them in an established coop and run.

We love tractoring the chickens and would like to tractor the rabbits. Each rabbit would have his or her own tractor. We were planning on about a 4' X 5' wire box with an enclosed box wooden attached for a "house" to get in out of the weather. Everything I have read says that rabbits tolerate cold very well. Will the enclosed wooden boxes be enough protection from the weather or will they need to be inside for the winter. We are planning to go and get them as soon as we can get the tractors made, which won't take long as the construction will be pretty simple. Also, is 4 x 5 enough "run" space for a large rabbit?

 

[FarmerChick]

Mine was 4 x 8
I had 2 rabbits in it.
small doghouse with hay for shelter
I moved it 1 time per week just a little further down the fenceline of the backyard. Worked good for me.

My rabbits lived about 13-14 years in that cage. They were pets.
Gone now but the tractor did fine and yes mine did fine on the ground.

but I think rabbit people will tell you it is best to have them off the ground for meat raising??? I am not sure on this??

But yes ground cages do work if that is the way you want to go...just be sure they are fort knox....lol....but my cage was inside my fenced backyard also.

 

[freemotion]

Scroll down for a picture: http://polyfaceapprentice.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-02-26T16:41:00-08:00&max-results=7

I may try this next year. Along with my 7,948,384 projects I want to do.

 

[FarmerChick]

great pics and descriptions for butchering.

those rabbits looked fat and delish definitely!!

 

[kenman]

Scroll down for a picture: http://polyfaceapprentice.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-02-26T16:41:00-08:00&max-results=7

I may try this next year. Along with my 7,948,384 projects I want to do.

Every once in a while, something comes along that makes me re-think how I do things. This post was one of those things.

 

[freemotion]

You just made my day!

You often never know how much impact a few kind words have..... so I will say a big thank you. It's been a rough few weeks here, and a little uplifting sentence was very much appreciated.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Yeah, thanks Free for finding tha blog. I didn't read all of it, but wonder wht they do in the winter. I have my bunns outside in the summer, but they need to come in in the winter. I have always wanted to do them outside but didn't know how to best manage them. I am torn between keepin gm y bunns elevated to collect their poo and do worms, or rotate them around the back yard essentially having them fertilize it. right now they will stay as is, as the project list is not getting any shorter .

 

[waynesgarden]

.... but wonder wht they do in the winter. .

Breeders live in cages. Some of the young get moved into the tractor for 6 weeks after weaning, according to the farm's website.

No, I didn't take the 2 hour tour that Joel Salatin offers for $800 bucks, or $1000 if he conducts it himself.

Wayne

{edited to see if there was a laughing uncontrollably smilie.}

 

[Beekissed]

Salatin suspends his bunnies over the chickens in the hoop houses for winter. The chooks eat the dropped bunny food. He moves a pen of pigs across the hoop house to root up the bedding to prevent a cap from forming.

In the spring when the animals all move outside, he plants tomatoes in the hoop house.

He has quite a system, huh?

 

[kenman]

I decided to move my does into my coop area and do the same thing. My aunt and uncle did it that way for years. But I thought I had to be fancy. It's going to save to ton of time cleaning out drop pans and cease most of the double stacked cages. Simple. My wife likes simple, so life will be good!