Using a rabbit tractor without cross contamination?

Duckfarmerpa1

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Last year I got a lot of great tips about rabbit “husbandry’. We learned a lot of great info about building tractors for them to be able to go outside, while watching the YouTube show homsteadtradions....so, we built three tractors, and made several beautiful hutches. In the winter everything was great! No heath issues. We lost one kit who jump into the water bowl, this was winter, when the water bottle wasn’t possible. From then on, we got smaller bowls, or put rocks in the middle..so, if one fell in there are ways to get out.

Once warm season hit..we had them on the ground. Not all of them. They had to take turns. Plus I moved the tractors constantly! but, during summer only while it hot and they were in the grass.....I had two batches of bunnies, got sick...or, they died. I thought it was GI. Stasis. Sometimes I treaded for that..but that worked 50/50. Thought it was worms..,treated for that...same result. I’m buying a pedigreed rabbit Saturday. I dont care about pedigree...but this girl knows her stuff. I asked her about this issue..,she said she doesn’t put her bunnies on the ground much. What! So, we want to know...why do people even have rabbit tractors? Do you all use them? If I put my bunnies in their hutches...outside..,will the chickens, underneath..give them cross contamination? If I move the hutches to the other side of the farm..as Chris points out..the chickens will just find them over there. The ducks were underneath last year..but those rabbits didn’t get sick..it wa# only the ones that went in the grass for the days. I want my bunnies happy. They love the tractors. More room..sunshine..eating grass. But, I want them healthy more!! What’s the safest way to go?
 

promiseacres

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Many show people feel they have a higher chance of getting cocci on the ground and they probably do with wild rabbits. I do let mine get out in outdoor pens, they all usually love it. I do treat twice a year for cocci and all kits get corrid around 6 to 8 weeks. Many show people also don't feed anything other than pellets because it's a complete feed. Others swear only timothy hay. It's one of those things that you need to do what works for you.
 

B&B Happy goats

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Because I live in a hot humid climate, I do not tractor my rabbits, I feed hay and pellets only and use ACV in with their water..... that's how the rabbits live here at our place, no illness or deaths so far :love

:fl guess you got to experiment and see what works best for you and your climate, not sure there is a right or wrong way to do it....:)
 
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Duckfarmerpa1

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I just talked to a guy who’s buildin* his own hatchery. He had a rabbit breeding thing going, but the6 were getting sick from being close to chickens. When he treated with corid he said he had to be careful not to be ‘caught’ because it’s not approved for rabbits? And he could’ve got in trouble? I thought it sounded like a good idea?
 

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