Has anyone pastured rabbits? I'm thinking about doing this. How much could I reduce feed costs? Smaller or regular breeds?

-- dave (davekirsh10@yahoo.com), October 19, 2001

Answers

Even domestic rabbits will burrough. If you pasture them, you will need a secure area with under ground fencing, to keep them from leaving the area. I learned the hard way. Went to my pen and all my rabbits were gone. Luckily, I saw the tunnel they had dug and discovered them about 3 feet outside the pen walls and about 2 feet under ground. If you are raising them for meat, you get better quality meat from hutch raised rabbits...at least in my opinion. Rabbits that forrage tend to taste stronger, or even gamey.

-- Wendy Antes (phillips-anteswe@pendleton.usmc.mil), October 19, 2001.

Dave,

Check out Joel Salatin's book You Can Farm. It does a little bit about pastured rabbits as well as incorporating rabbits into a whole farm system. Good luck.

-- Murray in ME (lkdmfarm@megalink.net), October 19, 2001.

Dave, if you're doing it to reduce feed costs, then I would suggest bringing the pasture to the rabbits! I think they taste better this way, too! I do still feed pellets, but only about 1/4 cup per rabbit per day. The rest of their food comes from hay and "pasture" that I cut and bring to them. In my fryer cage, I've built a little hay rack that I keep filled with grasses and weeds. The bunnies will always eat from the fresh grasses before they will eat the pellets! Saves a lot on feed costs, and makes the bunnies taste better besides! Best of luck to you!

-- Cheryl in Ks (cherylmccoy@rocketmail.com), October 19, 2001.

It is always a challenge to keep predators away from pastured rabbits, hawks love bunnies!!!

I have kept rabbits as pets for over 15 years and have found they really clean up fresh cut pasturage and good quality second cutting hay in the winter when pasture is unavailable. A three dollar bale of good fine hay goes a very long way when used for rabbit food, and will cut the pellets needed to a bare minimum. They also will eat fruit scrapes and many vegetable leavings, but do not feed them lettuce or cabbage, these give them digestive upsets and bad gas.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), October 19, 2001.

I raise Satin & Rex rabbits for meat and pelts. I agree about bringing the pasture to the hutch. I raise sunflowers, several root crops, kale, chard and pumpkins for the critters. I also give them alfalfa and some fruit treats and any dandilions I find around. If I "had my druthers" I would also raise oats for them too. I found that using only pellets is great for raising fryers, but makes for fat breeders. They are also more friendly when they see me coming.

-- D T Warburton (warking@cccomm.net), October 19, 2001.

What kind of fruit do you feed your rabbits?

Also, is the pumpkin straight from the garden or not? Wonder about canned up pumpkin.

-- C Rodvang (idahocher@sisna.com), October 21, 2001.