Denim Deb
More Precious than Rubies
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Hopefully, she'll raise them w/out any problem.
Countdown to Meat Rabbits: A few pics from planning the colony
- Thread starter BarredBuff
- Start date
Hopefully, she'll raise them w/out any problem.- Thread starter
- #122
BarredBuff
El Presidente de Pollo
I hopeDenim Deb said:
If she does, she can stay I suppose. But I do have two others posted to craigslist.
Wannabefree
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that's great Buffy!- Thread starter
- #124
BarredBuff
El Presidente de Pollo
Yes it is! Now Im trying to figure out a colony rabbit setup and its complicated...........Wannabefree said:
Wannabefree
Little Miss Sunshine
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Yeah, it is! Good luck figuring that out Buffster 
- Thread starter
- #126
BarredBuff
El Presidente de Pollo
Thanks, Im working on it! I have several ideas, so hopefully they will work outWannabefree said:
pinkfox
Super Self-Sufficient
yay for babbits!
got my fingrs crossed she remains good mommy
for young buns, under 6-8 months (larger breeds mature a little slower and generally are ok untill the 8 month of so mark, smaller breeds faster so tend to start getting hormonal around 5-6 months) a 6 sqft cage will work for probably 6-8 rabbits...but once those hormones start kicking in, thats when the territorial disputes start into play...
i was always told to aim for no less than 30sqft per adult doe in a colony setting, and of course bigger is better, and the larger the colony the more individual squarfootage a doe needs...in a colony of 20 doe for example the sqft requirment generally doubles (tripples if you plan to let the doe kindle and raise her babbits in the colony...)...shelves/multiple levels do count towards sqftage.
this is one of the reasons the large scale operations say colony raising cant work or is inefficient...because you need alot more space to do it properly than you do raising rabbits in their own individual cages.
but at the same time i personally think rabbits, which are a "herd" animal are happier and generally healthier for it assuming properly managed.
its just a case of trying to figure out what the better option is for you and your herd...
given your looking to hold back 8 does, id go for a min of 250 sqft for your colony area for the adults...as babies while your trying to figure out who staysand who goes the 6x8 stall would be fine. my sugestion would be to do an indoor/outdoor setup to increase your squarfootage without having to do a tone of work rebuilding ect. if possible, id build a run (like a chicken run onto the side of the building which is going to be the buns house. add a pop door (or a full door or even a 1/2 and 1/2 stable door i like the stable door because you can close them in or out during clean up and wrangling) a 15x15 fenced area attatched to the shed should give your buns a big enough area to be more than happy
now given buns tend to dig under opjects, youll want to make the area around the base of the indoor area bun proof as thats where theyll primarily focus digging effots, a layer of heavy duty chicken or cage wire stabled to the side of the building then aproned into the pen, use landscape stables to keep the edges attatched to the ground and it might also be worth adding some big rocks too. id also apron in around all the fence edges. rabbits tend to dig "against" and under things so those will be your most vunerable tops. assuming the buns have acess to their inside area at any given time a top wouldnt be needed for the outdoor pen but i would add "cover structures" for them to dart under should an arial assult come rushing in...(and also to provide shade) the inside area then becomes a secure night time and kindling area...and feed their fresh stuff in the evening when your like them to come in for lockdown for the night.
least thats what id do if the setup was condusive.
got my fingrs crossed she remains good mommy
for young buns, under 6-8 months (larger breeds mature a little slower and generally are ok untill the 8 month of so mark, smaller breeds faster so tend to start getting hormonal around 5-6 months) a 6 sqft cage will work for probably 6-8 rabbits...but once those hormones start kicking in, thats when the territorial disputes start into play...
i was always told to aim for no less than 30sqft per adult doe in a colony setting, and of course bigger is better, and the larger the colony the more individual squarfootage a doe needs...in a colony of 20 doe for example the sqft requirment generally doubles (tripples if you plan to let the doe kindle and raise her babbits in the colony...)...shelves/multiple levels do count towards sqftage.
this is one of the reasons the large scale operations say colony raising cant work or is inefficient...because you need alot more space to do it properly than you do raising rabbits in their own individual cages.
but at the same time i personally think rabbits, which are a "herd" animal are happier and generally healthier for it assuming properly managed.
its just a case of trying to figure out what the better option is for you and your herd...
given your looking to hold back 8 does, id go for a min of 250 sqft for your colony area for the adults...as babies while your trying to figure out who staysand who goes the 6x8 stall would be fine. my sugestion would be to do an indoor/outdoor setup to increase your squarfootage without having to do a tone of work rebuilding ect. if possible, id build a run (like a chicken run onto the side of the building which is going to be the buns house. add a pop door (or a full door or even a 1/2 and 1/2 stable door i like the stable door because you can close them in or out during clean up and wrangling) a 15x15 fenced area attatched to the shed should give your buns a big enough area to be more than happy
now given buns tend to dig under opjects, youll want to make the area around the base of the indoor area bun proof as thats where theyll primarily focus digging effots, a layer of heavy duty chicken or cage wire stabled to the side of the building then aproned into the pen, use landscape stables to keep the edges attatched to the ground and it might also be worth adding some big rocks too. id also apron in around all the fence edges. rabbits tend to dig "against" and under things so those will be your most vunerable tops. assuming the buns have acess to their inside area at any given time a top wouldnt be needed for the outdoor pen but i would add "cover structures" for them to dart under should an arial assult come rushing in...(and also to provide shade) the inside area then becomes a secure night time and kindling area...and feed their fresh stuff in the evening when your like them to come in for lockdown for the night.
least thats what id do if the setup was condusive.
CheerioLounge
Dessert Dreamer
Finally!! I hope she is a good mom!
Big_White
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good deal- Thread starter
- #130
BarredBuff
El Presidente de Pollo
She still has em and they are moving, warm, and fat! So we are good!
Now into planning my colony......
Breeds
8 New Zealand White Does (Related, and raised together)
2 Californian Bucks (Raised w/ does)
Housing
They will have the 8 by 6 coop as main shelter, and feeding hub. Then today when Dad called he was asking about the rabbits, and was wanting to buy me a new buck/ But I was like no I dont think its the problem, and we were replacing the does. And he said if you need help or assistance to let him know. Then while we were on our hike today, I was thinking about what Pinky was saying about fixing an outdoor run. Then it hit me, he has several unused kennels that I could use for a run So when he calls again, I was get kennels, and see if he wants to help me setup my colony. And he will and it will be a plus plus for everyone I will have to do major securing though, buried boards, wire on the outside, etc. But I think its coming together.
As far as the bucks, I was reading that sometimes does will fight over the bucks if they arent within the colony, well I can setup cages inside the coop to house the bucks. So they will be apart of it but not able to breed all the time.
Feeding
I also read that sometimes, does can be crowded out and not get anything to eat. So I plan to have free choice hay, plus free choice rabbit pellets, and alfalfa pellets (just to be sure). Plus hopefully garden waste. But the run wont be big enough for pasturing.
Anymore tips or recomendations? I think its coming together, and Im excited!!! Its sort of along the lines of free ranging poultry.
Now into planning my colony......
Breeds
8 New Zealand White Does (Related, and raised together)
2 Californian Bucks (Raised w/ does)
Housing
They will have the 8 by 6 coop as main shelter, and feeding hub. Then today when Dad called he was asking about the rabbits, and was wanting to buy me a new buck/ But I was like no I dont think its the problem, and we were replacing the does. And he said if you need help or assistance to let him know. Then while we were on our hike today, I was thinking about what Pinky was saying about fixing an outdoor run. Then it hit me, he has several unused kennels that I could use for a run
So when he calls again, I was get kennels, and see if he wants to help me setup my colony. And he will and it will be a plus plus for everyone I will have to do major securing though, buried boards, wire on the outside, etc. But I think its coming together. As far as the bucks, I was reading that sometimes does will fight over the bucks if they arent within the colony, well I can setup cages inside the coop to house the bucks. So they will be apart of it but not able to breed all the time.
Feeding
I also read that sometimes, does can be crowded out and not get anything to eat. So I plan to have free choice hay, plus free choice rabbit pellets, and alfalfa pellets (just to be sure). Plus hopefully garden waste. But the run wont be big enough for pasturing.
Anymore tips or recomendations? I think its coming together, and Im excited!!! Its sort of along the lines of free ranging poultry.
