Raising Rabbits naturally-kinda

[Aidenbaby]

That is one thing I LOVE about having Annabelle. She has chewed her way through almost all the weed shrub sticks that I've put in her cage. These were things I was going to put in the trash because they were taking too long to compost. She's also gnawed a bit on a sunflower stalk leftover from last year.

 

[FarmerDenise]

They love sunflowers. All parts of them. We throw the whole stalk in and our rabbit just chews away at it all. When it is done there is still plenty of time to toss it in the compost.

I gather up stuff when it is available and dry it. As if it were hay. They also love the dried leaves that have fallen to the ground. I put those in feed bags and hang them, to keep the rats out. Some grocery stores will let you take their vegetable refuse, if you explain that it is for animal feed. This usually consists of corn husks, outer leaves and ugly looking vegies that people won't buy. Just pick out the better stuff and toss the rest in your compost.

We grow more than enough stuff in our garden to feed our rabbit and sell some and give some away.

 

[lorihadams]

I pull clover, weeds, grasses, dandelions, etc., from the yard every day for my bunnies. I want to build a tractor for them to eat their own but I'm still working on it. For now though I pick them stuff in the morning and evening and give them pellets (although sometimes they don't really eat them with all the grasses and stuff). They love it, stand up on their hind legs when I come near the hutch!

 

[MsPony]

I second Oxbow for anyone not willing to do a natural diet! Or as supplementation, all of my small animals get their food, only thing that works for my blind/tailless/psycho rats sensitive stomach.

I will have to start growing sunflowers for my girlies.

Also, note of caution, if you are using store-bought hay and not feed store, don't ever feed Kaytee. Its such poop, yuck! If you must, go with oxbow, I have always seen good quality.

 

[ChickenPotPie]

I don't know if saying that rabbits can't grow or produce if they aren't fed pellets is an exaggeration or just what someone actually told you. But, it is certainly not true. What do you think rabbits were fed before the pelleting machine was invented? In Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett he shares the late Oren Reynold's recipe for rabbit feed (about 100 years old).

Many weeds and grasses are basically hays. Dandelions, herbs, and other dark greens are given to the rabbits of die hard show exhibitors that are strict about the pelleted diets they give their rabbits. They use the pelleted diet because it is consistent, nutritionally balance, easily found and stored, and know that the results are fabulous. If it were not so, they major rabbit feed companies could not survive (I mean GOOD rabbit feed companies).

A basic, forage diet is what I'm seeing described here but, that can hardly be compared to what House Rabbit Society prescribes. Their diet is so varied and difficult to balance it has been the cause of many a rabbit's death. I've seen way to many chronically sick rabbits that have to be on meds constantly, read about too many "rainbow bridge" rabbits who died from complications of the HRS diet, and met too many obese rabbits that were fed the HRS diet to think there is any merit to it.

I keep my own rabbits on a pellet based diet (yes, I feed them greens, too) because I need them in top show condition - both muscle tone and in coat. I use only the best pelleted feed.

Oxbow is a good feed if you don't have a feed store around but I'd throw any other pet store rabbit product in the trash before I'd give it to a rabbit. Oxbow feed and hays cost at least 3x what you'd pay for the same or better at a good feed store, though.

IF you feed a pellet based diet, go with a major company that actively does research on rabbit nutrition and employees PhDs in livestock nutrition (Purina (not associated w/the dog food company), Nutrena, Manna Pro, Pet Pals, etc.) or find a local mill that a show breeder recommends.

Back on topic: I absolutely think one can feed a grass/weed based diet supplemented with herbs, select veggies, and grains because that is exactly what a quality pelleted food is. You shouldn't have many problems with it. You just have to put in a little work to get it and balance it properly. The volume will be greater and your storage abilities with be more challenging is all.

I want to hear more or hear updates on this topic. I really am interested in hearing how long it takes to grow out your fryers to 5lbs and what breeds or crosses you're working with.

I have my tiny show rabbits but I'm adding Argente Bruns from Canada in the fall that will be my rare breed development project but my first meat breed, too. We'll be eating our "mistakes". It would be pretty cool to raise some from self gathered foods.

Cool topic.

 

[tortoise]

I'm moving away from pellets because of the tendency to create bladder sand and opaque/creamy urine. Excess alfalfa tends to do this. When I mix my own food, I put too much alfalfa pellets in.

So my bladder sand bunnies are on straight cracked corn and greens for a while. Except the lactating doe is getting 1/2 pellets and 1/2 whatever I'm feeding. She's getting oats too because she loses condition so badly when she lactates. It fattens her up and she LOVES oats!

I'm so unhappy with pellets that I'm starting to research rabbit nutrition. I'm getting ready to track food consumption and weigh these babies too.

I have the text "Small Animal Clinical Nutrition" and am studying the rabbit section. Throw any question my way. If the answer is in the book, I'll share with you.

P.S. I am a nutrition-nazi and a do-it-yourselfer. Bad combination!

 

[rebecca100]

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=261016

Really interesting!!

 

[tortoise]

Cool! Thanks!