Polyface Rabbit Tractor Pros and Cons: WHAT WENT WRONG with raising rabbits on pasture?!?!

[@chellagirl3664]

We have seen the rabbits in the front. My son yells "bunny's" everytime we pass by. It was so nice to meet you (during the field trip).

[@coxhomestead545]

So glad you said hello! Ah yes! They’re so fun to watch!

[@WhatDadIsUpTo]

I built metal tractors and used hog panel on the bottom. To move them, I put in a piece of cardboard, so their feet don't slip through the 1 1/2" x 3" holes. The panel prevents dig-outs, preditors digging in & exposed more grass for the bunny crew to munch. One thing I do that you don't do is, I provide one corner where two side panels of U-panel meet, forming a corner, where the bunnies can get protection from blowing rain.

[@coxhomestead545]

That’s awesome. I’m all for whatever works 👏👏

[@kevinyoung947]

I like the tractor and small fence combo. More grass and freedom and still keep them safe at night.

[@coxhomestead545]

Awesome. How much space in the fence are you giving them? Is is hawk proof?

[@rosmertagardens7147]

I run a rabbit 2 weeks ahead of my chicken tractor. Use the same 28 day grass run 6 times in the year. Ammonia dose for a day in between the 28 day run on both tractors. Been doing this for 5 years, no coccidiosis yet.

[@coxhomestead545]

That’s fantastic!!! Thanks so much for sharing. I hope others read this and feel encouraged!

[@kedeshfarmhomestead]

Awesome video Laura. I love your transparency farmhe💜rt

[@coxhomestead545]

Thanks Sis! Good to see you here!

[@coachmatt90]

Thank you for video. Where did you learn? You spoke about your rabbits getting sick and it is best not to use the same location every 6 months, where can I learn more about that? Starting meat rabbits soon and would like to use a tractor. Thank you again. Blessings

[@coxhomestead545]

Most of my learning has been from experience. I can’t remember where we learned the 6 Month rule. Maybe from polyface farm? I have several rabbit books, but I glean bits and pieces of what practice from them. Also, coccidiosis is simply in the ground. So it doesn’t take much for it to flare up in the rabbits. So, I don’t sell any rabbits once they’ve been in the tractor. It’s okay if grow outs are exposed to it but I don’t want my breeders exposed for long term because then I’d need to treat them. There’s some Facebook groups you can glean from but so many opinions in there too.

[@coachmatt90]

@@coxhomestead545 Thank you for taking the time to respond. Do you have a video of how you have the breeder set up? I like the set up of keeping the breeders "safe/caged" and than the grow outs going on pasture for "food/natural" and of course, someone to mow my lawn :D

[@sewpretty13]

Thanks for this video and your comments on coccidiosis. I have been trying to find more info on it since we processed our rabbits this morning and they did all have coccidia. We live in warm central Florida, and my rabbits are in raised cages, but I have been feeding the rabbits morning I and night with many greens from the garden and yard. I am wondering if it is because of the warm weather, that even feeding them greens there could be loads of parasites on them. I have been putting ACV in their water which is supposed to help. So I am going to try and raise my next bunch without greens (very sad) and see if their livers will be clean. I'm going to treat all the cages with an ammonia-cleaning regimen as well!!!! Thanks again for your thoughts.

[@coxhomestead545]

Hey Becky! Thanks so much for commenting!! This is the first time I’ve heard of coccidiosis from simply gathering the greens! Did you also give it to your breeders or just the grow outs?

[@yknowgirl]

It makes me green with envy to see all that grass! I am in Dewey Arizona and we have none! Currently I am dragging two tractors around and seeding and watering behind them in hopes of some grass, etc. to grow in the trail. My area is too small to not cross the same path again within six months so I'm going to need to drag them down the roadway at some point, lol. Your place is so pretty.

[@coxhomestead545]

Oh I can imagine it is so hard to grow grass there. Hopefully your plan works!! Just keep an eye on livers and don’t put any from the tractor back into your breeder area.

[@JDA-88]

I don’t mix my rabbits and chicken tractor paths anymore. Too much fertilizer, it can burn spots.

[@coxhomestead545]

How closely were you running them together? With what time of turn around?

[@JDA-88]

@@coxhomestead545 originally I started pulling chickens behind rabbits to scratch through their leftovers. Only make one pass per year in the field. Freedom rangers were fine, Cornish cross were not. You mentioned y’all were starting meat birds so assumed it was the Cornish. I do them alone now, and make two passes per day. They will cover the grass in a few hours. I started hosing off the area during hot sunny days after moving it, otherwise I would have dead spots the rest of the season.

[@JDA-88]

@@coxhomestead545 if you do a larger area for the birds, they don’t get as big from the extra exercise and still cover their sleeping spots overnight.

[@coxhomestead545]

We didn’t have issues. That’s why I asked how closely you were doing them together.

[@salvatorelivreri]

Wondering what happened with the next batch.... did they also have coccidiosis?

[@coxhomestead545]

Thanks for asking. Most have not but occasionally we will have one that does in the rabbit tractor.

[@PetersonFarmsofNashvillePFON]

Great Information 👍

[@coxhomestead545]

Thank you. Do you raise rabbits?

[@BrianBetron]

Suggestion: get a mic cover for the wind.

[@coxhomestead545]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@joansmith3492]

do you have dogs? my dogs think rabbit poo is a delicacy which is a deal breaker for me.

[@coxhomestead545]

Yes we do have dogs. They do enjoy everyone’s poop. But our dogs do not go inside. They’re all outside.

[@noahapatoff1902]

why use ammonia? why not vinegar or bleach?

[@coxhomestead545]

Ammonia is what kills coccidiosis most affordably. Bleach or vinegar won’t cut it.

[@guineapigfarmer6064]

Mow the grass with a sythe and take the grass to your rabbits. This way the rabbits get cleaner grass.

[@coxhomestead545]

Thanks for the idea. Our rabbits in cages do get hay and treats but we work really hard to keep it minimal in the cages to keep their manure clean for gardeners.

[@lennylink8772]

Isn't that disease passed from wild rabbits?

[@coxhomestead545]

Coccidiosis? Can be. Can always be present in the soil.

[@longfootbuddy]

i thought this was going to be rabbits pulling things

[@coxhomestead545]

In the livestock world if your animals are in a unit that can be moved frequently, it's called a tractor.

[@carrieashley6465]

It be easier to do those rabbit tractor s when your younger

[@coxhomestead545]

Yes, possibly so. However, my 8 year old can move the tractors. They aren't too hard to handle.