Rabbit Production - James I McNitt

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needed to prevent young rabbits from getting into the hopper. Some feeders have mesh or slotted bottoms that allow fines to fall through. This assures the rabbits of good quality pellets. The presence of fines may reduce feed intake and growth performance. Crocks may be used in small rabbitries, but they require a lot of labor for cleaning, because they are often soiled with feces and urine. Wastage is often a problem.

      Fig. 4.11. An example of a J feeder, with a mesh bottom to allow fines to sift out of the feed (right) and a feeder with a solid bottom (left). (Courtesy of D.J. Harris)

      Feeders should be regularly checked for problems. Rough edges can cause hair loss on the faces of rabbits or cuts that become infected and develop into abscesses. Rabbits may chew small holes in the mesh bottoms of feeders. These holes generally occur where the mesh screen joins the metal and are difficult to see. Feed is observed under the cage, and it is assumed that the rabbits are scratching it out, but the real problem may be a hole in the feeder. As a result, slotted hoppers may be preferred in large rabbitries. Stainless steel feeders should be considered, as they look better and last considerably longer than galvanized feeders. Feeders should also be checked for wetness (the rabbits may soil the feed, water may drip into the feeders, or the pellets may absorb moisture from the air) and for stale, moldy, or caked feed. Feeders should be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis. Feed crocks on the inside of the cage should be sanitized more frequently than feed hoppers on the outside of the cage.

      Hay mangers

      Hay feeding may be considered desirable by some rabbit raisers. There is evidence that it may help reduce the incidence of some types of enteritis. Use of home-grown hay may help to reduce feed costs. Various types of V-shaped hay feeders that attach to the outside of the cage may be built. If Quonset-style cages are used, the hay can be fed directly on the tops of the cages (Fig. 4.6).

      Watering Equipment

      All rabbit raisers with more than about six does should consider installing an automatic watering system. A properly designed and installed automatic watering system will provide a dependable supply of water and prevent water siphoning from cage to cage. Most rabbits readily learn to use the automatic valves (Fig. 4.12). An automatic watering system is adequate for use throughout the year in rabbitries that are protected so the exposed water pipes will not freeze, but where there is more exposure, it may be necessary to drain the pipes during short cold spells. In some colder areas, such a system can be used all year if it is allowed to drip to prevent the supply pipes from freezing or if heating cables are installed inside the pipes to prevent freezing. Even in regions where it would be necessary to discontinue using the system during the winter months, the amount of labor saved for the remainder of the year might justify installation.

      Fig. 4.12. A rabbit drinking from an automatic waterer. (Courtesy of J.I. McNitt)

      You may locate necessary materials for installation by referring to advertisements in rabbit magazines, or you may purchase them from rabbit and poultry supply houses. A system generally will consist of a pressure tank equipped with a float valve; 1.25 cm supply pipe; one watering valve for each cage; and gate valves or faucets for eliminating air bubbles, draining the pipes, and cutting off the water supply. The pressure tank may be the standard tank used for this purpose or a halfbarrel. A tank with a capacity of 4 l or less is desirable for warm areas because the small volume of water will be consumed readily and the tank will fill at short intervals and assist in keeping the water in the supply pipes cool; the half-barrel will supply several hundred cages and is especially useful in case the water supply contains sediment. By installing the supply pipe outlet several inches from the bottom of the barrel, there will be enough water volume so this sediment will gravitate to the bottom of the barrel and not clog the watering valves. A trap for catching sediment may be installed between the tank and the supply pipe that furnishes water to the cages.

      The pressure tank should be about 30 to 60 cm above the highest cage or 30 cm above the highest point of the supply pipe, in case it is necessary to raise the supply pipe to clear feeding alleys, etc. If the pipe has to be raised, it is a good plan to install a vent pipe at the highest point, with the open end of the pipe at least a foot above the surface of the water in the tank, to prevent air bubbles from accumulating in the supply pipe. A convenient method for determining the proper height of the tank is to fasten a rubber hose to the outlet from the tank and to the supply pipe, then to raise and lower the tank until the proper tension is obtained on the water valves. About 14 kPa (2 lb/square inch) at the valves is suitable. If there is too much pressure, the rabbit cannot trip a valve with its tongue; if there is too little pressure, the valves will not close properly and may drip. Several days are usually required for the valves to become seated and stop dripping. If they begin to drip after they have been in use for some time, it may be due to minerals contained in the water collecting on the metal and preventing them from seating properly. You can correct this by soaking the valves in a 5 percent solution of muriatic acid. Generally, you can fix a dripping valve by removing and cleaning it. If not, it should be replaced, because water dripping in the rabbitry contributes to excess humidity.

      The supply pipe should be on the outside of the cage so that any dripping will not wet the rabbits and so that the water line cannot be chewed on. The valves should be 15 to 23 cm from the cage floor for the medium weight and heavy breeds and 13 to 18cm for the small breeds. One valve for each cage is adequate. After an automatic watering system is installed, it should be thoroughly flushed several times to remove any particulate matter that may cause the valves to leak. It is advisable to flush and sanitize the water lines monthly, quarterly, or as needed. After sanitizing, the lines should be flushed with clean water.

      Nest Boxes

      Nest boxes can be constructed from a variety of materials, including wood, metal, wire with disposable cardboard inserts, plastic, and clay pots. They may be open on top or have partial covers to provide protection in cold weather.

      Wooden boxes without lids are used quite extensively as nest boxes throughout the year in those areas where winter temperatures are above freezing. They may be simple plywood boxes with a plywood floor that has holes drilled in it. An alternative is to use 3 mm hardware cloth for the floor (Fig. 4.13). A more protected box can be constructed. Cut one end of the box down to about 15cm. Nail a board across the top of the box at the back. Cut off the two projecting corners of the sides, slanting from the edge of the top board to the edge of the 15 cm board. The doe is able to get away from her litter and is often seen on top of the nest box. Some growers protect the edges of the boards with tin to prevent chewing. Satisfactory results have been obtained with nest boxes as small as 38 × 23 × 18 cm. Advantages of a smaller nest box are that the doe makes a more compact nest, the materials cost less, the box takes up less space in the cage, and the doe is less likely to use it as a resting area or as a latrine.

      Fig. 4.13. A wooden nest box with a wire screen bottom. (Courtesy of J.I. McNitt)

      Injury of a young litter by the doe jumping into the box may be prevented by a slight change in the nest box. A 15 × 15 cm door should be made in one end, approximately 15 cm from the floor. Before the young are old enough to get out of the box, the end with the opening is turned away from the cage wall so the doe can get into the box without jumping over the side. When the young are about large enough to get out of the box, in order to keep them in it a

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