What do you need to know before adopting chickens and rabbits? Can these animals live together in harmony in one enclosure? If you want to raise chickens and rabbits in your garden, here are some easy tips to apply.
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Chickens and rabbits: can they live together?
The answer is yes. The main challenge is to ensure the safety of all animals. Neither species should be a threat to the other. It is essential that rabbits and chickens have their own space. For example, under no circumstances should you try to have all the animals live together in a chicken coop. Everyone has their own needs and character, but cohabitation is not impossible.
What are the risks of cohabitation?
Chickens and rabbits in the same place are risky. Both species are territorial. First, there are power problems. Rabbits should not help themselves to their roommates' bowls. They follow a specific diet based on pellets, vegetables or fruits. Chickens, on the other hand, eat foods that are higher in calories.
Next, beware of the risks of disease transmission. Specifically, rabbits should never come into contact with chicken droppings. Similarly, gallinaceous birds should not enter the hutch. For example, chickens can transmit salmonellosis to rabbits, as well as intestinal diseases and skin conditions. Finally, cohabitation can lead to some disagreement. Chickens and rabbits are both territorial species. Collisions can occur, with the injuries that this entails.
Read alsoChicken coop and hutch: what regulations?
How to successfully coexist chickens and rabbits?
If you want to have chickens and rabbits live together in the same territory, here are the precautions to take. Be aware that cohabitation must be done gradually. Ideally, chickens and rabbits should be set up in their enclosures when they are small. This will make it easier for them to get used to each other. If this is not possible, plan a wire separation for the beginning.
To ensure that all residents are quiet and serene, place the hutch and chicken coop at both ends of the property. Remember to secure the enclosure. Dogs, foxes and other snakes could get in. As an indication, count 15 m2 per hen and 6 m2 for two rabbits. This is the minimum for a lasting agreement.
In terms of hygiene, you should avoid any risk of illness. To do this, make sure that rabbit droppings do not spread throughout the entire enclosure. The hutch must be completely sealed and regularly cleaned. Also be careful that the chickens do not come to relieve themselves. Finally, set up several separate water and feeding points. The water must be changed very regularly to ensure hygiene.