Raising Rabbits in the winter How to thaw water bottles

Here is what we use to thaw the rabbit bottles in our barn where we keep the rabbits. The low was 2 degrees last night.

Winter is a tough time to breed and raise rabbits but with a few simple tricks it can be quite painless for all involved. Here is one way to water rabbits that will assure they have water a good part of the day and night. Rabbits do not need to have access to water at all times but the more water they drink the more they will eat and the more likely they are to reach their full potential.
We switch water bottles out two to three times a day depending on how cold it is and how fst they freeze. The trick is to have at least twice as many water bottles as you have holes (cage sections). Plus a few more in case one gets damaged. Plug in your brooder hood with a plastic Y that will allow you to use two 60 watt bulbs during the coldest times. Even when it is not as cold we have found that it is better to have two 40 watt bulbs in case one fails the other will keep the chill off the inside of the can. Fasten the brooder hood to the handle of the can with a wire. Then turn the lid upside down with the handle down and the light dangling and place the lid on can. I would like to find a ceramic Y instead of the plastic but so far no problem especially when it's cold.
Then just leave it on and maintain to regulate so your not heating it up too much. Fill all bottles with water, give each hole a bottle and put the other bottles into the can. This can is wrapped with insulation that has a vinyl backing like for pole barns. But you can use any plastic or a thick garbage bag. I fastened it with gorilla tape (in my opinion it's better than duct tape). Also when it is really cold fill water bottles half full for the holes that have only one rabbit. The holes that contain a dam with litter or a grow out pen should have bottles filled completely as they are likely to drink most of it before it freezes. A single rabbit might only drink a small amount and when full bottles freeze they could be damaged plus it is more to thaw out. The first thing that will freeze are the tips and sometimes you can change only the tips but it is always better to change the entire bottle. Water will push out of the bottles as they thaw and will end up in the bottom of the can. Because the water in the bottom gets pretty warm at times the water needs to be dumped and the can cleaned with bleach now and then. Depending on how many rabbits you have it might be worth it to have three times as many bottles as you have holes. You could drill a hole thru the lid and plae lid on correctly but this way gives you ventilation and when you pull the lid off and tun it over it sets flat with the light facing up. Anyway, I hope this helps somebody out there that might be interested in raising rabbits in the winter.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Raising
• rabbits
• New
• Zealand
• whites
• Californian
• rabbit
• cages
• hutches
• meat
• thawing
• frozen
• water
• bottles
• rabbitry

[AuzzGirl]

Wow. No offense intended, but you have an EXTREME amount of rabbits. That hutch/run was really crowded!

I have been showing/breeding rabbits all my life, and we have a nice set up (as i have a big back yard) were each rabbit(s) has its own hutch, which leads to a large run out on the grass :D

[augustabirdman]

@AuzzGirl wow! no offense taken considering you must be short of knowledgeable on rabbits. These are 3'x2'x18" high cages designed for mom and her babies. The babies stay in the cage with mom until they are 6 weeks and then they go into two other cages one for females and one for males. I have heard of beginners such as yourself that had big plans of having rabbits on grass. There is no way in hell you are a breeder that allows all rabbits to go to one run on grass. Unless you like inbreds.

[augustabirdman]

@AuzzGirl What happens when one rabbit decides to go to a hutch other than his or hers? Then what? how do you control each rabbits diet? How do you keep track of the individual needs of each rabbit?

BULLSHIT but thanks for trying. Oh by the way it is time to change your pet rabbits litter box it is starting to stink up the living room.

[georgepetlover]

can doe live together and can buck live with buck

[augustabirdman]

@georgepetlover does can live together especially if they are sisters most do not like to live together and if you are breeding them if one gets pregnant the other could have a false pregnancy. Do and buck must be kept in separate cages or more babies. :)

[Bristow42]

Just give them snow to eat, that was recommended to me by someone who has breed rabbits in the northern Ontario. They eat in the wild for water.

[augustabirdman]

@Bristow42 snow is a great idea but we only have snow on the ground here about three days a winter so we do not have that option. Thanks for commenting and I'm sure that will help lot's of folks that see your comment.

[newmaineguide]

Well, while I agree that your rabbits are not crowded, I disagree with your comment about there being no way in hell that a breeder can be successful colony raising rabbits on pasture. I would venture to guess that the huge colony rabbit farms in Europe would also disagree. Colony raising rabbits on a small scale is also successful for many people, and is also very common in Europe. America and China tend to raise rabbits in individual pens.

[321billygoat]

@augustabirdman well said

[BathroomTimeBomb]

this is horrible

[PreacherPrepper]

Thanks. I will be posting a video of my set up soon. I am not experienced so I really needed this. I have trays under each cage for poop and urine. I like the idea of the straw on the top. I assume that will help contain some warmth. I designed a tarp to roll down during the night when it is very cold at night and I put some ventilation at the top of the enclosed hutch which I thought I would leave open. I like the water idea. Any other tips for a KC rabbitry would be appreciated. Thanks

[PreacherPrepper]

Thanks. I will be posting a video of my set up soon. I am not experienced so I really needed this. I have trays under each cage for poop and urine. I like the idea of the straw on the top. I assume that will help contain some warmth. I designed a tarp to roll down during the night when it is very cold at night and I put some ventilation at the top of the enclosed hutch which I thought I would leave open. I like the water idea. Any other tips for a KC rabbitry would be appreciated. Thanks

[Bushcraftninja]

You think they freeze to death in a open cage deal in the winter if they're in out side cages in the back yard if so how to prevent this more hay?

[jeffdustin]

Clever solutions to the age old problems of freezing weather and animal keeping. I am surprised at what a simple and extremely effective setup you have. Well done and thanks for the video.

[Den0Q]

@AuzzGirl Where are you videos of your rabbits I would love to see them :)