Technology for breeding and raising rabbits in a pit at home
Rabbit farming as a farming industry originated in the 19th century. Burrowing animals were raised in conditions close to natural ones. Farmers kept them in special holes dug in the ground. The eared ears bred and took care of the offspring, but did not get food. With the development of the industry, the acceleration method and the enclosure of rabbits began to be used, but breeding in the pit remains an alternative and economical method.
Pros and cons of breeding rabbits in a pit
Aviary and pit methods differ in financial costs, housing conditions, hygiene and the rate of reproduction of animals. Raising rabbits in a hole is beneficial due to the savings:
- finances and time for the arrangement of the place of detention - the construction of a rabbitry includes drawing up a project, erecting or re-equipping a room, heating, electricity and running water. To dig a hole, you do not need to have special knowledge, buy building materials and hire workers;
- time for harvesting - in the rabbitries built according to Mikhailov's scheme, a system for removing droppings has been thought out, which frees farmers from daily cleaning of their cages. But you will have to change the litter and clean the drain over time. You can clean up the pit much less often;
- space - to accommodate 200 individuals in cages, you will need a separate area. With the pit method of breeding, for such a number of rabbits, they dig out a standard depression of 2 meters in length, width and depth.
The advantage of keeping in a pit is also that the rabbits move more, are not limited in communication with each other and therefore reproduce faster.
Negative aspects of breeding in a pit:
- the rapid spread of disease - the first rabbit that gets sick will infect the rest. Viral diseases are not cured, and in the community there is a high risk of re-infection of recovered individuals. Therefore, most likely it will not be possible to save the herd;
- specific problems with cleaning - during the cleaning of the cages, the rabbits are placed one by one in a separate box. It is difficult to catch nimble animals in the pit, so the procedure for replacing the litter must be thought out in advance
- breed restriction - pits are suitable for meat rabbits;
- incest - rabbits in the pit reproduce quickly but uncontrollably. Gradually, most individuals in the population become close relatives. Their offspring are weakening. Rabbits are more likely to develop genetic defects.
With the right arrangement in the pit keeping of rabbits, more advantages appear. In winter and summer, the earth keeps the same temperature due to the natural generation of heat by animals.The special microclimate has a beneficial effect on the health and reproduction of rabbits.
Which breeds are suitable for the method
Meat breeds raised in pit and aviary have the same high quality of meat. But the skin looks better in rabbits living in separate cages.
Meat breeds that can be kept in the pit:
- rex - has small legs and large ears. The average weight of an adult rabbit is 4.5 kilograms. Most of the mass is meat. Rexes tolerate frost of -30 degrees well and are unpretentious in food, but cannot stand the heat, are shy and can bite. There are 4-5 rabbits in the litter;
- flandre - Belgian giants of good nature reach a weight of 12 kilograms. In one litter 14 cubs are born. Giant rabbits are sensitive to drafts and often catch colds with sudden changes in temperature;
- gray giant - large-sized rabbits weigh 6-7 kilograms. Giants need a lot of space, so they will be more comfortable in the pit than in the cages;
- black-brown - an easy-to-care rabbit weighing 5 kilograms quickly adapts to the changeable weather in winter.
The cultivation technology depends on the breed. A pit for thoroughbred and large rabbits is well insulated and no more than 20 individuals are allowed to run. Small rocks are more mobile and tend to dig holes. To do this, a site free of insulation is left on one of the walls.
Selection of a place for a pit
The main requirements for the place where rabbits are kept are warm and dry. Therefore, the pit is prepared on a slightly shaded hill with deep groundwater. The parameters are selected according to the number and size of animals. The length, width and height of a standard recess are 2 meters. If the hole is not deep enough, rabbits can dig an exit upstairs and get out.
A layer of sand 20 centimeters thick is placed on the bottom to absorb odor. A metal lattice or wooden slats impregnated with an antibacterial compound are placed on top. The floor is concreted and sloped so that the sewage flows to one wall, and it is convenient to clean them.
The walls are reinforced with bricks or slate and insulated with straw. A straw bedding is placed at the bottom of the pit. One wall below is left earthen so that the rabbits will equip the hole. The pit is protected from the sun and precipitation by a canopy. Nearby, a fenced green lawn is set up as an aviary and a path for rabbits is laid to it. A metal mesh with small cells is placed as a fence. A pit with access to an aviary allows the animals to move more, eat lush grass and bask in the sun. The course must be equipped with a door that will protect rabbits from wild animals at night.
Burrow dimensions
The instincts of young nursery rabbits are dull, and they do not dig holes. In this case, a dwelling for animals must be made by hand. The burrow is placed at a height of 12 centimeters from the floor. If the pit is flooded, water will not penetrate there. The depth of a rabbit hole in nature is 15-20 meters. In the pit, it is enough to set the start of the move so that there is enough room for rabbits and rabbits. Over time, their instincts will wake up, and the animals will dig a hole deeper.
Burrow preparation scheme:
- dig a passage in the wall with a diameter of 20 centimeters and a length of 1.5-2 meters;
- as you move, tilt down at an angle of 20 degrees so that the rabbits do not dig a path to the ground outside the pit;
- expand the entrance to 40 centimeters in diameter and shape the manhole into a cone;
- coat the walls with clay.
For breeding rabbits at home, a cellar is sometimes used. In a finished underground shelter with fortified walls, animals will not be able to dig passages. In the cellar, it is better to put cages and put a bed of straw inside. In this way, breeds of sedentary giants are bred.The pit is populated with young growth 6 months old for 3-4 years. Then the first settlers are allowed to eat meat. Rabbits dig holes for posterity. At an older age, their reproductive ability decreases and the instinct to dig weakens. Representatives of the older generation occupy minks dug by the younger. In order to avoid conflicts in the herd, 4-year-olds should be removed from the pit or young animals should be removed.
Content rules
The pit is populated in stages: for 2 days, the rabbits are transferred from the cages, then returned back and after 2 days they are again planted in the pit. After 5 approaches, the animals are left in a new place.
Settlers are selected by sex: 6 females and 1 male. It is better to start breeding with a small amount of 14 individuals.
Diet
The menu for yam content is the same as for breeding on a mini-farm:
- green fodder - fresh grass, hay, silage, fruit tree twigs, beet tops;
- vegetables - raw and boiled potatoes, beets, turnips, beans, carrots, cabbage leaves;
- roughage - cereals, sunflower seeds, pumpkin, flax.
The animals are fed 2 times a day. Dishes with food and water are placed above the floor to prevent impurities from entering. When raising rabbits in the basement, feeders and drinkers can be hung inside the cages.
Reproduction
The rabbit population in the pit increases naturally. Bunnies take care of their own and others' rabbits. Drinkers must always have water, otherwise milk will disappear from dehydration. If it is impossible to feed the offspring, the rabbit destroys it. When breeding animals in a pit, the following rules are followed:
- change males every six months to prevent degeneration;
- transplant young growth into another pit;
- remove aggressive and weak individuals from the herd.
Males cripple each other in a fight, so conflicting rabbits need to be removed. If rounding females do not get enough food and water in the herd, it is better to keep them in cages.
How to get a rabbit out of the hole
The animals live apart most of the time, wean themselves from humans and hide when they appear in burrows. Rabbits cannot be reached out of a deep manhole by any means at hand. They are attracted only by the food that they receive from the owner.
To make it easier to catch the animals in the pit, farmers use the following trick:
- when building an artificial hole, a shutter is hung at the entrance;
- from the moment of settling, feeding is accompanied by a signal - a whistle, a call or clapping;
- minks dug by animals are also equipped with dampers.
The inhabitants of the pit will develop a reflex - the signal means food. They will use whistles or calls. You need to catch the rabbit together. One person calls the herd, and the other covers the burrows with flaps. The animals will have nowhere to hide. The intended rabbit is caught with a net.
What problems can be and methods of solving them
Difficulties that await rabbits in an insufficiently comfortable pit:
- the appearance of rats and insects;
- raids of wild predators;
- blindness from poor lighting during the day;
- disease.
Rats and insects carry viruses and bacteria. So that the animals do not get infected, they are vaccinated before settling. If pests have entered the pit, the herd must be deposited and disinfected or immediately transplanted into a new pit. Rabbits will hide from predators in deep burrows. If the young do not know how to dig them, an experienced rabbit that has grown in a hole is placed next to the herd. The problem of lack of sunlight will be solved by arranging the exit to the aviary.
