Can chickens and rabbits live together in the same coop?

[LittleDarlings]

I was just reading about rabbits last night with my kids. Two of my daughters want rabbits when we move to our "farm". I was reading about the difference in caging vs. free-ranging. I told the kids I don't know why you couldn't do both. When you let the chickens out in the morning, you let the bunnies out. When you bring the chickies in at night, you put the bunnies in their hutches for safety. I never once thought that they might not get along!! Thanks for sharing!

 

[mya-star]

yes but i have three chickens ... soo can they live with rabbits as thinking of getting one ?

 

[bluestar.ranch]

I have never heard of that.. if you do make sure to check on the rabbits for safety

 

[loupan]

They get on perfectly fine i have 4 rabbits and 2 guinipigs that have been free ranging together in a huge pen for the last year, (they were in a hutch and i thought it would be so much better to have a huge run as soon as i put them into the coop they were so excited jumping around it was so cute to see) i have had absolutly no problems in fact they are good mates ,they eat together lay together out in the sun ,the chickens tell the bunnies off if they have had enough and vice versa ,the rabbits even munch on the flipping chicken food and the chooks eat the bunny food which is weird but they love it

i checked with my vet and he said it will do them no harm ,i even added 6 wee 8 week old babies to the coop and no probs at all you will be fine im sure i would prob recommend having 2 bunnies though to keep each other company just my opinion

 

[loupan]

They get on perfectly fine i have 4 rabbits and 2 guinipigs that have been free ranging together in a huge pen for the last year, (they were in a hutch and i thought it would be so much better to have a huge run as soon as i put them into the coop they were so excited jumping around it was so cute to see) i have had absolutly no problems in fact they are good mates ,they eat together lay together out in the sun ,the chickens tell the bunnies off if they have had enough and vice versa ,the rabbits even munch on the flipping chicken food and the chooks eat the bunny food which is weird but they love it

i checked with my vet and he said it will do them no harm ,i even added 6 wee 8 week old babies to the coop and no probs at all you will be fine im sure i would prob recommend having 2 bunnies though to keep each other company just my opinion

sorry i ment to say free ranging with my 4 big hens for the last year ,now the bunnies and the guinipigs live with 10 chooks in complete harmony .

 

[mollysam]

Is this possible?  I have a rabbit that I would like to get outside but can they stay in the same coop and how should the living quarters be set up? 


thanks

Chris

 

[KatieKitt]

As a long time bunny owner, I wouldn't do it. I have had NASTY rabbits. One almost killed my dog (a cocker spaniel) when he bit her and ripped through her chest wall. Bunnies can bite and bite hard. This same rabbit bit me and I got stitches in my ankle and he degloved the leg of another rabbit that required 38 staples to put back together.

The other issue is diet. If the rabbit is routinely eating poultry feed, it can seriously elevate their blood calcium levels to dangerous levels. Total dietary calcium for rabbits should not exceed 1%. Most poultry feeds, especially for layers, are over 3%. This can cause muscle and urinary issues with your rabbits.

For the health and safety of both animals, I'd just keep separate housing for both.

 

[cmerk]

Our chicken coop is very large for the twelve chickens we now have. I was wanting to hang the rabbit cages along the back wall. There would be six all together hanging in two rows, one on top of the other. There will be corrugated panels under each row to deflect feces. If we put clear plastic over the top row it seems impossible for a chicken to get on top of either row. Our rabbits are raised for meat and have no pet qualities to them. I do worry about the plastic on the top row as these silly things ate the electrical tape off the hanging wire we have over them now.

My main concern at this point is HEAT. Indiana has been known to have weeks of above 80 degree weather. It was kind of warm in there one day already, of course the day I hung the roost up and was cleaning the floor. Second concern is respiratory issues. Airborne diseases that I don't even know about concern me. On the plus side, in Indiana winter perhaps they would all stay a tad warmer with one space heater doing the trick. We are fresh new farmers. We both agree we should have done this 50 years ago.

 

[Homestead girl]

My Grandfather always had his rabbits in his chicken coop. They were in hutches on the back wall, The poo fell to the floor and the chickens just worked it right into the litter . No smell , no mess, to clean up and all was good in his coop. He never let the rabbit's out into the coop to run with the chickens. The rabbit were meat rabbits so they were only in the hutches for a short while.
I am going to do the same with the rabbits that I get.
You can learn a lot from the old farmers.

 

[cmerk]

Ah Ha, I just knew it could work. We are in the process of installing some used RV windows in our coop for better circulation. We don't plan to let these rabbits out on the coop floor, they are aggressive meat rabbits. In fact I will have no problem serving rabbit stew. There must be sweet docile rabbits somewhere, but these are not it.

Our leghorns are aggressive and will not upset me one bit on the table. Trixie on the other hand is docile and friendly which worked her way off the table as long as she and I remain together.