# Can I put my rabbits near the chickens?



## shelljo (Feb 1, 2005)

The ideal spot to build a rabbit pen is inside the 40 x 40 chicken pen, and use their building as the back wall. 

I think I remember reading somewhere NOT to put chickens and rabbits next door--so, am I right? Will our rabbits be ok with the chicks (and vice versa) or do we need to go elsewhere.

Thanks!


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## Oscar (Oct 7, 2005)

I personally keep my bunny out of the coop, but if that's the only place you have... I have been to a couple of farm set-ups in which the rabbits were right next to the poultry. I mean the hens and turkeys walked around and sometimes roosted on the cage. I have been to many county fairs where they are kept in the same building. I have heard the chicken-bunny warning, but have never heard WHY except to say "the chickens can give the bunny diseases." Hope someone else has some advice for you, too.


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## shelljo (Feb 1, 2005)

Thanks Oscar.

You know, our fair also has the rabbits right next to the chickens. We've got chain link to make their fence, hope to put some on the ground (under ground) and let the rabbits have hutches and move around on soil and grass. My aim is to make the pen tall enough that the chickens don't fly in or roost on top of the fence.


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## tenacres (Jul 29, 2005)

Our rabbits live in the chicken coop and we have never had a problem. I have a rabbit hutch in the coop and I built a wooden ramp for the bunnies to go up and down. In the morning, I go out and open the chickens door to the outside run and then I open the door to the rabbit hutch and the rabbits come running down and outside they go! We trained the rabbits to go back up into their hutch at night. It's great because when we go out to close up the coop for the night, the rabbits are already in their hutch. We simply just fill up their feeders and close the door. We do close them in the hutch every night because the chickens enjoy eating rabbit pellets and they will go right up their ramp and sit in the hutch and eat. By closing the rabbits in the hutch, we know they are getting food and rest apart from the chickens. But by morning, the rabbits start jumping around....all excited about getting out of the hutch. They enjoy being outside and I like the idea that they can come and go from their hutch as they want during the day. It's worked out very well for us.

Our chickens (16 hens, 4 roosters) have never bothered the rabbits. Never had a problem from day one. Our coops has ducks as well as the rabbits and chickens....all live together happily.

Concerns: Rabbits can get coccidiosis from chickens. Another concern would be the amount of dust that chickens create. The rabbits could develop upper respitory problems. As I said, we havent had any problems an will continue housing them together....but this IS something to think about.


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## Michael Leferink (Jul 12, 2003)

shelljo,

A lot of folks worry about coccidiosis, but cocci is species specific. Both chickens and rabbits can carry their version of the parasite, but they can not give it to each other. The main concern is Salmonella. The rabbits can get Salmonella from chickens, especially if they come into contact with chicken manure. If you keep the cages/hutches in the pen/run but out of the coop (away from dust) and if you design your system to keep the chickens from roosting on the cages/hutches, you should be O.K. Also, any feed, hay, etc., that is for your rabbits, needs to be protected from contamination by your chickens. Lots of people let their chickens scratch under the rabbit cages. The chickens help with the composting process and fly control. They will also clean up any spilled rabbit feed and this will help to control rodents. We don't have chickens at the moment, but when we get relocated, we intend to have chickens and ducks in our rabbit area.

Good luck,
MikeL


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## Tucker (Jan 4, 2005)

Michael Leferink said:


> shelljo,
> 
> A lot of folks worry about coccidiosis, but cocci is species specific. Both chickens and rabbits can carry their version of the parasite, but they can not give it to each other. The main concern is Salmonella. The rabbits can get Salmonella from chickens, especially if they come into contact with chicken manure. If you keep the cages/hutches in the pen/run but out of the coop (away from dust) and if you design your system to keep the chickens from roosting on the cages/hutches, you should be O.K. Also, any feed, hay, etc., that is for your rabbits, needs to be protected from contamination by your chickens. Lots of people let their chickens scratch under the rabbit cages. The chickens help with the composting process and fly control. They will also clean up any spilled rabbit feed and this will help to control rodents. We don't have chickens at the moment, but when we get relocated, we intend to have chickens and ducks in our rabbit area.
> 
> ...




I have/had my outside hutches in the chicken pen area for over 4 years now,, where the chickens can scratch under doing their thing ,, and at one time I had hanging cages in the henhouse too with no problems ,, I used plastic 'fencing' to keep them from the top of the hanging cage ....

have had no problems ,,, the main thing is ,, as said ,, keep the chickens from getting on top of the cages where they can / may poop in the cage or on the rabbits or steal or contaminate the feed ,,

any poop or dirt from the chickens feet that may get on / in the cages ,, the rabbits 'might' lick at it and can get worms that way too ,, 

thats how chickens can transmit the 'rabbit cocci' ,, from another rabbit that has it and the chicken carrys the dirt up to another cage where a healthy rabbit 'catches' it .. I think I'm explaining it right ,,

and be sure to keep the chickens from the hay you're feeding the rabbits as well as the straw for nesting material ,,

'I' also try to keep the cat/dog from sleeping on the bales too ,, (I don't 'think' mama does would like straw that smelled like the cat or dog in their nestbox ,,,

IF YOU ARE SELLING TO A PROCESSOR .. Some do not 'allow' / want chickens anywhere near the rabbits ,,,,, some demand no chickens on the same property as the rabbits at all ...........


it all depends on your market ...


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