Winter weather is upon us. And boy, is it COLD!
If you have a spouse like mine, then you're not allowed to bring your animals inside for the winter. (But wouldn't that be so much easier?) So, we need to come up with some ways to take care of our furry friends until our spouses come around to converting the basement into a barn.
I could go on for days about winter care for all farm animals, but we're going to talk specifically about the rabbits today.
I know, I know...it's soooo cold outside and there's no way they'll survive the winter, right?
Wrong.
Rabbits actually do surprisingly well in the winter. In fact, they do much better in extreme cold than in extreme heat. I mean, just look at the built-in fur coats they have! If I had a coat like theirs, I doubt I would ever get cold!
But seriously...there are still some steps that we need to take to ensure that they are as comfortable as possible in the winter.
HOUSING
Let's start with the biggest.
There are many different styles of housing for your rabbits; wire cages, wood hutches, and colonies being the biggest 3. (You obviously don't have to worry if your rabbit is kept inside the house with you).
Regardless of what style housing you have for your rabbits, the basic winterizing procedures are the same. I have a little bit of each style (including a house bun), and the rabbits in the wire cages get the same things as the ones in the wooden hutches and same for the rabbits in the colonies.
You may think that the wire cages would be colder, but as long as you follow these few basic tips, your rabbits won't mind one bit!
The very first thing you want to do is protect them from the wind and elements. If you have them in a barn, shed, or under a canopy, then congrats, your first step is done! For those of us that don't have that luxury, it's a little more difficult.
Personally, I use tarps and old feed bags. It's simple and cheap. For tarps, just drive on over to WallyWorld (WalMart) and pick up a bunch of their cheapest tarps in the sizes you need and get to covering three sides of those wire cages (and of course the tops, but I'm assuming you already have some kind of roof on your wire cages...otherwise you'd have bigger problems than winter weather). Another option is to use wood, plastic, or Plexiglas. Just do whatever is most cost effective and comfortable for you and your rabbits.
For the most part, having just the 3 sides blocked from wind, rain and snow will be sufficient for most of the winter. Because you want proper ventilation, I really don't recommend completely covering and sealing every side of your cages. The only time I ever cover the fronts of the cages is if the temperature is below zero (semi-rare for my area) and if the wind is blowing really bad (extremely common for us)...especially when it's blowing snow and rain right in the fronts of the cages. And even then, I don't make the front covers air tight. I still allow some air to escape and flow in from the sides. Ventilation is EXTREMELY important. Covering your rabbits will do them no good if you don't have proper ventilation. You need to find the proper balance of shelter and ventilation in order to survive the winter.
Another big thing to do is to provide them with plenty of dry bedding, straw, and lots of extra hay. Around 20 degrees Fahrenheit is when I start stuffing the cages with those 3 things. I can usually make it through most of the winter without completely covering the cages as long as I'm diligent about making sure they have plenty of hay and straw to burrow in.
If hay and straw is too expensive, too much of a hassle, or you simply don't want a lot of waste, then just put nest boxes in each cage or even fashion a hidey-hole out of shoe boxes or cardboard. Stuff a little straw or bedding in there, and you're good to go. This trick is especially great if you aren't able to cover 3 sides of your cages.
Obviously, wooden hutches are a little bit easier to deal with in cold weather, because for the most part, 3 sides should already be covered (depending on how you designed your hutches). The only thing you want to watch out for with the hutches is their bathroom spots. When it gets so cold, cleaning the hutches is next to impossible. Make sure you have PLENTY of dry and clean bedding to just keep adding to the cage so they're not sitting in frozen pee. As soon as the temperature warms up, start chiseling away at all that bedding.
WATER
Another biggie...and unfortunately, a royal pain in the butt!
You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that water freezes rather quickly when the temperature drops below 32. So, what to do? Our rabbits obviously need water.
If your rabbits are outside like mine, then you know you can't just heat the barn to keep the water from freezing. And if you have as many rabbits as I do, heated bottles would be expensive (not to mention the electric bill from said bottles). Some people are blessed with a heated automatic watering system, and I say if you have the money to do it, then go for it! You'll save yourself a lot of time, headache, and water.
But for those of us who have to tough it out, here are a few ideas:
- Have double bottles. That way you can just rotate them. By having 2 bottles for each rabbit, you can bring one set in at night to thaw and set the others ones out for them and vice versa. If you have a large number of rabbits, I really recommend slowly stocking up on bottles all year round. (I know that's not really helpful right this second, but there's always next winter!)
- Use crocks/bowls. This is an extremely popular way to do things in the winter. If you go to WalMart, they have little metal dishes for under a dollar. That's what I personally use. Rubber crocks may freeze slightly slower and be easier to break ice out of, but when dealing with a large number of rabbits, we aim for cheap.
- Use both bowls and bottles. This is actually the method that I personally use. Double bottles are pretty much out of the question for the number of rabbits we have.
If the temperature is between 25 and 32 the bottles stay out 24/7 and I just carry out a bucket of hot water to thaw them in. This is really easy if you don't fill the bottles completely full unless they need it. A single rabbit won't drink much before the water freezes, so most of the bottles only need filled 1/4 to 1/2 way. Just pay attention to your rabbits and you'll start noticing who usually drinks more and who hardly drinks at all.
If the temperature is between 15 and 25, then the bottles go out in the morning and the metal dishes get filled at night so I can bring the bottles in to thaw next to the furnace.
If the temperature is below 15, then there's no point at all in putting the bottles out. They freeze the second you get them on the cages. When it's that cold, I just use bowls and I refill them morning, lunchtime/early afternoon, and then in the evening. I work from home, so I'm able to do that. If you can't get out there three times a day, they should still be fine, just pay attention to make sure they're drinking when you fill the dishes.
Just a couple notes: If there is more than one rabbit in a cage or if there is a mom with babies (regardless of age), they keep their bottles. A bowl would just end up getting dumped if there's multiple rabbits running around or babies could drown (not worth the risk to me). I either thaw the bottles every feeding (15 and above) or swap the bottles out with another (15 and below...remember, I bring all the others in, so I usually have enough bottles to replace the frozen bottles on those cages).
FEED
This is not something that you have to do. It's just a small way I can at least make myself think I'm helping them.
I don't up their feed at all (besides increasing their hay), but I do add in oats and black oil sunflower seeds when it's 15 or colder. It's fairly cheap to just add those to my list at my local feed mill and it's just a nice little treat for my rabbits. Oats and sunflower seeds are both high in energy, so a lot of people will tell you that they help them stay warmer in the winter. Whether that's actually true or not, I can't say. I haven't researched it extensively. But I do know it makes for some happy buns!
Those are all just extremely basic ideas to help your rabbits in the winter. I've been doing it this way for years, and haven't had anybody freeze to death, so something is working!! (Actually, it's all really just common sense).
I promise, your rabbits will be just fine outside this winter. Just because we're cold doesn't mean they are. I completely understand that it's a hard mental wall to break down, though. But as long as they are clean, dry, sheltered, fed and watered, you'll be just fine.
(And just another note that all those above ideas apply to colony raising, too)
Do you have any winter tips you'd like to share with everybody! Drop a comment below to tell us all how you winterize! We'd love to hear from you!
Stay warm out there, guys!
-Emily
If you have a spouse like mine, then you're not allowed to bring your animals inside for the winter. (But wouldn't that be so much easier?) So, we need to come up with some ways to take care of our furry friends until our spouses come around to converting the basement into a barn.
I could go on for days about winter care for all farm animals, but we're going to talk specifically about the rabbits today.
I know, I know...it's soooo cold outside and there's no way they'll survive the winter, right?
Wrong.
Rabbits actually do surprisingly well in the winter. In fact, they do much better in extreme cold than in extreme heat. I mean, just look at the built-in fur coats they have! If I had a coat like theirs, I doubt I would ever get cold!
But seriously...there are still some steps that we need to take to ensure that they are as comfortable as possible in the winter.
HOUSING
Let's start with the biggest.
There are many different styles of housing for your rabbits; wire cages, wood hutches, and colonies being the biggest 3. (You obviously don't have to worry if your rabbit is kept inside the house with you).
Regardless of what style housing you have for your rabbits, the basic winterizing procedures are the same. I have a little bit of each style (including a house bun), and the rabbits in the wire cages get the same things as the ones in the wooden hutches and same for the rabbits in the colonies.
You may think that the wire cages would be colder, but as long as you follow these few basic tips, your rabbits won't mind one bit!
The very first thing you want to do is protect them from the wind and elements. If you have them in a barn, shed, or under a canopy, then congrats, your first step is done! For those of us that don't have that luxury, it's a little more difficult.
Personally, I use tarps and old feed bags. It's simple and cheap. For tarps, just drive on over to WallyWorld (WalMart) and pick up a bunch of their cheapest tarps in the sizes you need and get to covering three sides of those wire cages (and of course the tops, but I'm assuming you already have some kind of roof on your wire cages...otherwise you'd have bigger problems than winter weather). Another option is to use wood, plastic, or Plexiglas. Just do whatever is most cost effective and comfortable for you and your rabbits.
For the most part, having just the 3 sides blocked from wind, rain and snow will be sufficient for most of the winter. Because you want proper ventilation, I really don't recommend completely covering and sealing every side of your cages. The only time I ever cover the fronts of the cages is if the temperature is below zero (semi-rare for my area) and if the wind is blowing really bad (extremely common for us)...especially when it's blowing snow and rain right in the fronts of the cages. And even then, I don't make the front covers air tight. I still allow some air to escape and flow in from the sides. Ventilation is EXTREMELY important. Covering your rabbits will do them no good if you don't have proper ventilation. You need to find the proper balance of shelter and ventilation in order to survive the winter.
Another big thing to do is to provide them with plenty of dry bedding, straw, and lots of extra hay. Around 20 degrees Fahrenheit is when I start stuffing the cages with those 3 things. I can usually make it through most of the winter without completely covering the cages as long as I'm diligent about making sure they have plenty of hay and straw to burrow in.
If hay and straw is too expensive, too much of a hassle, or you simply don't want a lot of waste, then just put nest boxes in each cage or even fashion a hidey-hole out of shoe boxes or cardboard. Stuff a little straw or bedding in there, and you're good to go. This trick is especially great if you aren't able to cover 3 sides of your cages.
Obviously, wooden hutches are a little bit easier to deal with in cold weather, because for the most part, 3 sides should already be covered (depending on how you designed your hutches). The only thing you want to watch out for with the hutches is their bathroom spots. When it gets so cold, cleaning the hutches is next to impossible. Make sure you have PLENTY of dry and clean bedding to just keep adding to the cage so they're not sitting in frozen pee. As soon as the temperature warms up, start chiseling away at all that bedding.
WATER
Another biggie...and unfortunately, a royal pain in the butt!
You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that water freezes rather quickly when the temperature drops below 32. So, what to do? Our rabbits obviously need water.
If your rabbits are outside like mine, then you know you can't just heat the barn to keep the water from freezing. And if you have as many rabbits as I do, heated bottles would be expensive (not to mention the electric bill from said bottles). Some people are blessed with a heated automatic watering system, and I say if you have the money to do it, then go for it! You'll save yourself a lot of time, headache, and water.
But for those of us who have to tough it out, here are a few ideas:
- Have double bottles. That way you can just rotate them. By having 2 bottles for each rabbit, you can bring one set in at night to thaw and set the others ones out for them and vice versa. If you have a large number of rabbits, I really recommend slowly stocking up on bottles all year round. (I know that's not really helpful right this second, but there's always next winter!)
- Use crocks/bowls. This is an extremely popular way to do things in the winter. If you go to WalMart, they have little metal dishes for under a dollar. That's what I personally use. Rubber crocks may freeze slightly slower and be easier to break ice out of, but when dealing with a large number of rabbits, we aim for cheap.
- Use both bowls and bottles. This is actually the method that I personally use. Double bottles are pretty much out of the question for the number of rabbits we have.
If the temperature is between 25 and 32 the bottles stay out 24/7 and I just carry out a bucket of hot water to thaw them in. This is really easy if you don't fill the bottles completely full unless they need it. A single rabbit won't drink much before the water freezes, so most of the bottles only need filled 1/4 to 1/2 way. Just pay attention to your rabbits and you'll start noticing who usually drinks more and who hardly drinks at all.
If the temperature is between 15 and 25, then the bottles go out in the morning and the metal dishes get filled at night so I can bring the bottles in to thaw next to the furnace.
If the temperature is below 15, then there's no point at all in putting the bottles out. They freeze the second you get them on the cages. When it's that cold, I just use bowls and I refill them morning, lunchtime/early afternoon, and then in the evening. I work from home, so I'm able to do that. If you can't get out there three times a day, they should still be fine, just pay attention to make sure they're drinking when you fill the dishes.
Just a couple notes: If there is more than one rabbit in a cage or if there is a mom with babies (regardless of age), they keep their bottles. A bowl would just end up getting dumped if there's multiple rabbits running around or babies could drown (not worth the risk to me). I either thaw the bottles every feeding (15 and above) or swap the bottles out with another (15 and below...remember, I bring all the others in, so I usually have enough bottles to replace the frozen bottles on those cages).
FEED
This is not something that you have to do. It's just a small way I can at least make myself think I'm helping them.
I don't up their feed at all (besides increasing their hay), but I do add in oats and black oil sunflower seeds when it's 15 or colder. It's fairly cheap to just add those to my list at my local feed mill and it's just a nice little treat for my rabbits. Oats and sunflower seeds are both high in energy, so a lot of people will tell you that they help them stay warmer in the winter. Whether that's actually true or not, I can't say. I haven't researched it extensively. But I do know it makes for some happy buns!
Those are all just extremely basic ideas to help your rabbits in the winter. I've been doing it this way for years, and haven't had anybody freeze to death, so something is working!! (Actually, it's all really just common sense).
I promise, your rabbits will be just fine outside this winter. Just because we're cold doesn't mean they are. I completely understand that it's a hard mental wall to break down, though. But as long as they are clean, dry, sheltered, fed and watered, you'll be just fine.
(And just another note that all those above ideas apply to colony raising, too)
Do you have any winter tips you'd like to share with everybody! Drop a comment below to tell us all how you winterize! We'd love to hear from you!
Stay warm out there, guys!
-Emily