Feeding Rabbits 
Green Food 
There is so much said and written on the subject of Feeding Rabbits it 
often is very confusing to the beginner as the more he reads on the sub- 
ject, the more confusing statements he will see and all from seemingly. well 
experienced breeders. 
One will suggest green food, another states he would feed green food 
under no conditions, etc. 
When we find conflicting statements like the above the beginner should 
go “fifty-fifty” and feed a little green food, but feed sparingly. Do not 
throw enough green food in the hutch to do for three or four days and 
think your rabbits will thrive on this system of feeding. for they will not. 
A little green food or roots two or three times a week is very beneficial 
to either breeding stock or growing youngsters, but should be given in 
quantities that they can clean up in 15 or 20 minutes and it should be fresh 
and not frosted or frozen. Dandelions are gone in early spring and sum- 
mer and the Giant variety can be grown and cultivated and a large amount 
of feed can be produced on a smail plot of ground. 
Giant Chicory is another valuable green food which can be cultivated 
and can be grown from the seed and is a perennial plant and hardy. 
From early fall on through the winter carrots both tops and roots are 
a valuable food and those two can be grown by the breeder. Sow in rows 
very thick and after tops get eight or ten inches high commence to pull 
and feed, thinning your rows until a suitable number of plants are left to 
produce good sized carrots for winter feeding. Cauliflower leaves are also 
good, but cabbage leaves a very offensive smell in the hutches. 
Hay and Grain 
Hay and oats if obtainable should be your main feed for breeders and 
youngsters after three or four months of age and if oats cannot be secured 
barley is the next best grain food and can be fed either whole or crushed, 
but prefer the crushed for growing youngsters. 
The great mistake most beginners make in feeding grain is that they 
- feed too heavily getting their breeding does too fat resulting in a disap- 
pointment in expected litters. Many producing no youngsters and those 
that do only a few in a litter and not possessing the strength and vigor 
they should, resulting in a large percentage of losses and the beginner na- 
turally. gets discouraged blaming the rabbits, when in fact the cause is his 
“over kindness” in his feeding. 
No definite rule can be laid down as to the amount of grain to feed, 
as individuals of the same breed differ so much in their requirements. 
When you place grain in your food crocks and it is not all consumed 
at the next feeding time, pass this crock up until the next time. If grain 
is untouched you had better stop and examine the animal carefully for the 
chances are “something is wrong.” 
I prefer feeding rabbits and matured stock once a day preferably in 
the evening as the rabbit is a nocturnal animal and is more active during 
the night and will enjoy its feed at this time and naturally the results will 
be better than if fed during the day as this is when rabbits enjoy their rest. 
Breeding does and youngsters require more feed and should be fed 
night and morning. Hay can be kept before them all the time. 
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