Poorly chicken

[FruitandNutCake]

It's been a while since I have been here! I have a bonded male and female (it took about 6 months to bond them!) and they are currently indoors until the weather is more settled. I have the 20 ft walk in chicken run for them to go into during the summer, after I have built chickens a new walk in run.

 

I have been offered a supposedly neutered female house rabbit that is now unwanted as it chews!! (I've never come across a rabbit that doesn't chew!)

 

The last time I introduced a rescued supposedly female rabbit to a bonded female pair, the new rabbit turned out to be male and was quickly neutered. The male bonded to one female, and the other female was pushed out and I felt very guilty.

 

So, as anyone any experience with keeping a group of rabbits successfully? My house isn't big enough to keep 2 pairs of male/females separately

 

 

It's so tempting to offer this rabbit a home, but I don't want to upset the perfect balance I have at the moment - so I'm not rushing into it.

[franklyrabbit]

Oh gosh, I can tell that you're torn and I'm not going to be of much use, cos I feel the same!

 

It's the old maxim 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' and I perfectly understand that you don't want to disturb the relationship your rabbits have.

 

On the other hand, there is a rabbit out there who needs rehoming.

 

My two (brother and sister) are rescue rabbits and the person from the rescue place paid a friendly visit last week to see them (she is best friends with the lady next door and had only popped her head over the fence before then so it was great to meet her). However, to get to the point, as an almost throw away comment as she was leaving, she said 'you don't fancy more rabbits do you? We have plenty who need good homes'. That was difficult to turn down as I'd love to have all the rabbits if I could. I had to be sensible (with 3 cats, running my own business from home and working on a degree) and say, thank you for offering but I think that I should leave it as just the two rabbits I have now.

 

It sounds like you've already accepted that it would be difficult to take on another, especially if you had to keep the new one in separate quarters but let me know what you decide.

[FruitandNutCake]

Well, they text me a photo of her on Saturday, and she was back home with me on Sunday night!! Just about to take her to vets to have a mixy jab!!

 

I resisted longer than I thought I would, but the picture did it!!

 

I concluded that if she doesn't get on with the other two, then I'll just have to get her a boyfriend of her own, and convert the 8x6 shed and 20 foot run - after I've kicked the chickens out!!

 

Of course, that means building another walk in run for the chickens

[franklyrabbit]

H Ha! Well done you!

 

And when you've filled up all of the corners of the garden, some of them can move in with you!

 

Can't wait to see a photo

[FruitandNutCake]

Oh - the rabbits are already living with me! Bugsy and Chloe occupy the dining room chairs 90% of the time! They have the dining room all day and their "bedroom" at night (only so my son doesn't fall over anything if he needs to go to the toilet in the night!)

 

Poppy has the run of the kitchen and hallway - if she ever decides to leave her "bedroom"! But then I have put lots of chew toys and herby hay in her bedroom! I don't think she has had hay for some time. And I got her that bendy stick thing to make a ramp into her bedroom! And willow balls etc. etc. my rabbits are very spoilt!

 

I do put my foot down with the chickens though!

[franklyrabbit]

Wow - luxury living - next time I'll come back as one of your rabbits me-thinks!

 

It's not always easy reintroducing them to hay is it? I've just given Bonnie and Bandit a bucket full in their eglu and they're happy - I'm not - it had a thistle in it - ouch !