What to feed rabbits at home in winter

Breeding rabbits is a fascinating, yet labor-intensive process that requires special responsibility and care. These long-eared creatures require proper nutrition, constant care, and suitable living conditions. And if you don't know... What to feed rabbits In winter, at home, you can’t even dream of good and healthy offspring.

General information

The onset of winter can be a real challenge for pets, especially rabbits. They react negatively to cold temperatures, becoming ill and even dying. To prevent this, it's important to understand what to feed rabbits in winter if there's no hay available and how to choose the right food for these long-eared creatures.

It's no secret that temperatures below -25 degrees Celsius can be fatal for rabbits, as such temperatures can cause their limbs to freeze and fatal diseases to develop. Therefore, with the arrival of winter, the cages of these domestic animals should be insulated from the wind, placed in a warm barn or other room.

They also need to be insulated with straw, both inside and outside, lining the floor. The rabbit "house" should also have three-sided cladding made of thick wood. If the frost intensifies, the cages are moved to the veranda of the house, a greenhouse, or a shed. If transporting such structures is not possible, the breeder should provide a special place for keeping the rabbits warm during the winter.

During this period, animals need not only protection from the cold but also proper nutrition. A balanced diet will provide rabbits with the necessary nutrients to generate natural heat. The food they eat should be nutritious and healthy, capable of strengthening the immune system to fight off various diseases. It's important to choose foods fortified with vitamins and minerals.

By thinking ahead about the best winter feed for rabbits, you'll avoid the hassle of dealing with dangerous diseases in these animals later on. A properly selected diet, containing nutritious and wholesome ingredients, will be the best way to promote healthy growth and high fertility on your rabbit farm.

Subtleties of feeding

During the warmer months, rabbit breeders don't have to worry about choosing food for their furry charges. A wide variety of fresh greens is readily available at this time, making up the bulk of their diet. But when winter arrives and snow falls, the task becomes more complex. To protect rabbits from cold and hunger, it's important to understand the basic feeding principles during this challenging time. So, first, it's important to understand the main types of feed used in home rabbit breeding. The following groups are distinguished:

1. Succulent feeds, including silage, beets, turnips and melons.
2. Roughage. This includes straw and hay, branches of coniferous and deciduous trees, and bark.
3. Green fodder. This is a nutritious food made from alfalfa, nettle, clover, burdock, and all sorts of plants found in fields or meadows.
4. Concentrated feed. This group includes corn, bran, grain, and cake. Also included are prepared feeds.
5. Animal products. These include fish oil, skim milk, and whey.
6. Food waste, such as dried bread and leftover cereals and soups, should be used exclusively for feeding fresh, unspoiled food, otherwise the offspring may become ill and suffer from various digestive problems.
7. Feed additives. These include chalk, bone meal, and salt. These ingredients help replenish certain mineral deficiencies.

Having understood the main types of feed for keeping rabbits in winter, you need to determine the feeding method. There may be two of them:

1. Mixed.
2. Dry.

In the first case, rabbits are fed foods from the various groups described above. In the second case, the diet consists exclusively of dry food. Often, this is prepared mixed feed, which contains the correct combination of vitamins and nutrients. When choosing the appropriate composition, it is necessary to consider the age characteristics of the animals, as appropriate food compositions are developed for animals of different ages.

Specifics of the diet

It's well known that rabbit nutrition in winter differs significantly from that in summer. It can be either dry or mixed, but experienced rabbit breeders opt for the former, purchasing ready-made compound feed with the right combination of essential nutrients and vitamins.

However, mixed feeding can be no less beneficial, especially when combining different types of food rich in minerals and vitamins, which will provide the birds with the strength they need to restore body temperature and grow productively. Furthermore, this second type of feeding is more cost-effective, as you can prepare the necessary food yourself, without overpaying for expensive store-bought formulas.

Naturally, feeding rabbits green grass during the winter is unavoidable, but hay is a good alternative. Many people underestimate its nutritional value, but in fact, it's practically as rich in vitamins and minerals as fresh grass. It's just important to follow certain guidelines when preparing the raw material to preserve its nutritional value. If hay is unavailable, rabbits can be fed vegetables and fruits, which remain whole and healthy even in severe frosts.

During winter, when fresh, moist green grass is unavailable, rabbits' diets should be supplemented with succulent feeds. These should be 80% water. The following options are considered such food:

1. All kinds of root vegetables.
2. Representatives of melon crops.
3. Silage.

This type of food improves digestive function, increases fertility, and stabilizes metabolic processes. Succulent food is essential for lactating does, as it promotes milk production. This type of food contains carbohydrates, which are quickly digested and are essential for the normal development of the offspring.

Carrots are the most popular member of the succulent food group. By consuming carrots, animals replenish their vitamin A deficiency and become more resistant to various diseases.

Roughage

Roughage foods include plant-based foods that are moisture-free but contain a high percentage of beneficial fiber. They quickly fill hungry animals, promoting improved digestive function. However, the amount of such foods in the daily diet should not exceed 30%.

Hay is a key roughage source, offering a superior alternative to fresh grass. Both meadow and field plants can be used for this purpose, as long as they are mown and dried before flowering. Contrary to popular belief, high-quality hay contains just as many vitamins and nutrients as freshly harvested greens. Therefore, a significant portion of this feed in the winter diet can be consumed.

Common nettles are a real treat for these long-eared creatures. They respond positively to this treat, both fresh, which is especially popular during the warmer months, and dried, which is especially important during the winter. To delight your rabbits with this delicious food, gather the nettles in early spring and then dry them in a shaded area with good ventilation. Dried nettles can be stored in any suitable container, as the plant's fragile leaves will fall off. Harvesting this food is easy.

Rabbits' daily diet should include twigs. To prepare them, pick fresh twigs from shrubs and garden plants in early spring and then dry them (leaf included). However, it's best to avoid individual shoots, as they contain tannins and substances that can be dangerous to the animals.

To ensure a complete winter diet, rabbits should be fed seeds and grains from garden crops. This primarily applies to oilseeds, which are fed whole or crushed.

When using cereal and legume seeds, they are pre-crushed to facilitate digestion by rabbits' weak digestive systems. Before eating, the food should be moistened with water to prevent possible respiratory irritation from dust particles. To ensure productive growth of the offspring during the cold season, they should be fed a prepared grain mix, combining different types of food.

Caring for a decorative breed

When raising decorative rabbits, they need to be fed according to the same principles as regular rabbits. However, rabbits are susceptible to various digestive problems, so extreme care and caution are required when formulating their diet. Ornamental individuals prefer the following foods:

1. Hay.
2. Cereals, prepared feeds and grain products.
3. Vegetable tops and root crops.

In the morning, this picky rabbit is given dry food, and in the evening, root vegetables. Fresh hay should be available in the feeder 24/7, as rabbits always want something to munch on.

Helpful tips

Professional breeders claim that each novice rabbit breeder will be able to figure out what to feed rabbits in winter. But to ensure that the feeding is balanced and correct, You should follow these recommendations:

1. If food is difficult for the eared bat's digestive system to digest, it should be soaked in water for 2-3 days. This principle applies to hard grains, which form an important part of their winter diet.
2. When harvesting branches for the winter, avoid bird cherry, apricot, elderberry, and buckthorn. Eating such food can cause severe poisoning in animals. It's also best not to feed rabbits tomato or potato tops. Tomato shoots are dangerous, especially during the flowering stage.

When raising rabbits, it's important to remember that while these animals aren't picky eaters, they're vulnerable to various diseases due to improper diet. Their digestive system is designed in such a way that a lack of balanced nutrition can lead to a host of problems, including serious illnesses and even death of the offspring.

To prevent this, it's important to be responsible and consider all the needs of these cute, furry creatures. When planning your rabbits' daily diet, consider their age, size, and overall health. Advice from experienced breeders and colleagues is also crucial, as it can help avoid mistakes and protect your family from dangerous diseases.

In any case, the success of rabbit breeding directly depends on the breeder's commitment. Proper winter feeding is one of the most important steps in keeping these adorable creatures, requiring special attention.