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Can Rabbits and Chickens Live Together? All You Need To Know

Do you have both Rabbits and chickens and are wondering – Can Rabbits and Chickens Live Together? Well, that is a valid question and one that I will be answering today. Take a look.

Can Rabbits and Chickens Live Together?

Can Rabbits and Chickens Live Together

Rabbits and Chickens have a lot of similarities. They’re both primarily outside pets who enjoy being around other people at all times. Both require hutches and runs to thrive. As a result, to conserve room, farmers and families are considering housing them together.

If rabbits and chickens are introduced while they are young, they can share a hutch. Ascertain that the rabbits have their own sleeping hutch.

Rabbits are cleaner than hens, so you’ll need to muck out the coop on a frequent basis. They are unlikely to fight and are likely to become close friends.

There must be precautions taken. You’ll need a big coop, and you’ll have to be careful about health issues. Chickens can infect rabbits with diseases that have no symptoms.

How To Bond Rabbits And Chickens?

You can establish a harmonious multi-species home with the correct care. However, you can’t just throw a few rabbits in a chicken coop and hope for the best.

Animals like chickens and bunnies are sensitive and timid. They require time to get to know one another and have different requirements.

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It is possible to keep hens and bunnies together with time and effort. All animals have the ability to form unlikely bonds.

Despite this, there are basic ground rules that must be followed. Chickens and bunnies will only accept each other if the following conditions are met:

Introduction

Introduce them when they’re still young. Both species will become more set in their ways and intolerant as they get older.

Spay/Neuter

Male rabbits will mount everything they see. Therefore they must be spayed or neutered. This could be a sexual act, or it could be a domineering act. Neutering will calm them down in either case.

Cleanliness

Rabbits have a cleaner habitat than hens. If they’re surrounded by filth, they’ll become upset. It is also harmful to one’s health.

Space

They’ll become overwhelmed if they don’t believe they have enough space or solitude.

Sleeping quarters

A hutch for your rabbit may be included in the coop. They will not only feel safer, but they will also be cleaner. Chickens poop on a regular basis.

Keep in Pairs

Each animal will feel stressed and lonely if there are two of them: one chicken and one rabbit. Thus it is a good idea to keep a pair of rabbits with a pair of chickens.

Watch the Behaviour

If the relationship begins to deteriorate, separate the animals immediately to avoid aggression.

What are the advantages of chickens and rabbits living together?

Keeping chickens and bunnies in the same coop has a number of advantages. The following are some of them:

Space-saving

Having one large coop for all of your animals is more space-efficient than having separate dwellings for each species of animal.

Company

Chickens will keep your rabbit company if you can’t keep him indoors. If you introduce these creatures early enough, you’ll be astonished at how well they get along.

Safety

Chickens and rabbits are both prey animals that attract the same predators. They’ll feel safer if they’re in a group.

Reduced Smell

Rabbits are clean, but their excrement has a strong odor. Chickens are less forgiving, so you’ll have to clean the coop on a frequent basis. This implies that your rabbit will have a cleaner environment to live in.

Temperatures

Rabbits and hens are tough creatures that thrive in the cold. In the cold, they both succeed. It’s unnecessary to be concerned about one species requiring more heat than the other.

Fun

It’s entertaining to watch chickens and bunnies interact.

There are various reasons why these creatures should be kept together. Of course, some drawbacks must be considered.

Is it a good idea to keep chicken and rabbit together?

Space is usually one of the things that keeps these animals together. That’s a valid issue in a backyard homestead. It’s why we raise goats and hens together.

And because we have limited space, any more animals we bring to our backyard homestead will have to fit in with the rest of our ragtag tribe.

However, just because two species of animals can coexist does not mean they should. And then there’s the addition of a third species. It implies that you must assess the benefits and drawbacks and proceed cautiously.

As you add additional variables to the mix, the likelihood of issues increases. As a result, take it gently and plan ahead.

This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t keep your rabbits and hens together. It simply means that you will have to make your own decision. I’ve shared all of my findings with you so that you may make an educated decision.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Rabbits And Chickens Living Together?

Chickens and bunnies were not meant to live together if we’re being honest. They’d be found in the same wild places if this were the case. Before pushing these animals to share space, consider the following:

Food

Rabbits and chickens require different types of nutrients. They can get sick if they eat each other’s food. You’d have to feed rabbits on their own. This is crucial because hens devour everything.

Temperaments

Chickens and rabbits are different as, unlike apples and oranges. Fast-moving creatures frighten chickens, which can lead to pecking, clawing, and fighting.

Disease

Rabbits and chickens are both prone to a variety of zoonotic illnesses. They might also have parasites in common. A single terrible outbreak could wipe off your entire animal family.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness serves both as a benefit and a disadvantage. Rabbits are far more hygienic than hens. This implies you’ll have to clean out the coop on a daily basis. Although this decreases the risk of flies and parasites, it is time-consuming.

Mating

A male rabbit can mount every chick in the coop. Neutering will assist, but it may not be enough to eliminate the behavior completely.

Materials from a cooperative

Rabbits have sensitive skin and may injure themselves if they are left alone in a wire chicken cage. Use items that are appropriate for both species.

Digging

Because rabbits enjoy digging, you’ll need hard floors to keep them from escaping. The chickens’ feet may find this flooring to be uncomfortable.

More Tips on Raising and Keeping Chickens and Rabbits Together

So, while living together isn’t without its drawbacks, it is certainly viable.

If you start exposing the animals to each other while they’re young, they’ll be more likely to succeed because they’ll be nurtured together and won’t know life without the other.

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To begin, keep them on opposite sides of a fence or a run so they can become acquainted with each other. After that, keep them together in a spacious enclosure so that neither one feels intimidated by the other species.

Reduce the size of the enclosure progressively until they are all in the run where you intend to keep them permanently.

While they are getting used to the fast motions, the chickens may try to peck the rabbits. A fully grown rabbit is unaffected by this, and it will go away after a few days, but never put a young bunny in with an adult hen flock, as they are much more sensitive.

Provide a safe haven for both of them. Chickens and rabbits are both timid and fragile animals who will benefit from having their own space to go to when things become too much for them.

They have various criteria as well. Chickens will require perches to roost on at night, and rabbits will require lots of hay in the hutch to curl up on as well as eat. To avoid infection, keep this away from the hens.

Rabbits have a reputation for being exceptionally clean creatures, something that chickens do not have.

You will need to clean the run, hutch, and/or coop more frequently than you would if you only had hens to keep your rabbits happy. Chicken poop in their home will not impress the bunnies!

Make sure there is enough space for everyone. Having two species in one space may save space in the long run, but make sure the run is large enough and has toys and hiding places to keep your pets entertained and calm.

Both rabbits and chickens will enjoy the Caddi Treat Holder, and the Zippi shelters will serve as a den for a sleepy bunny or a lookout tower for a curious hen.

We strongly advise neutering male rabbits if you plan to have rabbits and hens living together. Unneutered bucks are notorious for mounting everything that gets in their way, including feathery buddies, even if they don’t live with female rabbits.

Keeping a single rabbit in a flock of chickens, or vice versa is never a good idea. Despite being part of a group, they will be lonely and stressed if they do not have a friend of their own species.

How to Feed your Chickens and Rabbits together?

Chickens and rabbits require different types of nutrition. It can cause severe nutritional deficiencies if your chickens consume your rabbit chow or vice versa. Both species are likely to eat each other’s food unless species segregate the food.

A rabbit’s foot must be closely controlled to ensure optimal mating and a healthy litter of baby bunnies. Rabbits who are overweight have difficulty reproducing. You’re more prone to have overweight bunnies and breeding issues if you free feed.

Furthermore, chickens will very certainly defecate in the rabbits’ food, potentially spreading sickness.

Do Rabbits and Chickens Share Diseases?

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These are usually passed down from chicken to rabbit. Chicken feces, in particular, poses a persistent threat to rabbits’ health. The issue of sharing parasites is also a problem.

Flea infestations in chickens are uncommon, but they do happen. Ticks are less of a concern. These arachnids rarely attach to chickens. Chickens, in fact, eagerly consume them.

Salmonella is a disease that affects many chickens yet causes no symptoms. This means that the hens could unknowingly infect a rabbit. However, not all rabbits exhibit symptoms of the condition.

It is spread by rabbits who eat chicken manure. Chickens’ intestines are home to the sickness. This means it’s in their trash as well. Rabbits may consume chicken feces since they eat their own poop.

More than often, the parasite will be found in hay or shared water. The rabbit will then unwittingly consume it. Salmonella is a disease that affects many chickens yet causes no symptoms.

This means that the hens could unknowingly infect a rabbit. However, not all rabbits exhibit symptoms of the condition.

Rabbits ingesting chicken dung can spread coccidiosis. Chickens’ intestines are home to the sickness. This means it’s in their trash as well. Rabbits may consume chicken feces since they eat their own poop.

More than often, the parasite will be found in hay or shared water. The rabbit will then unwittingly consume it.

Conclusion

You’ve seen what it takes to raise rabbits and chickens together, as well as the difficulties you can face. Although they may get along well, if they must live together, we recommend that they each have their own private space and only share select shared spaces.

Otherwise, keep them apart and make sure your bunny has a companion, as bunnies are gregarious animals who grow lonely.

Finally, if your rabbits share a home with your chicken, be sure they are both protected from predators.

FAQs

Can goats, chickens, and rabbits live together?

It’s simply not a good idea to have rabbits in the same space as other outdoor animals like goats.

Can chickens, ducks, and rabbits live together?

Chickens, Ducks, and rabbits are the country’s most popular pets, and while they have many differences, they also have many commonalities, and if you are cautious and manage to respond to their individual needs, they can live in harmony.

Is Chicken Poop toxic to rabbits?

Prevent rabbits from being pooped on by hens. Chickens’ gastrointestinal tracts and feces carry a variety of illnesses. It might not bother them, but it can make your rabbits sick (or even kill them). So be cautious, particularly in terms of how you set up housing.

About the author

I'm Gulshan, a passionate pet enthusiast. Dive into my world where I share tips, stories, and snapshots of my animal adventures. Here, pets are more than just animals; they're heartbeats that enrich our lives. Join our journey!