The Poultry Keeper

creamcrackered · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:02 am Post subject: upset

I have 2 orpintons 2 bantams and 4 meadowsweet rangers, all young girls that have just come into lay and the roam around the garden with the 3 kids and my dozy cocker spainiel, they are so good natured as they put up with being chased round the garden for cuddles and kisses by the kids.

i've also got a young male rabbit who's always been really sweet and tame, i thought he would like to have a run around the garden , but this afternoon i looked out to see the rabbit on top of ginger (one of the meadowsweet)he was laying around his neck with the chicken flat to the floor, i shouted at the rabbit but it didn't move, i had to go and pick it up off of ginger, and there was a lump of bloody feathers by the side of the chicken and another chicken was running around with more feathers in its beak Sad

, The rabbit seemed to be in shock as it still wasn't moving so i put it in it's hutch, and ginger ran off, but then the other chickens were chasing ginger and one of them pulled more feather out, so i caught ginger and brought her into the conservatory and put her in a box with an old towel, on closer inspection it looks like the bunny has taken a bit out of ginger towards the rear end, looked sore to me, but i am very squeemish even at the best of times. but i think i was in a bit of shock myself as i never thought the bunny would ever do something like that, and now the kids don't want bunny anymore Sad

CP · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:19 am Post subject:

What a terrible thing to happen! Shocked

Poor Ginger. Sad

I don't know much about rabbits I'm afraid. Confused

Chickens are attracted to the colour red, so that's why they were so interested in Ginger. I hope you can keep her isolated as she's probably in shock & should be kept warm & quiet. Can you tell if the wound is very deep? You should try to clean her up & either spray it with some of that purple spray everyone mentions, or some wound powder if you have it.

Make sure she is eating & drinking. Put some ACV in the water & tempt her with some nice treat you know she will eat.

Let us know how you get on.

Lisa · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:33 am Post subject:

Sorry to hear you've had an upsetting experience Sad

Sounds like you've done all the right things though - bringing Ginger in for some TLC.

You say its a young male rabbit. Could it have been a bit "confused" and trying to mount Ginger? IIRC male rabbits can become more aggressive when they reach maturity. Just a thought? At least that might be a reason for behaviour...

AngieC · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 71 Location: Dorset

Rabbits (male or female) will try to mount just about anything vaguely the right size & texture, no matter how many legs it has or hasn't got - piles of washing will do! So a hen lying on the floor would attract amorous attention... But although we have had one big, vicious bunny who did bite, he never, ever drew blood - his teeth simply weren't sharp enough. And we have been up to 18 rabbits at one stage - never again! You may need to look elsewhere for the culprit; something with sharper teeth.

fenwoman · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:21 am Post subject:

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7424 Location: isle of lewis

my aunt used to breed old english rabits she had one who was funny it would be really friendly ,then just turn and attack ,
remember turning around and she had her arm up in the air with the rabit hanging off it ,she got a huge scar there now
mind you the one after that was lovely and used to come in and sit on the back of the sofa watching telly ,it was killed when a local doctor refused to keep his dogs in and they killed 30 rabits in a day Crying or Very sad

they dug there way through the wire ripping it off with their paws and teath
suz

Timbo · Joined: 03 Mar 2006 Posts: 206 Location: Cranfield, Beds.

Yep, rabbits do have sharp teeth -IMO you need to get him castrated and he will calm down. Mine (when I was a child) used to attack my hand and draw blood but he was much more chilled once he had his knackers removed... Poor boy.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Oh creamcrackered, I am so sorry for you and your girl. Did you need to take her to the vet? How is she now? Please keep us updated on her progress

mojo · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:42 pm Post subject:

rabbits bite and hard......either the snip or the pot is the only answer as once he has raped he will do it again and again etc even a childs hand as they clean or stroke .....take care please

creamcrackered · Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:56 pm Post subject:

oh my god !! i never thought he would rape ginger Shocked

but what fen women described was the rabbit to a tee, i just thought the rabbit was in shock at drawing blood, how naive am i Rolling Eyes

On a happier note ginger seems no worse for her ordeal, when all the other ladies took themselves off to bed last night i let her join them, and they all seemed fine with her today, she even produced a lovely egg, bless her

kids forgave bunny today and played with him inside the house, i rang the oh, who's working away from home this week, and told him that his first job sat Mon is to make a secure run for the rabbit as i don't want to go through that again, let alone put one of my ladies through it.

mojo · Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:04 am Post subject:

please watch the kiddies whilst playing with bunny they aint soft cuddly toys they can HURT

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I agree with Mojo ~ If your rabbit has damaged one of your chickens already ~ I don't think I would be trusting him with the children. Maybe you should have him castrated so that he's safe for your children.

creamcrackered · Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:06 pm Post subject:

the kids don't seem to want to handle the bunny very much, they would rather play with the chooks, but i think your right about getting him "seen" to, then i won't worry about any one getting bitten or mounted.

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

I think it would be for the best. You would never forgive yourself if he hurt one of your children, just because he managed to get out one time.

Fenn · Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 2292 Location: Shrewsbury

Crikey, I'd never realised that rabbit's can have such a nasty side Shocked

Glad to hear that Ginger's on the mend - off with that lad's knackers! Twisted Evil