Rabbit farming is a very profitable business. The meat of these domestic animals has a high price, fur is selling well. Of course, growing according to all the rules is far from the cheapest pleasure, but even here it is quite possible to save money using pit breeding of rabbits. The method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Features of the method

Breeding rabbits in a hole is not the most popular way of keeping these animals, but it is in vain underestimated. Physical activity is important for all types of animals, and keeping rabbits in the hole stimulates an increase in mobility.

Pit content has the main advantage over other methods of growing them - budget. This is primarily due to the fact that up to 200 individuals can comfortably live here at the same time. Therefore, there will be no need to spend money on buying cages or an aviary.

How to organize rabbit breeding in a pit:

  • The spread of unpleasant odors must be prevented. Naturally, the more rabbits are in the aviary, the more actively they begin to grow and the more unpleasant odors arise. The best option for organizing drainage is to cover the bottom with a mesh, lay hay on top.
  • It is necessary to block the exit from the pit. To do this, create the correct depth for the structure. Optimal - 1.5 m. So the rabbits will not be able to get out on their own.
  • Tribal life must be monitored. It is important that a rabbit and a rabbit from the same litter do not overlap with each other, otherwise this can lead to the fact that the breed will soon grind. Also, crossing rabbits that are in kinship can provoke the occurrence of various genetic diseases.
  • The health of animals should be very carefully monitored, since the disease of one can lead to the death of the rest of the genus.
  • The pit in which the breeder is going to keep the animals must be protected from predators. For this, it can be covered with a wire rack.

Breeding rabbits in the pit

How to choose the right breed

First you need to decide what goal the breeder is pursuing: to raise hares rich in wool or meat. The cultivation technology will depend on this.

To begin with, the most popular breeds of domestic hares for meat farming are considered:

  • Rex (Rex rabbit). This breed is difficult to care for and grow, but at the same time the quality of the meat is excellent: tender, but at the same time juicy, not fatty, dietary. The adult individual reaches 4.5 kg, so the breed is excellent for breeding in pits.
  • Flandr (Flandr rabbit). This is an excellent "meat" breed. The weight of an adult can reach 25 kg. For rabbits of this breed, it is better to create a separate pit, in which from 10 to 20 adult rabbits will live, no more.
  • Gray giant. Such rabbits are famous for their fast weight gain, as well as their ease of care. An adult of this breed can reach 15 kg. Moreover, they can be kept in a pit with individuals of a different breed.

Which domestic rabbits suitable for pit breeding have high-quality skins:

  • Vienna pigeons (Viennese pigeons). Rabbit fur of this breed is considered one of the highest quality. It is soft and durable. For breeding in a hole, this species is also recommended because of its high resistance to weather conditions: rabbits will not get sick.
  • Butterfly (Butterfly rabbit). This breed has a perfect skin: it is soft, of high quality, with an interesting pattern.Such species adapt well to any climate change, which has a positive effect on their cultivation in the pit.
  • Risen (Risen rabbit). Shades of wool in this category of hares vary from black to sandy and even blue, but they also need appropriate care: complex and costly.

Important! It is recommended to choose 1-2 breeds for breeding. In this case, it will be easier to breed rabbits in different pits, which will help to avoid the spread of a huge number of diseases.

Rabbits Butterfly

Housing and living conditions

The most important factor in a dignified animal life in the pit is ventilation. You need to think in advance how to cover the pit. The most successful option is a wooden frame with an iron mesh.

Other important ingredients:

  • the hole must be dug to such a depth that it is not filled with groundwater;
  • the size of the pit, in which you can easily settle up to 200 individuals - 2x2 m;
  • ideally cover the walls with slate or chipboard boards;
  • do not cover one side with anything - there will be a hole here;
  • the bottom of the pit must be laid out with straw.

Just making a hole is not enough, it is important to organize comfortable living of rabbits in it. However, such maintenance is much easier than in cells. The experience of breeders shows that living conditions in the pits are as close to real ones as possible. From birth, each rabbit lives practically in its real environment.

In this case, the breeder only needs to:

  • provide two meals a day with high-quality food;
  • cleaning and replacing hay every 3 weeks;
  • regularly refill the drinking cup and monitor the purity of the water;
  • catch diseased individuals in time.

Check-in period and features

One of the most important components of how to breed rabbits in a dugout is their settlement. What matters is how many individuals the breeder will start. The first group of rabbits should not exceed 12 individuals. It is recommended that the first animals to settle are already familiar with the conditions of detention, then it will be easier for the next ones to adapt. It is imperative to keep an eye on the first individuals and immediately relocate the violent and pugnacious ones, otherwise they may interfere with the adaptation of the subsequent ones.

Rabbits in the pit

Benefits:

  • very fast reproduction;
  • resistance to various kinds of diseases;
  • low cost of content;
  • easy care: it is enough to feed and clean, the rabbits do not need to walk from the pit;
  • rarity of cleaning;
  • the female independently gives birth and nurses offspring.

Disadvantages:

  • the rapid spread of infections;
  • rabbits can dig very deep holes, and you will have to look for them later;
  • such content can damage the skin of rabbits, as they often bite among themselves.

What to feed, reproduction and questions

Domestic rabbits always require special attention and care, as they are a priori more susceptible to various diseases. One of the ways to fight is a properly formulated diet. The basis of the diet is greens. Rabbits' menus include oats and hay.

The breeding of rabbits in the pit is very active. It is important to ensure that individuals from the same litter do not interbreed with each other, there is no overpopulation. For 6 females in the pit, you need to plant one male. You can get more than 30 young rabbits from one rabbit per year. It is optimal to keep about 20 rabbits.

How to catch a rabbit in a hole? A novice hostess will probably not immediately figure out how to catch rabbits when they all start scattering in different directions. Experienced breeders say that you need to wait until the animal crawls out of the hole and immediately grab it by the ears. In general, it is recommended to hold rabbits by the ears, it is much more comfortable and reduces the likelihood of injury to the breeder.

Living rabbits in the pit

Why aren't rabbits digging holes? Most often this happens due to the fact that their instinct simply disappears. In this case, they need help to dig the first burrows.

What to do with rats:

  • you need to get rid of weeds in time;
  • trash must be removed regularly.

Winter can sometimes help get rid of rats, but you still need to be on the lookout.

Keeping rabbits in the pit is a rather difficult task that requires thorough preparation, has some difficulties, but the advantages are significant and attracts to this method. It is worth considering everything before starting this type of cultivation.