Fertilizer Bunnies in tractor

Does anyone use bunnies for fertilizer in a chicken-tractor-type configuration directly on your SFG beds?

I saw that some are using chicken tractors fitted for SFG.  Since chickens are high nitrogen producers and bunnies are not,I was wondering....

I did have this nightmarish thought of bunnies escaping and producing hoardes of garden eaters....

If there are not a lot of responses to your query, you can find numerous back threads with some good information. I think Josh and Rooster had some clever arrangements for collecting bunny pellets for the SFG.

ETNRedClay wrote:Does anyone use bunnies for fertilizer in a chicken-tractor-type configuration directly on your SFG beds?

I saw that some are using chicken tractors fitted for SFG.  Since chickens are high nitrogen producers and bunnies are not,I was wondering....

I did have this nightmarish thought of bunnies escaping and producing hoardes of garden eaters....

ETN, I found this online. It says rabbits have a high nitrogen content. I really don't know, but am just passing this along. Someone on here (Josh??)Put his rabbit pen OVER his compost pile, the droppings and urine go right into the compost! Sounds like a plan!!

http://www.squidoo.com/best-manures-for-your-veggie-garden

I have never heard of or seen a chicken tractor for a veggie garden. Usually you would use a chicken tractor over your lawn and it isn't to fertilize it it is to give the chickens access to fresh ground every few days. You don't want straight chicken manure in your garden as it will burn the plants. Now bunny pellets you can use fresh or compost them.

keepercjr wrote:I have never heard of or seen a chicken tractor for a veggie garden.  Usually you would use a chicken tractor over your lawn and it isn't to fertilize it it is to give the chickens access to fresh ground every few days. You don't want straight chicken manure in your garden as it will burn the plants.  Now bunny pellets you can use fresh or compost them.  

+1, Good points Keepercjr.

The idea behind a chicken tractor ON the beds, is it is moved once a year or so.  You're preparing that one bed as a long-term project.  By the time you plant that bed, it's been well fertilized AND seasoned.

I have seen it done, haven't done it.

But RABBIT poo doesn't burn, so you could conceivably move the tractor and plant directly. 

My biggest concern is escaping bunnies mowing down everything I've worked over... and the next biggest concern is my dogs discovering I'd prepared them a little fast food for the catching.  My dogs just adore chasing their meals.

Keeper, do you know of a local source of bunny poo??  Fresno/Clovis?

ETNRedClay wrote:The idea behind a chicken tractor ON the beds, is it is moved once a year or so.  You're preparing that one bed as a long-term project.  By the time you plant that bed, it's been well fertilized AND seasoned.

I have seen it done, haven't done it.

But RABBIT poo doesn't burn, so you could conceivably move the tractor and plant directly. 

My biggest concern is escaping bunnies mowing down everything I've worked over... and the next biggest concern is my dogs discovering I'd prepared them a little fast food for the catching.  My dogs just adore chasing their meals.

 look up a " Mordant chicken coop "or " Mordant rabbit pen "  you should see a prism shaped pen with a large mesh wire floor that two people  can move about . The floor has to be in full contact with the ground so that the wires do not cut the rabbits feet .

So long as the rabbits get fed and watered with plenty of shade they will perform for you .
 On our small mammal farm we housed 16 sets of guinea pigs ( cavies ) in these types of shelters so that they could get the vitamin C from the grass .
Once a pen was moved according to the rotation plan,  after three days the resultant fertilization would start to kick in and really grow the grass over the next month .

Forget the name Mordant .......  the search engines don't recognise it .
 have a peek at the pictures in the link instead


https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=triangular+chicken+coop+plans&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=QEjgUr6VHJGBhAe77ID4Cw&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1366&bih=596

And I thought the Energizer Bunny was cool  

Thanks for the triangle ideas.  WOW, of course.  So much easier than squares and it's not like bunnies need all that headroom.

Have to build light enough for one person to move -- in case of emergencies I can't imagine at the moment, but I learned this when I built dog houses.  Puppy Palaces might have to be lifted off a small stuck dog in an all-fired hurry.

Now I'm plotting and scheming for fertilizer bunny tractors.  Hehehe.

Did anybody notice the coop built from PVC piping. That might be light weight enough.

Kay

walshevak wrote:Did anybody notice the coop built from PVC piping.  That might be light weight enough.

Kay

To move, yes.  But my dogs would walk through it like curtains.  The only dog kennel they've never gotten out of was welded ROD, 6-gauge, standard chainlink is 12g and a temporary measure for a determined dog.

Weight vs. Security is a constant battle with big determined dogs.

ETN, ran across this video, and made me thing of you. Not rabbits, but kind of what you were thinking?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlyV8fA6R_Q#t=25

southern gardener wrote:ETN, ran across this video, and made me thing of you. Not rabbits, but kind of what you were thinking??  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlyV8fA6R_Q#t=25

Great idea!

GG

ETNRedClay wrote:Thanks for the triangle ideas.  WOW, of course.  So much easier than squares and it's not like bunnies need all that headroom.

Have to build light enough for one person to move -- in case of emergencies I can't imagine at the moment, but I learned this when I built dog houses.  Puppy Palaces might have to be lifted off a small stuck dog in an all-fired hurry.

Now I'm plotting and scheming for fertilizer bunny tractors.  Hehehe.

make it like a wheel barrow but use two bicycle wheels on a long axle that you just ease up one end and slip the wheeled axle in under some claws .. go other end and use the handles to lift and move it wheel barrow style to where you want it , then take the axle set out .