For this particular experiment, we will be focusing on the growth and development of Flemish Giants. To see this entire process from beginning to end, please follow the posts with this (above) title, which will be numbered.
(catching up to the present day)
Week 1: We divided the pens into 2 sections, putting one rabbit in each section. The Flemish were all weighed and then moved into the new pens. We didnt make any changes to their feed and did not add anything new to their diets. They were put on natural/ground floors, covered in straw and then hay. The feed dishes are the big heavy black rubbery type feed bowls. Each hold and are filled full with about 4-6 cups of feed.
Week 2: The rabbits are not eating as much pellets as they were while housed in the shed, but they are eating 2x more hay than what they were eating. Weights havent changed too much, one way or another. When we open the pen doors, all of the rabbits start running around the pen and the only way we can lay hands on them is to sit down and let them come to us, which they do - within a minute or two. All of the rabbits that are housed in the 'back' section of each pen have began digging holes, in attempt to get to the rabbit thats housed in the 'front' section. (they didnt succeed, but thats not bc they didnt try super-hard, lol- we just kept re-filling what they dug out).
Week 3: The rabbits have all been separated out into one full size pen, with the center dividers removed.
The digging has completely stopped. We withheld hay for 3 days - at that time, they went back to eating more pellets. Some of them have continued dumping their bowls out, but have ate most of what was dumped - not leaving much at all on the ground. All but a few of the rabbits now come to the door when we open the pen-doors. They seem to have settled down more too; we're not seeing them 'running laps' around the pens as much as they had been. Weights have dropped on the average of 1-2# per rabbit. But all of their flesh conditions feel somewhat better & are beginning to feel more muscular.
Week 1: We divided the pens into 2 sections, putting one rabbit in each section. The Flemish were all weighed and then moved into the new pens. We didnt make any changes to their feed and did not add anything new to their diets. They were put on natural/ground floors, covered in straw and then hay. The feed dishes are the big heavy black rubbery type feed bowls. Each hold and are filled full with about 4-6 cups of feed.
Week 2: The rabbits are not eating as much pellets as they were while housed in the shed, but they are eating 2x more hay than what they were eating. Weights havent changed too much, one way or another. When we open the pen doors, all of the rabbits start running around the pen and the only way we can lay hands on them is to sit down and let them come to us, which they do - within a minute or two. All of the rabbits that are housed in the 'back' section of each pen have began digging holes, in attempt to get to the rabbit thats housed in the 'front' section. (they didnt succeed, but thats not bc they didnt try super-hard, lol- we just kept re-filling what they dug out).
Week 3: The rabbits have all been separated out into one full size pen, with the center dividers removed.
The digging has completely stopped. We withheld hay for 3 days - at that time, they went back to eating more pellets. Some of them have continued dumping their bowls out, but have ate most of what was dumped - not leaving much at all on the ground. All but a few of the rabbits now come to the door when we open the pen-doors. They seem to have settled down more too; we're not seeing them 'running laps' around the pens as much as they had been. Weights have dropped on the average of 1-2# per rabbit. But all of their flesh conditions feel somewhat better & are beginning to feel more muscular.