Can Rabbits Live with Chickens

Whereas bunnies and chickens do not have many similarities, they can get along together as well as live together. However, since these animals are not naturally meant for each other, they should be are carefully introduced to each other and a few precautions should consideration. 

Do not wake up one morning and decide to through your bunny into your hen house or coop and expect a happy ever after. These two animals have different needs and behaviors. 

Challenges of raising rabbits with chicken

Before we look at how to go about in keeping these two animals together, you need to understand the various challenges and risks that might come with this living arrangement. 

The spread of some diseases and parasites

One of the reasons why you should keep your bunnies and chicken separately is to prevent the spread of diseases from each other. Whereas they both suffer from coccidia, salmonella,  streptococcusis, and pasteurellosis are will pose a great challenge. 

For instance, whereas salmonella is common among chicken, it will make your bunnies ill. Similarly, since chickens do eat rabbit poop, they are likely to get cholera due to Pasteurella multocida that is often in rabbits. 

What will make the spread of diseases worse is the fact that chicken defecated anywhere? Even if you litter train your bunnies, this will still increase the risk of cross-infection. 

Also, there are some parasites they can spread from each other including mites, fleas, and ticks, and so on. 

Chicks and kits thrive in different conditions

Chicks require constant heat from a brooder or broody heat to survive while bunnies nurse for a short while before leaving the nesting box. These two requirements may be a challenge to meet. 

Also, while playing, a rabbit can trample young chicks. Also, a hen, especially broody one tends to be aggressive and it might peck kits. "One hard peck can break a baby bunnies' spine." [1]

Different dietary needs 

A rabbit's diet is distinctive from that one of hens and having rabbits and chicken together means they are going to eat each other's food which might not meet their nutritional needs, cause disease including dysbiosis and GI stasis or be harmful or cause obesity in rabbits for instance. 

Furthermore, unless their foods are separated, something that is practically difficult, the chicken may defecate on your bunny's food and this can cause diseases as already mentioned. 

Need to keep high hygiene 

While bunnies are fastidiously clean animals, while chickens not and they poop a lot and anywhere. Therefore, ensure your chicken roost is beneath where your bunnies sleep. Also, ensure you keep coop very clean and this is going to be demanding. 

Do rabbits and chickens get along

We have seen challenges that you may face if you decide to make your rabbits and chicken living together. However, that did not answer the issue if these two animals can get along well or not. 

Yes. Rabbits and chicken can get alone together if you follow the following guidelines. 

introduce them slowly

Introduce and bond them to each other slowly since hens may not like fast-moving animals and this can make them peck your bunnies. Pecking a baby rabbit may cause severe injuries. If possible, raise them together while they are still young. 

Also, initially, let one of these two animals be in a cage and allow them to interact without feeling insecure while one is in a cage and the other one roaming around. 

Provide a large space 

Ensure the space provided meets the required hutch size and coop size. The bigger, the better to allow your bunnies to do binkies, flops, hops, jumps while your hens are free to flap and wander around. 

Do not forget to enrich the space. For instance, rabbits need plays to dig, toys, things to chew, and so on to help reduce boredom and satisfy their natural instincts. Ensure all these are provided. 

Also, air condition the place during hot seasons to avoid heat strokes in your bunnies, and ensure water does not freeze in winter.

Give private areas 

Ensure each of these two animals has their own private space where they can go to be alone, eat or sleep. They can share a common area but must have their own private areas. 

Neuter your bunny

Mounting, aggression, territorial tendencies from your bunnies especially a male one may reduce if you neuter him. This will ensure peaceful coexistence. 

Separate them if they are not happy 

Putting these two animals together may be about saving space. However, if this living arrangement stresses them, the hens peck your rabbit, or any other form of aggression, just separate them. 

Conclusion 

You have seen what it takes to keep rabbits and chicken together and possible challenges you may meet. 

Whereas they may get along well, if they must live together, our best advice is to provide each with its own private place to live and they should only share some common areas. Otherwise, let them live separately and ensure your rabbit has a companion since bunnies get lonely being social animals.  

Finally, if your rabbits live with your chicken, ensure they are both safe from their various predators.