Feeding Rabbits Without Pellets

Currently I am working on weaning my rabbits off of pellets and onto wild edibles and garden fresh greens and hay.

I’ve been researching for a while on this topic, and found that not only is it possible to feed rabbits with plants from your backyard, it’s feasible! Many of the things that are edible for them are already growing. It’s just a matter of harvesting it.

Here’s a list of the things I am currently feeding my rabbits, supplemented with pellets (I’m still weaning them off) and alfalfa hay:

Grass (just from our backyard.)

Comfrey (not wild, but easy to plant and spreads like crazy, high in protein.)

Dandelions (you’ve probably at least heard of/seen these- typical weed.)

Stinging Nettle (good for humans and rabbits- very nutritious.)

I normally will harvest these plants daily, grabbing twice as much as I need and drying extra for winter. I’ve also planted some oats (which should be ready to harvest in the fall) and I’m planning to plant clover and timothy hay within the next couple weeks as well.

My goal with feeding my rabbits like this is to

1. Feed them organically. Healthier for us, healthier for them. Using chemical free feed is also good for marketing.
2. Reduce food bill. When I feed them free/cheap weeds and plants, I spend less money while earning the same amount. This means I could spend what I was spending on pellets on other things to improve their life and environment. It also makes it easier for me to expand.
3. Not depend on feed stores. I don’t like having to depend on others for something as crucial as our meat supply. This makes us more self-sufficient.
4. Add some flavor! When I look at pellets, they don’t look remotely appetizing. I like to let my rabbits live a little by giving them fresh food and multiple choices of greens.

I will keep you all updated as to how this goes!

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