Would you buy compost rabbit manure ?

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Aklogcabin

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Hello all. I'm always trying to be be more efficient. And make a buck to cover costs. Since we have meat rabbits we have rabbit manure.
Currently I'm cleaning up n stacking. Then I will run it through a mulcher machine to shred n mix . I use hay for feed so I put the hay feeder near where they poo n pee so that the hay that falls through the pens bottoms also soaks up the valuable urine . I also add all the raked up dried leaves. Well I mostly just use the mower to chop them up n suck them up. Easier than raking.
This comes out of the mulcher looking like nice topsoil. Brown n kinda fluffy loaded with stuff ready to add to flower pots or gardens. Mixed into the soil or as a side dressing mulch. All organic with no steroids or hormones fed through our rabbits and no chemical fertilizers on the lawn.
Is there any value in this to other gardeners ? Sold in 5 gallon buckets or strong garbage bags? Is it black gold ? And what do you think it would be worth ? This takes a considerable amount of time n energy but since I do it for myself and when have everything running it's actually pretty easy to spend a bit of extra time to make more and I own the mulcher already.
Would you consider buying it ?
 
Me, no. I have an endless supply of composted horse manure, and composted deep litter from the chicken coop.

Are there people around you that need fertilizer?

I don't know alaska, I live in flyover country in the suburbs of a city.
 
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Mech_diseases/Urolithiasis.htm
The urine pH in rabbits is naturally high, between 7.6 and 8.8; with a specific gravity is around 1.030. The latter is difficult to measure due to the presence of calcium and crystals (struvite, calcium carbonate, more rarely oxalate).

A high pH favors the development of bacteria and UTI. Most commonly found bacteria are Escherichia coli, Proteus sp. and Staphylococcus sp., sometimes true-anaerobic bacteria are found. The bacteria will start to excrete waste (ammonium) and an enzyme, urease that will break down the urea. The high pH will accelerate the precipitation of struvite crystal.

In other words rabbits are prone to kidney stones and UTI's

However, I posted the above to say this... unless rabbit pellets are diluted by a higher volume of other compost materials and soil I've seen a problem with rabbit pellets burning plants. By "higher volume" I mean compared to cow or horse manure. At least that's what I saw when I had meat rabbits.

Chicken manure has the same issues. Large industrial chicken houses are common where I live. Chicken farmers periodically clean out their chicken houses. The chicken manure is piled up then allowed to set out and weather 8 months to a year before being sold to other farmers as fertilizer for fields and pastures. It takes that long for some of the uric acid to leach out of the piles of poop. (that was only part of the reason, other chemicals in the poop take that long to break down into something usable to plants).
 
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He doesn't even live near me, he lives in Albuquerque. It helps that he manages a large plant nursery. He also grows flats of wheat grass for chicken feed for about $10. Now that's a huge profit margin. He sells grape vines to people with chickens that want to plant something good to go around hen houses and runs that the chickens can also eat, leaves and all. Someone on the chicken facebook page in Albuquerque posted that a nice guy sold him some grape plants that his chickens are loving and said that was his mama has always done. Boy, I got a laugh when I saw that.
 
Yes,, it is great for all plants & vermicomposting.
I have been thinking about getting rabbits in the Spring, but am not sure if I will.
 
My wife will collect snow shoe hare and moose poop to fertilize her flowers. Plenty of both laying around the property free for the taking. Both appear to work well. Gotta use what you have!
 
Thanks all. I worked on an egg farm at one point. Cleaning up chicken poo for 250,000 birds. The poo went from chicken to manure spreder to the field that afternoon .Those alfalfa fields would grow way faster than ones without.
Many gardening books write that bunny poo can be used immediately. Our mulch also has dried leaves, straw n such mixed in.
I do want to sell kits also. Recouping costs. I have some extra wire that I can build pens to sell also.
Kids think they want to do something with the pelts but I'm not sure. Any suggestions ? We do have a satin breed we just picked up, they are bredfor fur then meat as they have extra fur. Maybe they could have value.
 
Peanut said:
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Mech_diseases/Urolithiasis.htm
The urine pH in rabbits is naturally high, between 7.6 and 8.8; with a specific gravity is around 1.030. The latter is difficult to measure due to the presence of calcium and crystals (struvite, calcium carbonate, more rarely oxalate).

A high pH favors the development of bacteria and UTI. Most commonly found bacteria are Escherichia coli, Proteus sp. and Staphylococcus sp., sometimes true-anaerobic bacteria are found. The bacteria will start to excrete waste (ammonium) and an enzyme, urease that will break down the urea. The high pH will accelerate the precipitation of struvite crystal.

In other words rabbits are prone to kidney stones and UTI's

However, I posted the above to say this... unless rabbit pellets are diluted by a higher volume of other compost materials and soil I've seen a problem with rabbit pellets burning plants. By "higher volume" I mean compared to cow or horse manure. At least that's what I saw when I had meat rabbits.

Chicken manure has the same issues. Large industrial chicken houses are common where I live. Chicken farmers periodically clean out their chicken houses. The chicken manure is piled up then allowed to set out and weather 8 months to a year before being sold to other farmers as fertilizer for fields and pastures. It takes that long for some of the uric acid to leach out of the piles of poop. (that was only part of the reason, other chemicals in the poop take that long to break down into something usable to plants).
Click to expand...

That's interesting to hear. I've used rabbit manure for my garden for over 10 years with out any problems, I've also never had urinary problems (to my knowledge) in my rabbits ether. Makes me wonder how much of that is true, or if it's caused from improper diet or other genetic/environmental problems. I think that be a cool experiment to toy around with.
 
Peanut said:
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Uro_gen_diseases/Mech_diseases/Urolithiasis.htm
The urine pH in rabbits is naturally high, between 7.6 and 8.8; with a specific gravity is around 1.030. The latter is difficult to measure due to the presence of calcium and crystals (struvite, calcium carbonate, more rarely oxalate).

A high pH favors the development of bacteria and UTI. Most commonly found bacteria are Escherichia coli, Proteus sp. and Staphylococcus sp., sometimes true-anaerobic bacteria are found. The bacteria will start to excrete waste (ammonium) and an enzyme, urease that will break down the urea. The high pH will accelerate the precipitation of struvite crystal.

In other words rabbits are prone to kidney stones and UTI's

However, I posted the above to say this... unless rabbit pellets are diluted by a higher volume of other compost materials and soil I've seen a problem with rabbit pellets burning plants. By "higher volume" I mean compared to cow or horse manure. At least that's what I saw when I had meat rabbits.

Chicken manure has the same issues. Large industrial chicken houses are common where I live. Chicken farmers periodically clean out their chicken houses. The chicken manure is piled up then allowed to set out and weather 8 months to a year before being sold to other farmers as fertilizer for fields and pastures. It takes that long for some of the uric acid to leach out of the piles of poop. (that was only part of the reason, other chemicals in the poop take that long to break down into something usable to plants).
Click to expand...
I have heard rabbit manure is safe, but I do not know for sure.
We left the RM & redworms under the cage (legs of cage 48" high) until Fall, Father always spread manure in the Fall, turned it under & planted in the Spring.
 
We have meat rabbits too so I have plenty. 🤪

Try listing it for sale on Craigslist and see if you have any takers.

We list bunnies for sale to help cover costs of feed. I did the math for a year supplies for our buns and then figured how many bunnies I'd have to sell to cover those costs. We have Rex rabbits and Rex bunnies sell fast out here. I figure a litter that hits fryer weight around Easter would be the perfect ones to sell.
 
UpTown Family Rabbitry 2 said:
That's interesting to hear. I've used rabbit manure for my garden for over 10 years with out any problems, I've also never had urinary problems (to my knowledge) in my rabbits ether. Makes me wonder how much of that is true, or if it's caused from improper diet or other genetic/environmental problems. I think that be a cool experiment to toy around with.
Click to expand...

Yep. We raised rabbits for meat and 4-H for 10 years. Every week we cleaned under the cages and put the manure directly in the garden and never had issues with plants being burned.
 
Terri9630 said:
Yep. We raised rabbits for meat and 4-H for 10 years. Every week we cleaned under the cages and put the manure directly in the garden and never had issues with plants being burned.
Click to expand...
The problem could be urine, all urine is high in N & can burn plants.
 
joel said:
The problem could be urine, all urine is high in N & can burn plants.
Click to expand...

When I was a kid raising meat rabbits the manure was hosed off before being moved to the gardens or bagged for others taking it to their gardens.

I have noticed that when I clean the hutches now the pee spots bubble up when I spray them with vinegar.
 
Most gardening books I have read recommended rabbit manure for gardeners because it can be applied directly to the soil. And considered to be the best manure that can be used. Also has the highest volume of beneficial nitrogen, potassium n _____ having a senior moment here. When compared to other manure
Anyhows I've only found good things about rabbit poo n urine for gardening. And my personal experience has been good.
Hey maybe rabbit manure isn't for everyone. I will target those interested.
I used it combined with a peat moss for our tomatoes. Works well.
I do believe that mulching it would sell better than round turds. I looks like topsoil.
Hey trying to look at every way possible to be as efficient as possible here
 
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If the stuff I read on the "what shortages are you seeing" thread about fertilizer shortages world wide in 2022, I would stockpile all of that crap I could get my hands on and then sell next year for 3X the price.... But that is just me...
 
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