2 ACRE ENCLOSURE QUESTIONS...

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dave404
Posts: 589
Joined: Sat May 28, 2005 2:06 pm

2 ACRE ENCLOSURE QUESTIONS...

Post by dave404 »

I'm getting ready to put up a 2 acre bottom which was farmed in corn about 5yr ago and now has weeds head high . My thoughts are to disk lanes and sow with clovers, etc.. and leave weed strips for cover.
any thoughts on width of lanes and best mix to sow ?? area is roughly 200' wide

Aubrey Holcombe
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Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:54 am
Location: Royston, Georgia
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Re: 2 ACRE ENCLOSURE QUESTIONS...

Post by Aubrey Holcombe »

Very narrow in width, and crocked ! Do Not bush hog a Straight lane, make it very crooked an S Shape,, those Wide Straight one's Hawks & owls will clean your Rabbits Out!

You need some Brush piles the more cover the better !! I have several, and you gotta have that cover,, I find that Orchard grass is mighty good Do Not put and Fescue in there it has a fungus that will kill your rabbits,, I use lot of Lime when I sow my clover, like the Ladino, Little white dutch,white clovers the rabbit love the small type clovers best. I can't spell the Scesera Lespidazer( not spelled correct) but this is some good stuff as the rabbit can stay fat and sassy in both summer and they eat it like crazy in the winter when it had been, killed back at first frost,, but it come back every spring when it gets a good root system,, it can be bush hogged and it is great real tender and good for cover also..

Good Luck.

D.R.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>

P.S. get some salt and mineral blocks at the seed and feed store,, use some yellow Sulfa, blocks they help keep your rabbits healthy ..
ARHA Hall Of Fame, own "The Daddy Rabbit Kennels", Royston, Georgia

rabbitatfarm
Posts: 867
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:07 am
Location: Michigan

Re: 2 ACRE ENCLOSURE QUESTIONS...

Post by rabbitatfarm »

That type of lespedeza can be invasive. Missouri discourages its use. Any of the native grasses like switchgrass would also provide good food and cover. It stands up well in winter.

Larry
LP R Ch Quick Strike Go Go Boots
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S.R.Patch
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Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2002 1:17 am

Re: 2 ACRE ENCLOSURE QUESTIONS...

Post by S.R.Patch »

Sericea lespedeza may be down played by the DNR but results show it is a wonder cover and food source for rabbit.
The main source of info for me is the great rabbit hunting on the coalmines that have this resource. So great is it that the ARHA world hunt is conducted on the many acres of this cover.
Results don't lie... :check:

Aubrey Holcombe
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Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2004 5:54 am
Location: Royston, Georgia
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Re: 2 ACRE ENCLOSURE QUESTIONS...

Post by Aubrey Holcombe »

Yep, Mr. Patch can't tell some folks anything they seem to know it All, I see them plant the old type Ky. Fescue all the time,, then wonder why their rabbits are dying ?

I been owning Starting pens and running pen for about 40 years,,and I may have found out a thing or two about them. They have to maintained ever yea and all the time,, lots of work but they well worth all the efforts, I been digging up Prevy Hedge and making brush piles out of it just this past week, have to get it done before they start raising the little ones.

D.R.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~..
ARHA Hall Of Fame, own "The Daddy Rabbit Kennels", Royston, Georgia

rabbitatfarm
Posts: 867
Joined: Sun Apr 07, 2013 7:07 am
Location: Michigan

Re: 2 ACRE ENCLOSURE QUESTIONS...

Post by rabbitatfarm »

It may be the most wonderful cover in the world in the right place, like the coal fields. However, if we have neighbors, we have a responsibility to do our research. Kansas classifies it as a noxious weed, like many of the imports that people thought would be useful. I planted a 1000 autumn olive shrubs for cover 25 years ago. It is a constant battle to keep it in some semblance of control. It is a very agressive invader and chokes out more beneficial native plants. That's the biggest drawback to non-native plants. This guy is looking for cover inside his pen. A caution at least should be offered based on wildlife manager's observations.

Larry
LP R Ch Quick Strike Go Go Boots
LP R Ch Quick Strike Big Red

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