I do at times, and right now I have a bantam hen that was about dead, put her in with the rabbits were she could use the heat lamp, it took her about 2 weeks and she is finaly coming around and walking. She was in with flemish giants too. And other years I would put the rabbits in the chicken coop and never had problems.

Sandy

it would all depend on your expectations. If you expwct to be successful, the proper way is to house them as they should be, seperatly. Even hosing them in the same building can be less than appropriate. rabbits can suffer from the dusy created by the birds. I do have my rabbits and fowl in the same large barn but there is adequate air exchange, and the rabbits are walled off on 3 sides from the birds. i do breed and maintain top quality animals so it is important to my standards. A haphazard method of husbandry does seem to work for some of those who have lower expectations/goals.

For the most part I lean toward Fancifowl's ideas. Under ideal condition...they should be separate, but I do not think it is an absolute Law.

There is an interesting thread on a meat rabbit forum I "lurk" on. Same question came up just today. Most people did not see a problem except for the "cleanliness" aspect.

Health reasons were another big issue. Both animals have species specific coccidiosis (sorry I can't spell a lick). Rabbit can't give it to chickens and visa versa...but the chickens can give the rabbits their own coccidiosis. Supposedly what happens is the rabbits poo falls to the ground and the bacteria get active. Then the chickens pick throught the poo and get it on their feet and feathers. When they roost above the rabbits on the cages...the bacteria fall back down on the rabbits infecting them. Whether this is true or a problem...I don't know...but that is what some were saying.

Like I said...I think it would be best to have them separate...but there seems to be a lot of people that have them sharing areas without any problems.

Brian