# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Livestock and Animal Husbandry >  Rabbit urine

## backtobasics

I know rabbit droppings are good for gardens, but will the urine harm the garden? The way I want my set up there will be droppings and urine mixed with straw. Thanks for any info

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## Rick

I can't speak to rabbit urine but urine in general contains urea that converts to ammonia in short order, which is a fertilizer for plants. There was a Finnish study a couple of years ago that mixed urine and woodash and it was gangbusters for the garden. All I could find on the study were abstracts but I did find an article that talked about it. 

http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...-as-2009-09-04

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## LowKey

You really want to let that stuff compost a bit first. Even with cow manure you don't want to be putting it on fresh. It will burn the plants.

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## backtobasics

Lowkey I was told (it may not be true) that with rabbits there was no need to compost. Actually I think I read it in Mother Earth News.

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## Rick

I don't add any natural fertilizer without composting or letting it age. Urine certainly won't be as bad as manure but you only lose the garden once you know? It's not worth taking a chance to me. You could add it at the end of the growing season and work it into the soil by tiller or whatever you use. Once it over winters it should be okay. Even horse manure won't be hot to trot come spring. (Get it? Horse, trot? I slay ... oh, you know).

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## Winter

The spot I pee off the porch at is devoid of plant life. FYI.

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## backtobasics

> (Get it? Horse, trot? I slay ... oh, you know).


Yea your so cool. When I grow up, Oh wait I don't wanna grow up.

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## backtobasics

Mine too, thats why I asked Winter.

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## crashdive123

> The spot I pee off the porch at is devoid of plant life. FYI.


It's the bourbon. :Innocent:

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## Winter

It's well known I am a vodka and tequila drinker. Not that I would turn down some chilled Jim Beam......

That settles it, Jim Beam tonight.

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## Rick

> Yea your so cool.


I'm so cool I have to wear a sweater. 

That Winter is one talented individual...

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## crashdive123

Yeah, but that's not his handwriting.

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## Rick

I ain't going there.

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## Winter

> Yeah, but that's not his handwriting.


Hahahaha, and sheep can't write in cursive.

Mystery abounds.......

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## backtobasics

So I guess to be safe let it compost. RIGHT?

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## Rick

I'd probably add it to the soil at the end of the season and work it in.

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## hunter63

> So I guess to be safe let it compost. RIGHT?


After gleaning thru the BS (or in this case RS), yes it is better to compost most anything you want to add as an soil amendment, simply because un-composted material uses nitrogen to help with the decomposition of that material and robs it from your plants.

It's like you don't want to bother it till it's ready to work for you.

BTW grass always grew much greener and faster right off my deck.......but then again I'm a beer drinker....or maybe it's a "moderation" thing......move around a little bit.

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## hunter63

> I know rabbit droppings are good for gardens, but will the urine harm the garden? The way I want my set up there will be droppings and urine mixed with straw. Thanks for any info


How do you get the rabbits to pee in the little urinals?

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## backtobasics

Thats top secret hunter

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## Rick

> How do you get the rabbits to pee in the little urinals?


Oh, that's just wrong.

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## crashdive123

> How do you get the rabbits to pee in the little urinals?


Kind of gives new meaning to "down the rabbit hole".

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## backtobasics

Seems like a lot of post end up off the rails like this. I blame rick. lol Its fun tho

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## Rick

Sir, every single post I made was about pee, which was the subject matter at hand. These false and malicious rumors crop up every so often but I usually find that it's someone that has to pee real bad but doesn't want to leave the forum so they get surly. See? Even this post was about pee.

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## backtobasics

You keep saying pee, now I have to go. It has nothing to do with my drinking.

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## hunter63

> Kind of gives new meaning to "down the rabbit hole".


"Go ask Alice....when she 10 feet tall...".Grace Slick

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## oldtrap59

My family has raised rabbits as long as I can remember. In my case that means since I was big enough to reach the cage doors to help with the feeding and watering.(probably in the range of 60 years now) As we have always gardened also that means years of adding under pen leavings to the soil every year. For a long time when we were able to that meant just building a pile out behind the barn and puttiing it on the garden in the spring to be plowed under. For the last several years it has used as a base item along with grass clippings and leaves for our compost heap. My experience would say either way works well. Remember rabbit poo is very high in n and doesn't have much p so it seldom burns unlike many other manures. Remember that some raise worms under their rabbit pens so the urine can't be to strong or damaging. Guess that's all I have to say on the subject of rabbit pee. Our rabbits are teetotalers so have no problems there. :>)

As a side note. If you are going to use chicken manure, be sure to age it. It will burn alot of plants if used fresh. It has a much higher p level. IMO


Oldtrap

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