housing rabbits and chicken near each other

Question
Hi,  I have had rabbits for about 15 years.  I have had very few health problems overall with them.  Last August I bought some chickens and have housed them close to where the rabbits are.  I have lost several rabbits since then.  At first I attributed it to the age of the rabbits,(one was 12, one was 8, one was 9).  Last week I lost a 3 year old.  I am baffled.  He was showing no problems.  I noticed a couple days before he died, that he was not eating all of his food. But I live in Fla and it has been very hot, so that is not unheard of.  He was not losing weight, no tumors that I could tell, no blockages that I could feel.  A lady once told me when I had doves, that I shouldn't house the doves and the rabbits close together, but I don't remember why.  Have you ever  heard of anything like that?

Lisa

Answer
Yes, there are diseases that are transmittable between birds and mammals, usually transmitted through fecal matter or insects.  There are a number of such things at http://research.ucsb.edu/connect/pro/disease.html  These are usually bacteria.

You might want to check out information about zoonotic diseases and rabbits to see if there is any other animal that you potentially might keep in the future that could be a hazard to the rabbits.

Kim