The back wall of a rabbit cage. Dimensions of industrial cages for rabbits. Common designs and their features

Farming and raising livestock has always been a profitable activity, especially if you do it throughout the year. Rabbits are especially popular among animal breeders. various breeds- they are easy to keep, they are unpretentious, they eat simple and affordable food. The only difficulty is that their maintenance requires cages, which, in order to save money, will have to be made with your own hands.

Is it necessary to keep rabbits in cages?

Rabbits intended for home and industrial breeding are undemanding in terms of the area in which they will be kept. This is largely due to their behavioral characteristics - in the wild, animals use small burrows as a place to rest and sleep.

The length of daylight, temperature and air humidity play a much greater role. These indicators directly affect both the behavior and health of the animal, as well as the dynamics of its growth and weight gain. Temperatures of 12–18 o C and air humidity of 60–75% are optimal for keeping most breeds.

In conditions household It is customary to keep rabbits in two ways:

isolated - in cages or sheds;
freely - in enclosures or paddocks.

The cellular method allows you to clearly control the number of meals an animal eats, thereby reducing feed consumption and preventing the animal from overeating. In addition, keeping them in cages helps control rabbit mating. Breeding of animals occurs clearly and according to the plan provided by the breeder.

In addition to this, the cellular method helps to avoid infection of the entire population of rabbits due to any infection reaching one or more individuals in the herd. Confinement in an aviary is most often used on European farms. This method is as close as possible to natural conditions, when the animal arranges its own home. Unlike the cellular method, the aviary method is more complex and requires not only large area plot, but also constant monitoring of the livestock.

Ideally, the breeder will combine these two methods, but to achieve such conditions in modern realities Only professionals who have been doing this for decades succeed. We recommend that novice breeders use the cage method of keeping them as the simplest and most effective.

Depending on the climatic conditions in the region where livestock farming is planned, cages for keeping rabbits can be located directly on the street or in utility rooms. Therefore, taking into account the location of the cells, they can be classified into three types:

Some owners have two types of cages at their disposal. Some are always located in the utility room and have convenient system mesh bottom, allowing for quick and convenient cleaning. The second ones are erected along a fence or wall of a building and represent winter option with a canopy.

This option has a lot of advantages, but is not available to all breeders, since keeping a large number of animals requires a considerable area of land. Therefore, for most people living in middle lane Russia and those trying their hand at animal husbandry, it is recommended to keep rabbits exclusively on the street.

Keeping rabbits outdoors all year round allows the animals to develop immunity to various infections and diseases. And also Fresh air has a beneficial effect on the formation of healthy and lush hair.

Types of cells

Conventionally, cages for rabbits can be divided into two large groups. The first includes cages that differ from each other in the type of design, which determines their size and ease of use for the animal breeder. The second is cells used for a specific purpose to solve certain problems.

By design

Depending on the design, cages for rabbits are divided into the following types:

You can often find combined options cages, when a walking enclosure is added to the classic single-tier version. Typically, for two cages or sheds, an area no larger than 200x100x60 cm is sufficient.

For multi-tiered structures, it is possible to arrange an exit point directly to the stubble or the ground through special manholes. But this option is used extremely rarely, since factory cages are not equipped with such a system, and not every rabbit breeder can make it themselves.

By purpose

Based on their purpose, rabbit cages are classified into the following types:

Video: review of a two-tier outdoor cage for rabbits

Necessary materials

To make cages for breeding, young and adult rabbits, you will need the following material:

edged board - size 30x100x3000 or 30x150x300 mm. Necessary for lining the side and back walls of the cage. Can be used for lining a portable queen cell;
wooden blocks - 40x40x3000 or 50x50x3000 mm in size. Will be needed to make the frame, legs and other elements of the cage. If desired, you can use rectangular bars;
To assemble the cage frame, an edged block with a section of 40×40 or 50×50 is used
moisture-resistant plywood - 9 or 12 mm thick. It will be required when making a cage floor, wall cladding and other solid elements. It is better to use sheets measuring 150x3000 mm;
steel pipes - cross-section from 20 mm. Rarely used, but with the ability to work with welding machine allow you to assemble a strong and durable frame. It is not recommended to use for assembling the floor and making other elements that will come into contact with the body of animals;
steel mesh - galvanized fine mesh with cell size 15×15 or 20×20 mm. Necessary for making doors, covering some walls and re-upholstering the waste disposal area;
To cover the walls and doors in a cage, it is better to use galvanized mesh with a cell of 20×20 mm
galvanized sheet - with a zinc coating with a thickness of 120 microns. It will be required in the manufacture of roofing, floor cladding and other elements for some types of cells. It is better not to use it for cladding the roof of outdoor cages;
corrugated slate is a traditional roofing material. It is better to use old slate to cover the roof of street cages, which will significantly reduce the overall cost of the structure.

To assemble the cage frame, galvanized self-tapping screws 70 mm long are used. The boards and plywood are fastened using self-tapping screws 30–50 mm long. If desired, galvanized nails of appropriate length can be used. Doors, feeders and other rotating elements are fastened to ordinary furniture or door hinges.

Cell dimensions and drawing

Before you start making a cage for rabbits, you need to decide on its parameters, which are selected taking into account the age, size and breed of the animal. We talked about cages for large rabbits above. Once the parameters have been determined, you will need to draw up a project for the future cell in the form of a drawing.

You can use the table below to determine the average cage size for regular rabbits. It indicates the range of length, width and height for cages, taking into account the age of the animal.

Table: cage parameters for rabbits depending on their age

In order to create a drawing of a future structure, you can use both regular office paper and graph paper. On paper, you should schematically depict the frame and main elements of the cell while maintaining the proportions. Opposite each element you need to indicate its size in any convenient bit depth.

Schematic representation of a single-tier cage for rabbits made of bars and boards

As an example, consider several drawings that can be found on the Internet. The first drawing shows a single-tier wooden cage. The frame of this cage can be assembled from a 50x50 mm edged block. To cover the frame, a 30×100 mm edged board is used.

The design of a single-tier cage consists of two compartments separated by a partition in the form of a V-shaped feeder made of mesh. On the sides of the cage there are solid doors on hinges. If desired, the doors can also be made of mesh.

Drawing of the most popular cage design with a V-shaped feeder

The second drawing shows a two-tier cage with a frame made of edged timber. The front wall of the cage is made in the form of a door made of a bar and mesh, and grain feeders are located on the sides of the structure. The compartments for keeping rabbits are also separated by a feeder. A photograph of a cage made according to this scheme can be seen in the section “Construction of a two-tier cage.”

DIY rabbit cage construction

All the options for rabbit cages described below can be made with your own hands without having much experience working with construction tools. In addition to the materials for making cages, you need to prepare a wood saw or jigsaw, a screwdriver, a hammer, a plane, metal scissors, pliers, a construction tape measure and a pencil.

How to build a three-tier cage according to Zolotukhin’s principle

Three-tier cage using N.I. technology Zolotukhina may have different size, which is selected based on the size of the competitive breed of rabbits and the free space where the structure is planned to be located.

Up to 6 adult individuals can live in one cage using Zolotukhin technology

In our example, we will describe the technology for assembling a three-tier cage with a height of 190 cm, a width of 140 cm and a depth of 60 cm. This multi-sectional structure will be enough to keep six adult rabbits.

The cell construction technology based on the Zolotukhin principle consists of the following:

It is necessary to make 12 long and short pieces each from a 40×40 or 50×50 mm edged bar. The length of short blanks is 540 mm, long ones - 1340 mm. You will need to prepare 3 sheets of 1340×480 mm from plywood.
6 frame frames are assembled from prepared blanks. For assembly, a screwdriver and galvanized screws 50–70 mm long are used. When assembling, smaller bars are placed between longer pieces. The fastener is screwed into the end of short workpieces. Number of fasteners - 2 pieces for each workpiece.
To install frame frames, you will need to make 4 blanks from 30x100 mm boards. The length of the blanks is 2250 mm. The resulting boards are laid on the floor, after which a frame is placed on them with the end side and fixed with 2 screws on each side. Using a similar principle, boards are attached on the opposite side. The step between the tiers depends on the height of the cells, but not less than 40 cm. When fastening, it is worth considering that there must be a gap of 10–15 cm between the tiers for installing pallets.
Drawing of a three-tier cage with a queen cell and a V-shaped feeder
Next, the assembled frame is placed in a vertical position. A previously prepared plywood sheet is laid on the supporting frame of each tier. Small spacers 1.5–2 cm high are placed at the front corners under the plywood. The plywood is attached directly to the frame using self-tapping screws 30 mm long. The fastening pitch is 25–30 cm.
Spacers will ensure the floor slopes towards the rear wall. To make them, you can use an edged board or remnants of bars. To do this, you need to saw off a workpiece 10–15 cm long and trim it diagonally. If possible, you can use a wood saw or plane.
It is necessary to attach a steel mesh to the gap between the plywood and the frame along the back wall. A piece of mesh of appropriate size is prepared using metal scissors. Next, the mesh is attached with reverse side. For this, metal staples and small screws are used.
To strengthen the cell frame you can use steel profile and corners
To make a partition, which will also play the role of a feeder, you will need to prepare 6 blanks from a 50x50 mm bar. This can be done using a tape measure, marking the center along the horizontal frame guide. Then from the center you need to measure the distance to the top points at an angle of about 25 or about 30.
One of the ends of the workpieces must be sawed off at the appropriate angle. After this, the resulting bars are attached to the frame using self-tapping screws 70 mm long. A mesh with a mesh size of 25×25 mm is stretched between the installed V-shaped frames. To adjust the mesh, use metal scissors or pliers.
Back and side walls the cages are lined with 30×100 mm boards. If desired, they can be sheathed with plywood, but this will cost a little more. If the cage is assembled for outdoor use, the lining is done from the inside. This will make it possible to insulate the structure.
The bottom for the cages is made of slats or mesh
After the sheathing, we begin making the doors. In order for the doors to have the correct rectangular shape, you will need to prepare 6 blanks from bars, which are secured in a vertical position, 20–30 cm away from the feeder. After this, the space between the feeder and the blank is covered with a mesh.
To make the doors, a 40x40 mm block is used. To do this, you need to measure the distance from the screwed workpiece to the side wall, as well as the height between the floor and ceiling. Then prepare 4 bars for each door. The bars are fastened together using self-tapping screws 50 mm long. The door, as well as part of the front wall, is covered with mesh.
Before attaching the door to the frame, you need to choose the direction in which it will open. After this, depending on the direction, you should attach two hinges to the side or bottom of the door. Finally, the door is attached to the side post or bottom tier rail. You can use a mini metal latch as a lock.
Schematic structure of a cell with a queen cell and a floor using Zolotukhin technology
To install pallets under each tier, you will need to prepare supports from bars. To do this, 4 square blanks measuring 50x50 mm are sawn off from a block. The blanks are attached to the side posts of the frame so that there is 5–7 cm between the tier and the pallet. Used to make a pallet steel sheet, which bends around the perimeter by 1.5–2 cm.
On final stage roof sheathing is carried out. To do this, the roof is hemmed with a 30x100 mm wooden board. Lathing is mounted on top of the board in increments of 10–15 cm. Slate is laid on the lathing. If necessary, the roof is insulated using polystyrene foam.

It should be noted that the design of Zolotukhin’s cell may have a slightly different appearance. Sometimes, the feeder is built directly into the door. To do this, a frame of the feeder is made of galvanized metal, which is then mounted so that its lower part fits into the cage.

The design of street cages also has a slightly different appearance. The cage is almost completely covered with boards or plywood. The size of the door is minimal. In addition, it is rational to provide a queen cell or other space protected from the cold inside the cell.

In addition to feeders for hay and grain, it is necessary to provide drinking bowls. These can be either ready-made products with a separate container and water supply system, or handicraft inventions according to their own design.

Drinking bowls for rabbits can be made from any plastic containers with stopper

Drinkers with a nipple are most often used as finished products, when several tubes extend from a container of water at once. At the points of supply to the cage, the tubes are branched using a tee. The end of a tube with a nipple is inserted into the cage; when pressed, the rabbit can freely drink water.

For self-made we recommend using regular plastic bottle, into the lid of which the nipple will be screwed. If the bottle is small, then it is better to secure it inside the cage. If desired, you can also connect a hose to the bottle into which the end with the nipple will be inserted. In this case, the bottle can be taken outside.

Video: building a three-tier cage for rabbits from lumber

Create a two-tier cage

Bunk cages are most often used for keeping rabbits in utility rooms or as summer options. They are easy to manufacture and repair due to lightweight design, much like what we described above.

The sequence of actions when building a two-tier cage is as follows:

As an example, let’s take the drawing of a cell, which we gave as an example in the section “Cell size and drawing.” Let us remind you that this is a structure with a total height of 2000 mm. The length of the tier is 1400 mm with a standard cage depth of 600 mm.
To assemble the frame frames, you need to prepare 8 long and short blanks. The length of short bars is 600 mm, long bars are 1400 mm. You can immediately prepare the material for the racks. To do this, you need to saw off 4 blanks from a 30x100 mm board, each 200 cm long.
Grain feeders can be attached directly to the side doors of the cage
Then the resulting bars are fastened into frames using self-tapping screws 70 mm long. The resulting frames are mounted on racks made of boards. The lower frame is fixed at a distance of 500 mm from the ground level. The distance between the tiers is 15–30 cm. At a distance of 20 cm from the side posts of the frame, vertical guides made of 50x50 mm bars are fixed.
To make feeders, you need to prepare a blank for the bottom made of plywood measuring 200x600 mm. Each tier requires 2 blanks. Next, the plywood is attached to the bottom of the cage close to the side posts. After this, the side walls are covered.
Plywood is also used to sew the inner wall of the feeder, but the size of the canvas should be 10–15 mm smaller. The gap between the wall and the bottom is necessary for free settling of the grain as it is consumed.
The V-shaped feeder is easy to make and does not take up free space inside the cage
To make the bottom, you can use two approaches. In the first case, the bottom is made of 30x50 mm slats, which are fixed in increments of 3–5 mm. In the second, the bottom is made of plywood and mesh, as described in the technology above.
The V-posts of the hay feeder are mounted in the center of each tier. For this, 8 blanks are prepared, which are then fixed with self-tapping screws at a convenient angle. The walls of the feeder are covered with a mesh with a mesh size of 20x20 mm.
The doors are made from 40×40 mm bars. To do this, you will need to measure the distance between the grain feeders. In our case, it is equal to 100 cm. Next, 4 blanks 100 cm long and 4 blanks 60 cm long are taken. Then two short blanks are placed between the long ones. The resulting frame is fastened using self-tapping screws 70 mm long.
An example of fastening a feeder with grain to a cage door
To hang the door, you will need to secure two hinges on the bottom edge. After this, the door is carefully placed in the opening, and the hinges are screwed to the horizontal guide. A steel latch or bolt is used as a lock.
Galvanized sheets are used to make pallets. For this, a canvas measuring 144×64 mm is prepared. The edges of the sheet are bent to a height of 1.5–2 cm along the perimeter of the canvas. Pallets are placed under each tier. Previously, supports made of bars measuring 50x50 mm are attached to the frame posts.

Finally, the rough roof surface is installed. To do this, the edged board is fixed in increments of 5–7 cm. A galvanized sheet or old slate is laid on top of the board.

How to build a portable cage

Typically, a portable cage is a single-tier structure made of wood. In some cases, the cage can be used as a daytime option only, when the structure does not have a bottom. As an example, we will give the technology for manufacturing a single-tier portable cage with a queen cell. It can be used both as a stationary option for breeding, and as a mobile cage that can be taken outside as soon as it gets warmer there.

The process of building a mobile cell with a queen cell consists of the following steps:

To make a cage, you will need to prepare 2 blanks 110 cm long and 2 blanks 130 cm long. You can also use smaller sizes. The main thing is that the distance from the ground to the bottom of the cage is at least 50 cm.
The resulting blanks are fastened together using a horizontal guide, the length of which is 60–70 cm. The guide is attached at a distance of 50–60 cm from the ground level.
The frame for the cage can be assembled from either 3 mm thick edged boards or 50×50 mm bars
To assemble the side posts into a single frame, you will need to saw off 2 boards 140–160 cm long. Again, any option is possible. The main thing is that each section has at least 60 cm in length.
One of the prepared boards is laid on the horizontal jumper between the posts and fixed with self-tapping screws 50 mm long. The second board is attached to the back of the frame so that its top edge coincides in height with the first board.
The back wall of the assembled frame is lined with plywood or edged board. To make the bottom in the mother sections, it is necessary to prepare plywood blanks measuring 30x60 cm. The sheets are laid close to the vertical side posts and attached to self-tapping screws 30 mm long.
If you plan to insulate the cage, then it is better to cover it from the inside
Next, the side walls of the frame are hemmed. To strengthen the structure, vertical guides with a length equal to the height of the cage along the front wall are prepared. The guides are attached immediately behind the floor of the queen cell.
To line the inner wall of the queen cell, a sheet of plywood is used, in which a hole has been cut using a jigsaw. The canvas is attached to the mother liquor side with self-tapping screws.
A 30x30 mm block of 50 cm in length is attached to the hemmed side wall of the frame. A piece of plywood measuring 30x60 cm is laid on it. Self-tapping screws 30 mm long are used to fasten the plywood.
A spacer made of a 30x100 mm board is mounted in the middle of the cage. Two spacers are also mounted at the top of the cage at a distance of 10 cm from the center. Blanks made of 30x30 mm edged timber are fixed between the spacers. Then the space between the bars is covered with mesh.
The remaining part of the floor in the cage is also covered with galvanized mesh with a cell of 20x20 mm. A 140 cm long board is mounted in the upper part of the frame between the two upper posts. The open front part of the hay feeder is hemmed with a 30x100 mm board.
To make doors in the mother chamber, a sheet of plywood is used, in the upper part of which a small window is sawed. To make doors to the main part of the cage, bars of the appropriate cross-section are used, which are fastened into a frame.
Ready-made version of a portable single-tier cage with two queen cells
The door to the queen cell and the cage is covered with mesh on the inside. After this, two galvanized loops are attached to them. Finally, the doors are fixed to the vertical posts of the frame.
The roof is hemmed using moisture-resistant plywood. The plywood sheet should protrude 10–15 cm beyond the frame. Self-tapping screws 50 mm long are used for fastening.

If necessary, the queen cell in the cage can be made removable. To do this, you will need to make a queen cell frame from 30×30 mm bars of any convenient size. Then the frame is covered with plywood. The resulting box can be placed directly into the cage shortly before birth.

Cage for young animals

Cages for baby rabbits can be either shared or single. The first option is most often used, since it is easier to manufacture. When designing, it should be taken into account that the size common cell directly depends on the intended offspring.

To make a cell, you can use any technology described above. For example, most a good option for a small farm there will be a single-tier structure with two sections.

To make it, you will need to assemble frame frames from edged timber, which are then fixed on vertical posts made of boards. Unlike the frames that are used when assembling cages for adult rabbits, their size is slightly larger. As a rule, the size of one section is at least 120x60 cm. Ideally, the size of the section is 150x100 cm.

When designing cages for young animals, it should be taken into account that there should be at least 0.15 square meter area

The further assembly process is similar to the previously described options: the feeder is installed in the middle of the structure, the floor is hemmed or covered, the sides and back wall. After this, the doors are assembled and hung. Finally, a roof made of boards or plywood is installed.

Features of winter keeping rabbits

Rabbits, unlike poultry, quite easily tolerated minus temperature However, they need to be provided with comfortable conditions to prevent frostbite and colds. At proper insulation the cage does not need to be moved to the utility room even at a temperature of -20 o C.

When insulating thermal insulation material lies between the cell walls

With constant exposure to low temperatures, rabbits' fertility decreases and their reproductive functions deteriorate. To reduce the effects of cold, you will need to fully insulate the cells. For this, modern heat insulators with a thickness of 3 cm or more are used, which are placed in the space between the walls of the cage;
if there is no extra money, then natural materials that can be prepared in the summer are suitable as insulation. These include: moss, foliage of trees and shrubs, pine needles, thin branches. The material collected in sufficient quantities should be thoroughly dried in the shade. A dry heat insulator is placed between the walls of the cage using a similar principle;
Each separate section of the cage must have a compartment fenced off from the main part. It is made according to the box principle, when the frame is sheathed using boards or plywood. To enter the compartment, a cut is used in one of the walls;
to avoid decline reproductive functions Each cage must have a lamp with artificial lighting. This will allow for an increase in daylight hours, which will have a beneficial effect on the fertility and activity of the animal. If necessary, a heating cable is laid into the cage and connected to the back wall or queen cell;
rabbit food winter period should be high in calories with a high content of concentrated and roughage. The main sources of vitamins and minerals are carrots and beets. It is allowed to feed rabbits with boiled potatoes.

The process of making cells is simple and will not cause any particular difficulties even for people who have rarely used a hacksaw or a screwdriver. The general principle of assembly is easy to understand after studying just a couple of instructions. The main thing is to correctly calculate the size and draw up a drawing of the cell - this will help to avoid most of the mistakes that beginners make.

This article is addressed to beginning rabbit breeders. I collected 7 detailed instructions how to make rabbit cages with your own hands. You can breed both ordinary and decorative ones - the first for meat and skin, the second for mood.

Cages are most often made of plywood or chipboard, from which the walls and roof are made. The frame is made of boards or timber, which also serve as “legs” or supports. If the cells are under open air, then the roof is made from roofing material, for example, from a metal profile.

Video - building a cage for rabbits step by step

The first guide I want to put is this video material, which shows the stages of building a three-tier cage for rabbits in an accessible, understandable and without unnecessary movements and words. The design is comfortable and practical. The waste is discharged through inclined trays and the cages are always dry.

Rabbit cage drawing and general information

Knowing the required space for the life of one rabbit, you can calculate the future volume of the cage or enclosure. It should also be taken into account that for better development The rabbit also needs space to move.

The figure shows general information about rabbits, their average height, length, minimal space for their living and walking area. The minimum width of the cage is the size of the rabbit when stretched, the minimum length of the cage is 3-4 rabbit jumps, the minimum height is so that the rabbit can stand on its hind legs and not touch the ceiling.

First, I will show you a drawing of a simple cage for rabbits for a small family. This cage can be made in order to raise several animals for food by the fall.

Another interesting drawing of a rabbit cage with a walking area right on the ground. This structure is mobile and can be moved around the site so that rabbits always have access to greenery.

There is information for summer residents on how to build a cage for keeping domestic rabbits in just half a day. The cages are built from three to four layers of plywood and galvanized mesh.

The design of a cage with bunker feeders and nurseries for roughage is well described. The floor in the cage is made of mesh, the roof is made of plywood. On this site you can see detailed photographs and also find out optimal sizes designs.

Schemes and drawings of cages for rabbits

Here are the sketches different options“houses” for rabbits: cages, barrels and cages themselves. A diagram of a cage for 2 adult rabbits is shown. The drawing of a simple cage for young animals shows the dimensions that will be useful to you when making it yourself.

Video - cages for rabbits Zolotukhin

You can watch a video with the participation of Nikolai Ivanovich Zolotukhin. He talks about the design of his redesigned rabbit hutches. In these cages, the floor is made of flat slate, and the mesh (5 cm wide) is fixed only at the rear edge of the cage.

This allows you to make multi-story cages and makes cleaning easier. Very useful experience! The master also talks about some important elements cages, for example, about an overturning feeder, which is convenient to fill and clean.

Mikhailov mini-farm - drawing

You can see Mikhailov’s legendary mini-farm here:

In such mini-farms, professional breeders breed rabbits. You will see in the photo a detailed analysis of the mini-farm design. Drawings of cages for rabbits with dimensions are given.

Such cages are equipped with automatic drinking bowls and feeders for animals, which allows them to be fed without rationing. And as a result, such mini-farms are simply created for the reproduction of animals. And this will increase the profits of farmers using Mikhailov’s mini-farms!

This “apartment” house for rabbits from the portal “Ya-Fermer.ru”

made according to the drawings of Mikhailov’s mini-farm. The master writes about the advantages and disadvantages of these cells. He gained this experience after using and caring for rabbits in these cages for one winter.

You will see unique photos author. Next, the author provides photos of the phased development own project cages for rabbits. You can watch a video of making a drinking bowl, feeder and manger for roughage. Very interesting unique material!

If you are a non-professional rabbit breeder and are just starting to breed rabbits, then this article is for you. Here is another author's model of a simple one-story rabbit cage with a drawing. This is more of a one-story residential complex for furry animals. The floor in the cage can be made of mesh or slats.

Video on making a cage using this drawing

Discussion of a rabbitry with queen cells made of clapboard

the master posted a photo of a rabbitry with queen cells for 6 females. Very beautiful street cages from the lining! Forum participants criticized the master. An interesting argument even arose between them.

We encourage you to read the criticisms and take them into account when building cages for your rabbits! Moreover, the author put the rabbitry up for public discussion, which means he wanted to ask experts what needs to be corrected. Consider the advice of experienced rabbit breeders!

For successful keeping and breeding of rabbits, it is very important to choose the right cage for them, because the well-being of the animals and their ability to reproduce directly depend on its structure and type of material. Good, warm and comfortable housing is the key to good health for your pet and good set weight. There are two options - buy a ready-made cage in a specialized store or make it yourself. It would seem that the first option is easier and simpler, but it is preferable to do it yourself, taking into account all the necessary dimensions, depending on the expected number of individuals and the breed of pets. Having decided to breed rabbits, it is important to decide on the place where their cage will be located.

First of all, you need to take care of protecting your pets from cold wind and sunlight in the summer. Ideally, it is better to make the roof removable, this will facilitate the process of disinfecting the cage. So, how to make cages for rabbits with your own hands: all dimensions and drawings are presented below.

Types of cages for keeping rabbits

The main types of cages, mainly used by rabbit breeders in practice, are presented in the list below:

a cage with an enclosure for walking a rabbit;
standard cells with and without queen cell;
a cell built according to the method of I. N. Mikhailov;
cell according to the method of N.I. Zolotukhin.

Each cell has a standard base - walls, floor, ceiling and frame, door. Let's take a closer look at cell types.

An example of a drawing of a two-section cage for rabbits can be seen in the photo below.

Regular cell (with or without queen cell)

A standard cage, usually on high legs, with a mesh floor and tray, with two compartments separated by a partition with the ability to move from compartment to compartment. They provide a nest for the female rabbit and a place for feeding. The entrance to the cage is closed with doors. The high legs of the structure allow maximum protection of animals from moisture and drafts; they are usually made about half a meter. The mesh floor will allow the waste products of the rabbits not to linger in the cage; with the help of a tray, everything can be easily removed and the animals will be clean. Such cells can be found very often; they require minimum costs and a small amount of materials. Often designs with a mesh floor are used when breeding, since the paws of this breed of animal are resistant to damage.

Cage with aviary for walking rabbits

It is a regular cell (discussed above) made of wooden frame, often on legs, an enclosure for walking is attached to such a cage.
Considering the mobility of pets and their love for an active lifestyle, having a place to walk has an extremely positive effect on the health of rabbits and increases their reproductive qualities. During the summer months, it allows the animals to enjoy fresh grass and soak up the morning sun. It is necessary to take into account all the details so that pets cannot escape from the enclosure and cats or mice do not get into them.

Do-it-yourself cages for rabbits: drawings according to Zolotukhin

The main difference between such a cage and other designs is the following: it does not contain a queen cell for the rabbit. It is assumed that the best option would be if she chooses a suitable place for herself. The feeder and sippy cup are located above front door. These cages do not have a tray or a mesh floor; instead, only the back side of the structure is covered with mesh.

A small metal mesh is used. Analyzing the behavior of rabbits, you can notice that they relieve themselves at the back of their homes. These cages are built using slate or planks. To make the frame and partitions, boards up to two centimeters thick are used. The floor and roof are made of slate; if this is not available, it is made of the same boards as the cage frame. Wooden surfaces upholstered with thin sheet metal.

Let's look at the construction of such a cell step by step:

The first floor of the structure should be located at a distance of fifty centimeters from the ground to protect rabbits from moisture and cold. The cage frame itself is made using four two-meter beams; the finished width of the frame should be two meters, and the depth should be eighty centimeters. Thus, three floors are built.

The floor of each floor must be inclined at a slope of five centimeters towards the back of the cage to allow animal feces to drain off. Each floor is divided into two halves by wooden slats, the distance between them should be about thirty centimeters; in the future there will be a hay barn. The walls of the structure are made of wooden planks. Each floor is half covered with boards or slate, the resulting gap is closed with a fine mesh.
The back wall must be made of moisture-resistant material; polycarbonate is a good choice; it can withstand fairly high humidity without deteriorating or rotting. The grid of the upper floor ends and a polycarbonate sheet is attached to it at an angle.
It is convenient to make caged doors that are common to all floors; metal hooks are attached to the doors.
Additionally, each floor can be equipped with side doors for fattening; bolts must be attached to each door.

Considering that rabbits love to chew everything and do it well, for protection everyone internal corner upholstered in metal.

The roof of the cage is made in such a way that it protrudes forward from the common part of the frame by at least five centimeters on all sides, in order to prevent rainwater from entering the room with the pets.

Cages for rabbits using the Mikhailov method

Rabbit cages using the Mikhailov method are the most complex and expensive, but at the same time the most convenient to use. They provide for a unified system of rabbit waste, heating of the queen cell with baby rabbits and a female rabbit, separate shelves for animals and a ventilation system. Their main feature is their sectionality - they include from two to four separate sections with a single compartment for collecting rabbit waste.

The first cages of this type were designed for two adult animals, improved designs are designed for several teenage rabbits or two rabbits expecting offspring. There are two-tier and single-tier cages. The construction of a cage of this type is tied to the cardinal directions; for protection from cold winds, the back wall is made blank and placed to the north. Apart from the back, the other three are made of mesh material. The mechanism for heating the queen cell must be turned on, and ventilation of the premises is provided.

The floors of the cage using the Mikhailov method are made of slats laid diagonally. To simplify the design, such cells are conventionally divided into three parts:

the upper one, consisting of one or two tiers;
the lower part is a sealed part for collecting manure;
stand-up

Thanks to the stand, the entire structure is fixed to the ground; without it, the cage can tip over. Overall height legs - 140 cm, additional beams are installed at a distance of 40 cm from the ground for maximum strong fixation. Feeders and drinking bowls for rabbits are located inside the building, queen cells are in the center. To perform such a design with your own hands, you must have correct drawing with exact dimensions. The dimensions of the cage made using this method are relatively small; for two adult individuals, the total area of the structure will be 1.4 square meters. The height of the building is 210 cm, the width of the sections is 80 cm, the height is 70 cm. The angle of inclination of the lower section is 45 degrees. The sippy cup in the cage can be installed in any size, depending on the size of the section in which the pet lives. Let's consider the principle of constructing such a cage for four adult rabbits. The animal feeder is 15 cm long, 12 cm wide, and 30 cm high.

So, in order to make it yourself at home this design, you must have:

bars;
slats;
boards;
metal mesh;
automatic drinking bowls for pets;
queen cell heater;
box for animal feces;
staples;
self-tapping screws;
stapler;
screwdriver;
drill;
nails of different sizes and a hammer;
sheet iron;
material for protecting internal corners;
slateruberoid.

Let's look at the construction of such a cage step by step. As an example for a detailed description of construction, let’s take a single-tier cage with three compartments. Having understood the principle of the method, it will not be difficult at all to complete the upper floors. We assemble the cage frame in accordance with required sizes and drawings.

We start building the frame from the frame, then we build the cage itself and lay the floor in it diagonally with slats. Separately, we prepare the doors for the cage and install them, not forgetting the latches.
We install automatic drinking bowls for animals inside the living quarters, and hang pre-prepared drinking bowls outside (also made in accordance with the dimensions of the drawings).
We separate the queen cell for the female rabbit and the young rabbits with a partition in which there is supposed to be an exit door. Do not forget that the queen cell should be as dark as possible for the comfort of newborn rabbits.
We make a roof, strengthen the slate with self-tapping screws.
We make a sloped surface for manure in the shape of a rectangular funnel. A container is installed under the funnel to collect waste and waste products of rabbits.

An important point in such cages is that little rabbits are not separated from their mother. They are constantly with her in a heated queen cell and have the opportunity to receive mother’s milk for as long as possible, which significantly increases the animals’ immunity.

Mikhailov's method is based, first of all, on the fact that rabbits do not have direct contact with humans; for them this is a very serious stress. The idea of such an automatic house, where pets have round-the-clock access to a feeder and water bowl, has achieved incredible results. Rabbits living in such cages practically do not get sick, reproduce well and gain weight very quickly. There are even four-month-old individuals weighing up to six kilograms.

Video. DIY rabbit cage

Breeding rabbits when properly managed can bring good dividends.

Animal cages must be made of high quality materials. The normal functioning of the animal depends on compliance with these requirements.

The main advantage of rabbits is their unpretentiousness. They have a fairly high resistance to various diseases. A properly constructed home creates a comfortable existence for the animal.

Nursery construction

The correct drawings of cages for rabbits allow you to build a good home for the whole family.

The animal nursery consists of:

frame;
ceiling;
side walls;
central door;
feeders.

How to make cages for rabbits with your own hands?

If the finished nursery is located on the street, then the height of the support should be 110 cm. High housing for rabbits helps protect animals from various predators.

The side walls are made of dense plywood or fine mesh. For feeding rabbits, it is recommended to use a fine mesh or thin slats.

The presence of holes allows you to get rid of food debris, thereby preventing their rapid spoilage.

The roof for the cages must be made of durable, waterproof material. Suitable for this: slate, roofing felt; polycarbonate

Materials for the production of housing should not contain sharp edges or chips.

Types of cells

Nursery designs have some differences among themselves.

Mainly:

cells with queen cell;
nursery using the technology of I. N. Mikhailov and N. I. Zolotukhin;
a dwelling with an enclosure for walking animals.

The first version of the cage is a tall structure with two separate sections. One of them is used for feeding, and the other for the nest.

They are separated between a thick sheet of plywood. For normal movement of the animal, a manhole is provided.

An exit for animals is made in the side wall. The entire perimeter of the cage is fenced with a mesh. This helps prevent escape from the nursery area.

The sizes of cages for rabbits are calculated based on their number.

Note!

For intensive breeding of animals, the technique of combining neighboring nurseries is used. To do this, a corridor is made along the back of the cage with additional doors for the male to move around.

Industrial cell designs using Mikhailov technology

They are miniature farms. There is a nest for small rabbits, a place for feeding adult animals, and additional ventilation. An additional compartment for waste disposal is made along the lower border.

How to make a similar cage for rabbits? To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the design drawings. The exact dimensions of the walls and ceiling are shown in detail here.

Nurseries using the Zolotukhin technique

Nurseries using the Zolotukhin technique are multi-storey departments that can accommodate several families. The design of the rabbit cage provides for additional compartments for feeding and easy cleaning of waste.

The main advantage of this method is to create conditions as close to natural as possible. Small rabbits acquire immunity to various viral diseases. The female independently arranges a warm nest from her down and dry straw.

Stages of cell creation

Do simple cell quite simple for animals.

Note!

To do this, you must follow a strict sequence of actions:

The frame of the future cage is assembled from the beams. The thickness should be 10 cm in diameter;
a blank wall is installed at the back of the nursery;
The sides of the cage are covered with mesh.

For this it is necessary to use small fractions.

Experienced experts recommend upholstering side walls small slats. This will protect the animal from overheating in summer time and freezing in winter;
The bottom of the nursery is made of a durable sheet of plywood;
Feeders and additional doors are installed outside the cage. This allows you to easily remove bedding and debris from the animal.

The photo of the rabbit cage shows step by step instructions, which will facilitate the process of constructing a nursery.

Photos of do-it-yourself rabbit cages

Igor Nikolaev

Reading time: 5 minutes

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Any practicing rabbit breeder will tell you how important it is to create comfortable living conditions for rabbits.

Since the most common method of keeping domestic rabbits is cage keeping, ensure good conditions A properly designed cage will greatly help in life and make cleaning easier.

Besides, important aspect when creating it, the quality and safety of materials (including environmental) are important.

There are two options here: either buy a ready-made house for the rabbit, or make it yourself.

The second option is not only less expensive financially, but is also more preferable, since a rabbitry built by the owner himself makes it possible to take into account the specific number of rabbits and the characteristics of their breed. Next, we will look at how to build a rabbit cage with your own hands.
Design of a cage for rabbits and materials for making it yourself.
Whatever the design you choose rabbit house, its basis is always the same and consists of the following main parts:
supporting frame;
walls;
ceiling;
doors.

Cages for these pets can be made from either wooden materials, or from metal mesh However, they should never be made of iron. This will greatly harm the health of your pets, since summer heat such a cage will heat up excessively, and in the winter cold, on the contrary, will freeze thoroughly. Such cages are absolutely contraindicated for rabbits.

To make a frame with your own hands, as a rule, use thick wooden beams, taking into account the fact that the legs of the cage must be at least 35 centimeters in length (if you plan to place the cages indoors). If rabbits are planned to be kept outdoors, then the height of the legs should be increased - from 70 centimeters to one meter. In addition to considerations of safety and comfort for the animals, this height of the rabbit's home will make it much easier to maintain. The material for the walls is usually either plywood sheets or wooden boards, or metal mesh.
Cages for rabbits are not made entirely of mesh, as they need shelter protected from prying eyes. When arranging floors in cages and feeders, it is best to use the same mesh or wooden slats, since feed waste and animal waste products pour out well through the left cells. To make the roof, the same materials are used as for the walls. When installing a roof in industrial cages that stand on outdoors, it must be covered with additional insulating materials (tiles, roofing felt) to protect it from snow and rain.
It is important to remember that any part in the cage must be made safe and smooth. The mesh should not have sharp ends, and wooden parts must be carefully polished so that animals do not have splinters or other injuries. These rodents are very curious and can climb anywhere.

The most popular cage designs for rabbits are:
regular cell (either without a queen cell or with a queen cell);
design by I.N. Mikhailova;
design N.I. Zolotukhina;
a cage containing a walking enclosure for rabbits.

The first type of design provides two compartments: the first is for walking and feeding, the second is a shelter-nest. These sections are separated from each other by a solid partition, in which a hole is provided. The door to the shelter is made of solid wood, and to the walking and feeding area is made of mesh stretched over a frame. If free space allows, walking can be done separately from the feeding area (rabbit enclosure). The entrance to such enclosures can be made either through the back wall of the cage or from below, through the floor.
Dwellings with a separate enclosure are well suited for mating animals, since the large size of the enclosure makes it possible to increase the physical activity of animals, which not only has a beneficial effect on the general physical state, but also improves their reproductive functions.
Industrial cages for rabbits according to the Mikhailov system are real mini-farms, as a result of which this design is considered the most difficult to manufacture and the most advanced. Almost everything is provided in such dwellings: heated drinking bowls and queen cells, a ventilation system, shelves for rest. A distinctive feature of cages of this design is a unique system for removing animal waste.
Mikhailov cell design
Wherever they shit, everything ends up in one container. Also, such mini-farms use a bunker feeder for rabbits, which allows you to supply food once or twice a week, as well as drip drinkers that dose the water supply from a large reservoir. This design is the topic of a separate article. We are considering more simple options, which you can do yourself, although using a bunker feeder in them is also possible.
The Zolotukhinsky version differs from others in that instead of slats or a mesh structure, solid sheets of plywood or flat slate are laid on the floor. There is no waste tray in these cages. The whole trick is that the floor is arranged with a slight slope, and a mesh with a width of 10 to 20 centimeters is mounted on the back wall of the cage. Animal feces are removed through this mesh, since rabbits most often prefer to shit near the back wall.
Feeders for rabbits in cages of this design are of the tilting type, and there is no need to remove them to clean them. Simply tilt the feeder towards you and remove any leftover food. Be sure to put a net in the feeder to prevent small rabbits from escaping through it.
Also, Zolotukhin’s system does not provide for a summer queen cell. The author suggests fencing off the area with a board 20 centimeters wide for the period of birth and subsequent feeding. the right size which is filled with hay. The female rabbit will arrange a nest for herself in this place. This breeding technique brings rabbits as close as possible to the natural conditions of their life, which makes it possible to obtain rabbits with a more stable immune system. As soon as the rabbits grow up, the board is taken away, freeing up space for them to walk. IN winter time This approach is unacceptable, and a closed queen cell must be installed.
An important advantage of the Zolotukhin design is that to build it with your own hands you do not need to have special skills or use expensive materials.

To make such a dwelling, accessible and cheap materials are needed: boards, mesh, plywood sheets or flat slate, as well as a small amount of sheet metal. The frame, nest door and solid partition are made from wood. To construct the floor, plywood or slate (flat) is used. The partitions for the feeders and the outer door are made of mesh. Sheet metal needed in order to cover protruding wooden parts from rabbits, which they like to chew. There should be no drafts in the nesting compartment, as well as a lot of light, so the door here is made solid. In the queen cell, it is necessary to provide a threshold of at least 10 centimeters in height so that any little rabbit does not fall out of it when the door is opened.
To prevent waste from the cells of the upper tier from falling into the lower ones, the back wall there needs to be made straight, and on the lower tier - with a slope.
Cells according to Zolotukhin
How to make a rabbit cage?
The sequence of actions when making a cage for rabbits with your own hands is as follows:
first of all, a frame is made from wooden blocks of 5x5 centimeters, and a mesh is mounted on the floor of the feeding compartment;
then the back wall and solid floor of the nesting compartment are installed;
sheets of plywood cover the side walls and install a partition with a pre-cut hole between the aft and nesting compartments. The size of the hole must be at least 20 centimeters in diameter;
a cover is installed on the socket;
a block is attached to the frame in the middle of the cage, dividing it into sections, and then drinking bowls and feeders for rabbits are mounted (how to make a drinking bowl for rabbits and how to make a feeder for rabbits is the topic of separate articles);
the resulting structure is turned over, and with the help of slats the mesh is finally fixed on the floor;
feed bunkers and a compartment for coarse feed are installed. You can install rods, or you can install a mesh with cells of 2x5 centimeters;
then a roof and a movable door for feeders equipped with a handle are installed on the cage;
mesh and solid doors equipped with latches are attached to the frame.

If the cages will be placed outdoors, it is necessary to cover the roof with a moisture-proof roofing material. To do this, a slatted frame is placed on the finished roof, to which the roofing (roofing material or slate) is attached. The roof should be sloped to allow water to drain. For example, if the height of the front wall is 70 centimeters, then the rear wall should be 60 centimeters.
Whatever design you decide to make, be sure to first make detailed drawings of the cells with dimensions. This scheme will help you not to make mistakes during construction and purchase the required amount of materials in advance. The mesh size of the mesh used in the manufacture of housing for rabbits must exceed 2x2 centimeters. In larger cells, animals may get stuck.