Breeding rabbits in households can be profitable, as well as result in complete losses. Rabbits actively breed, grow quickly, eat green food, and their meat and skins are expensive - and this brings considerable profit to the breeder. However, they are capricious in maintenance and subject to high mortality. Therefore, the construction of a rabbitry should be given the closest attention. We will tell you how to create a rabbitry with your own hands in this article.
The word "rabbit" has a double meaning. This is the name given to the room where rabbit enclosures are located, as well as cages placed together and mini-farms located on the street.
Most often, rabbit farms are heated and lit rooms with good ventilation, where cages are located in tiers. In regions with a mild climate, open rabbitries are more often used, which are a structure of two or three walls covered with a canopy.
Rabbit farm - inside view
A good rabbitry must meet the following requirements:
- create comfortable conditions for living and breeding of animals;
- be easy to use for a person of average height and build;
- have a well-thought-out system for removing waste from cells and their subsequent disposal.
Buildings for rabbitry are made one-story and rectangular. They are built in accordance with GOST 23838.
In practice, cages with these animals can be placed in a frame-type barn.
Common designs and their features
A standard indoor rabbitry is closed room, equipped with lighting, ventilation and heating systems, and less often with a water supply system. There are cages in long rows, usually in three tiers. There are passages between them, optimal width which is equal to 1.5 m. Often part of the rabbitry is separated for technical rooms and feed storage.
Multi-tiered mini-farms
Rabbit hutch in a hole
This is one of the most controversial decisions; there are approximately equal numbers of supporters and opponents of this design.
An example of “pit” rabbit keeping
Pros of “pit” content:
- life in burrows is natural for rabbits;
- in the pits naturally a normal microclimate, humidity and temperature for rabbits is formed;
- animals breed all year round;
- good litter survival;
- animals get sick less often and gain weight better;
- feed is given to all animals at once, this saves time and effort.
Disadvantages of “pit” content:
- it is impossible to regulate mating;
- it is difficult to monitor the condition of individual individuals;
- difficult to catch animals;
- there is a possibility that the rabbits will dig under the walls and escape.
According to a number of farmers, pit farming is the best option, since it is as close as possible to the natural living conditions of rabbits. It is believed that the characteristics of meat from rabbits living underground are much better. However, despite all the advantages, organizing such housing is associated with a number of difficulties. dealing with rabbits in pits in .
All-season option with insulated compartments
The climate of Russia is such that in most of its territory the winter is too cold for keeping rodents indoors. outdoors or in uninsulated rooms. Therefore, to successfully keep rabbits, you need to think about insulation. There are two options here, and to achieve best result they need to be combined. Either heat the rabbitry or insulate the compartments themselves in which the animals are kept.
The temperature in the place where they are kept should not fall below -5. The ideal range for this time of year is considered to be from +5 to +15-20 degrees. Approaching upper threshold the indicated range is most desirable; in warm conditions, rabbits reproduce well and gain weight. This will help prevent seasonal “breaks” in this type of business.
In the queen cell, the temperature should not fall below 10 degrees, otherwise the rabbits may die, or, under the best circumstances, they will lag significantly behind in development, and the farmer will spend more on maintaining the young than he will ultimately make a profit. It must be taken into account that rabbits are born naked and are very sensitive to cold. Although the female herself takes care of heating the cubs and insulating the nest, both mole rats, and rabbits that have already grown up and have grown fur - low temperatures, everything is exactly harmful. Systematic freezing leads to slow growth and poor weight gain, as well as decreased immunity.
Russian rabbit breeders came up with an original way to insulate compartments. A “pocket” made of thick plywood is attached to the bottom of the compartment, into which an EG-1 (or other) electric heating pad is placed. Using a transformer, if necessary, the heating pad is switched to a reduced mode, thereby heating the floor of the cage.
Basic principles to follow when setting up a rabbitry
Regardless of the chosen design of the rabbitry and cages, there are certain sanitary and hygienic standards that must be observed. In particular, there are certain standards for lighting, temperature and ventilation of cells. When creating a rabbitry, they must be adhered to.
- There is often an opinion that rabbits in nature live in burrows, and therefore they can supposedly be kept indoors without a light source. This is the wrong approach. These animals actually dig holes, but they usually spend daylight hours on the surface, where they feed. Lack of lighting is depressing reproductive function, reduces immunity, disrupts the synthesis of vital important vitamins in the rabbit body. As a result, animals weaken, waste away, lose their appetite and their resistance to disease decreases.
- No less harmful are direct Sun rays. Their prolonged exposure leads to hypothermia. Getting on the mucous membranes and eyes, the bright sun leads to their inflammation. In other words, rabbitries should be lit, but direct sunlight should be avoided. When kept outdoors, it is necessary to make a canopy over the cages or consider other options for creating round-the-clock shading. Indoor rabbitries must be illuminated so that the daylight hours range from 16 to 18 hours, depending on the time of year.
- The optimal temperature for adult rabbits is from 10 to 20 degrees. If the cage is colder, they will grow slower and gain less weight. If it is warmer, animals can get heatstroke. Therefore, you need to take care of the possibility of heating in winter period and creating shade in the summer. Ventilation system necessary if the cages will be kept indoors.
Types and sizes of cells
From description large structures Let's move on to small ones, that is, to cells. They can be used either autonomously, to keep one or two animals separately from the rest, or stand in a barn-type rabbitry or be part of a collapsible mini-farm complex.
There are a lot of options for rabbit cages. But they can all be divided into three conditional groups, depending on their purpose.
Queen cells
These are specially designed cages where female rabbits are placed for lambing. There she gives birth and lives with the cubs until they reach twenty days of age.
A distinctive feature is the presence of a nest. It is a box made from scrap materials, such as plywood, and has dimensions of 40 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm.
Rules for building a nest:
- it is necessary to cut a hole in the nest at a height of at least 10 cm. This is done so that rabbits that are too small cannot get out of the nest;
- the floor in the queen cell should only be solid;
- the plywood from which the nest is made rots from the secretions of the animals, so it is necessary to lay a piece of waterproof material on the bottom, for example, a sheet of stainless steel, and on top - a thick layer of straw;
- the lid is made so that it can be raised and lowered (it is best to place it on furniture hinges);
- if the queen cell will be standing outside or in a cold room in winter, you need to take care of heating (you can use a cheap and proven heating method: infrared lamp, placed in a special compartment).
Two-section cage with hay for adults
This type of design is good for housing two adult animals. At positive temperatures it is permissible to display it outdoors; at sub-zero temperatures it is recommended to use it indoors, including heated ones.
The two-section cage is wooden box 1.4 - 2 m long, 0.5 to 0.7 m high and 0.5-0.7 m wide. The upper, lower, side and rear walls are made solid. It is best to use structures made of sanded, unpainted boards knocked down without cracks for this purpose, but other solutions are also possible, for example, from fine mesh or tin. In the last two cases, it is worth taking care of a rigid, strong frame that will support the entire structure.
Drinkers and feeders are placed along the edges, so that animals cannot climb into them with their paws.
Two-section cages can also be made multi-tiered. This will help to use the rabbitry area more efficiently.
Video - DIY two-section cage
Cage with nest
This option is a little more complicated to make, but allows the rabbit to lead a more natural lifestyle. In this case, the cell is divided into two compartments with a hole between them. The smaller compartment is insulated with hay and serves as a nest.
Group cells
Enclosures for young animals 3-6 months old, also called group cages. Animals can be either different-sex or same-sex. Please note that uncastrated males may begin to show aggression towards each other early, in which case they must be placed in individual compartments. The typical dimensions of this cage are 120 by 50 by 40 cm.
How to create a blueprint for a rabbitry
Of course, you can make a drawing of an individual cage or a whole rabbitry yourself, or simply adjust any of the above options to your size. The main parameter you need to know is the number of rabbits that you plan to keep in the cage.
- One young animal requires a minimum of 0.1-0.2 m2. For a comfortable stay, this norm should be increased to 0.5 m2. Males that are planned to be allowed to breed need 2 times more space.
- An adult animal needs at least half a meter of free space. Ideally, a meter to be able to move fully.
- For large breed rabbits, these standards need to be increased. The dimensions should be such that the animal can freely stretch out to its full length along the cage without resting its body against the walls, and can sit without touching the lid with its ears.
- The queen cell must have a separate nest. His standard sizes- 40 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm.
When the dimensions are determined, you can begin the drawing. You should start by drawing out the top view: draw a rectangle of the required dimensions, if necessary, divide it into sections. Then, all elements are indicated on the drawing: partitions, doors, manholes, feeders, etc. Dimensions are indicated everywhere. Based on the top view, a side view is drawn. The imaginary cut should pass through the most technologically complex section, for example, along the nest of the queen cell. The sizes must match. You can draw a view from below, focusing Special attention legs and supporting structure.
Nuances in making a rabbitry
If this is your first time building a cage, here are a few tips that will come in handy. They are not obvious to new farmers and will help to avoid mistakes.
Watching a video, where you can personally observe the construction process by professionals, also helps to avoid mistakes.
Video - Step-by-step construction of a cage for rabbits
Tools and materials
To build a rabbitry you don’t need anything particularly rare or expensive. As for the tools, a regular construction kit is sufficient. Having a welding machine will be a plus.
Prices for popular models of jigsaws
Jigsaw
Usually, clapboard, timber or ordinary boards are used for construction. It’s just not recommended to use them; rabbits chew through the wood. Therefore, it is combined with the following materials:
Let's look at what materials the parts for creating cells are made from.
- Frame. It is made from wooden blocks.
- Side and back walls. They are made from thick boards. There are recommendations to make walls from plywood, but this should not be done. Plywood is less durable, it warps from moisture, delaminates and bubbles, and, most importantly, rabbits quickly chew through it.
- Front wall. Made from fine mesh. Iron mesh can only be used if it is painted or coated, otherwise it will rust.
- Floor. It is made of fine mesh or boards stuffed in parallel.
- Roof. Made from wood, roofing felt, slate. But corrugated sheeting can be used exclusively for covering cages standing under a canopy or indoors - it gets very hot in the sun.
How to choose a place
Regardless of whether you want to build a building, a mini-farm, or just put a few cages under a canopy, you need to start by choosing a suitable location.
Accepted in Russian Federation building codes allowed to build on personal plot outbuilding area 15 sq. m. and a building for keeping farm animals or poultry with an area of 40 square meters. m. The residential building must be located at a distance of at least 15 m from the two above-mentioned buildings.
Additionally, you need to take care of the following:
Even if there is no place on your personal plot that fully satisfies all these conditions, try to get as close to the ideal as possible. Minor discrepancies are not critical.
Prices for various types of timber
Step-by-step instructions for creating a rabbitry for beginners
At first glance, it seems that such a structure is very difficult to build on your own, but this is just an illusion. Even for a delitant it is quite possible to make a rabbitry on your own, spending from several hours to several days on it.
If you decide to build a rabbitry with your own hands, the algorithm of actions should be as follows.
Step 1. Using the tips above, choose a place for the future rabbitry, decide on its size, layout, and material for construction.
Step 2. Build the cage frame according to the dimensions in the drawing. It can be wooden or metal. If several cells stand side by side, the frame should be solid.
Step 3. Using a carpenter's square and level, attach the shelf and upper frame to the frame;
Step 4. The bottom and lid are assembled on a frame made of wooden beams or cut separately from thick plywood. In the latter case, it is necessary to cut holes for the legs at the corners.
Installing the cover
Step 6. A mesh is nailed to the door. Attach it to the frame with furniture dowels.
We nail the frame, which will later contain the mesh.
Shchag 7. Cover the sides of the cage with mesh or boards. The mesh is cut with metal scissors and placed on the screws with a screwdriver.
Prices for popular models of screwdrivers
Screwdrivers
Watching a video of the manufacturing process will also help with construction.
Video - Do-it-yourself rabbit cage from professionals
This video shows in detail all stages of construction, gives useful tips for beginners.
As you can see from the article, making a rabbitry with your own hands is quite possible even for a beginner. You just need to strictly follow the advice, and everything will work out.
Raising and breeding rabbits is a profitable activity. If you create for animals optimal conditions residence and growth, then with a minimum of costs you can get quite a big benefit. Of considerable importance self-cooking nutritious food and making cages for rabbits with your own hands. The article offers a guide to the process of making houses with photos and watching videos.
Preparatory work
Before you build a rabbit cage, you need to thoroughly think over the design and make a drawing. The dimensions will be indicated on it, and the details of the rabbit cage will be drawn separately. Dimensional drawings or diagrams will help you accurately calculate the quantity necessary materials, which is quite difficult to do without accurately drawing all the details. The drawing will also be needed if the design changes during the assembly process, it will be clearly visible which elements need to be redone and which ones should be left the same.
Types of cells by design
General requirements Do-it-yourself homemade rabbit cages include:
- required space, expressed by floor area;
- ease of manufacture;
- ease of cleaning, disinfection, feeding and transplanting;
- long-term operation;
- inexpensive cost of materials and the resulting final product.
Common and convenient option Cages for a domestic rabbit with your own hands are recognized as double rooms connected in pairs. Such designs are perfectly used when raising young rabbits, but there are also other options for connecting and placing rabbit houses:
- single-section;
- compact sets consisting of three sections;
- large group cages for young animals.
In order not to waste extra space, cages are made depending on the age of the animal, its breed (height) and the number of representatives in the house. The standard sizes are:
Main stock rabbits are raised in single-tier and two-tier cages, but in a rabbitry it is better to use single-tier houses. If animals are bred for meat, then houses can be built in three tiers, although this multi-storey building It is not particularly popular for rabbits.
In a multi-tiered structure It is difficult to clear manure, it is inconvenient to feed, preventive examination of pets of the lower and upper tier takes much more time. Mechanical distribution of feed is practically impossible. A lot of effort and expense is required to heat such piles; ventilation and lighting of the premises becomes difficult.
A do-it-yourself cage for rabbits is made from mesh with holes 2.5 by 5.0 cm or 2.5 by 2.5 cm. Galvanized or plastic-coated metal mesh with smaller cells is used on the floors. Sometimes the floor is made of hardwood, it is assembled from slats with a cross-section of 2.5 by 3.0 cm; during the manufacturing process of the floor, the sharp edges of the slats are rounded and cleaned sandpaper. The slats are placed at a distance of 1.6–1.8 cm from one another.
Young rabbits during the period of fattening and growth they are kept in the same room, so a separate house is made for them, appearance which can be seen in the photo.
Newborn baby rabbits with female rabbit also placed in a common separate room, then the house is made into two sections for the main livestock of young animals and the uterine compartment. It is recommended to keep male rabbits in a different compartment. Crowded cages will have a negative impact on the growth of young rabbits, as they will not be able to be active. Do-it-yourself houses are located on a certain elevation from the general floor in the room or the ground.
Material for making rabbit houses
It is advisable to choose natural material for the construction of cages (thick plywood, bars, boards, wooden slats). The grid is described above and the dimensions of its cells are given. Used to cover the roof various materials, you can use the remains from covering the house. For connection wooden parts you need screws and nails, you will need iron sheets and devices for hanging cage doors, locking devices in the form of hooks or latches.
One of the options The material for the walls is adobe, brick, various waste building materials. The roof is covered with roofing felt, roofing felt, or a straw covering can be made. Straw is used for winter insulation walls and floor. If they make cages that can be carried or moved, then this is especially important for choosing the optimal location in the winter cold and turning the facade of the house in the warmest direction.
Choosing an installation location
Popular with farmers installing rabbit houses outside, that is, in the open air. Home cages are placed at a height of 0.5 m from the ground and equipped with a good-quality roof. In this case, the problem with ventilation is spontaneously solved, and the animals receive natural sunlight. In winter, in addition to insulation, the cages are wrapped in polyethylene to protect against cold winds.
The houses have their entrances facing south and are located in places that are windproof and calm from strong winds, without drafts. To make it easier to clean up after your pets, a ditch is made under the cage to drain waste. IN summer period the cages are covered with suitable material from direct sun or a removable canopy is made.
Making cages for rabbits with your own hands
Offered step-by-step instructions for the construction of rabbit houses, details can be seen in the photo and video:
Options for cage arrangement and features of animal separation
Houses for female rabbits with offspring make them paired and place two females in them with a litter of separate rooms. The cage can be made as an option for temporary overexposure or permanent housing for rabbits, it all depends on the size. The last type of room involves dividing it into two 45 cm wide and separating it from the feeding area by a partition with continuous filling. Sometimes it is more convenient to make the partition removable. After dismantling the wall, such a room is used to keep young rabbits without a mother.
In order to most completely isolate the housing and feeding area, a hinged shield is made that does not stop the animal from moving between compartments. If there is no partition and hinged shield, then a queen cell is placed in the compartment. In the nesting compartment, a shelf is made for the suckling queen during her rest. Its recommended dimensions are 26–30 cm; the shelf is placed at a height of 25–32 cm from the floor surface.
If the cage has a solid floor made of tightly planed boards, then it is provided slight slope towards the front edge, where a small gap is left, about 2–2.5 cm wide, for liquid to drain. This cage design is suitable for keeping young rabbits, if size allows. The queen cell is removed, and the rabbit uterus is transplanted to another room.
In order for the rabbits to feel at ease, up to 2.5 months the size of the area per pet should be calculated at 0.2 square meters. m per individual. As the rabbit grows, the housing area per head is calculated at 0.35–0.4 square meters. m per animal. If the conditions are not met, then the rabbits are transplanted from other housing facilities or an enclosure is made for young individuals.
IN summer time year or in a warm climate zone, cages are allowed, four walls completely covered with mesh, the roof remains solid. Half of the cage is separated by a partition and used for raising young animals, taking into account living standards. The second half is used as a walking area for rabbits, which develop poorly without movement. In warm weather, this option is considered ideal.
IN mesh cells in the summer they contain a queen with a brood, while a hole measuring 25 by 42 centimeters is made in the middle wall, stopping the movement of small rabbits with a closing valve. In such houses you can accommodate up to 15 heads of young individuals.
On the front side of the door on hinges or hinges made from different materials . The right one, which opens the entrance to the sleeping compartment, should preferably be made of a solid covering; it is rarely used and is constantly closed. Its use is provided only in case of replacement of the litter. For the convenience of the rabbits, the bottom of this room is lined with solid material, for example, linoleum, and a layer of hay or small sawdust is poured on top.
The left door operates more often and should not be blind; it is often made of mesh, so it is more convenient to observe the feeding of pets, add food to them and pour water. The feeder in the feeding compartment is in a vertical position. The material for its walls is steel wire, which is located at a distance of 30 mm from one another. At intervals, the animal pulls out its food (grass or hay).
Rabbit poop area provided in one of the corners of the dining room. To prevent urine and feces from being retained, the floor is made of mesh, through which waste products fall into a drain pan or gutter, from where they are easily washed out with water. To prevent the development of unsanitary conditions, you need to ensure that no food waste or feces is left on the mesh bottom.
Having finished building a rabbitry, you want the structure to serve faithfully for a long time, so some people unknowingly begin to treat the wood with various antiseptic solutions. This should not be done, since pets love to chew on the cage and harmful chemical substances can cause poisoning of animals.
Rabbit breeders rarely buy ready-made factory cages. In the manufacture of the latter, today much attention is paid to the aesthetic side of premises for rabbits: such products are beautiful and original, but they are expensive and do not always meet maintenance standards. It is much more economical to make housing for rabbits from available materials with your own hands. This is within the capabilities of many animal breeders.
Outdoor cages
The external cage system for keeping rabbits is considered the most profitable and most appropriate to their physiology.
The production of cells is possible from any building materials:
- brick;
- building blocks;
- boards and timber from any wood;
- metal mesh and die cutting;
- slate and roofing felt.
Beautiful and original designs for keeping rabbits
Classic double design
Double cage with permanent queen cell
The manger for roughage is hung outside, and the feeder and drinking bowl are placed inside. Sometimes a hole is constructed into a paddock surrounded by a metal mesh.
Option 1: with a permanent queen cell
The most common design for breeding rabbits at home is a cage for two rabbits, developed by scientists from the Institute of Fur and Rabbit Breeding almost 70 years ago.
Main dimensions:
- length 200 cm;
- width 65 cm;
- height of the facade wall 55 cm;
- rear wall height 40 cm.
The structure is installed on wooden supports at a height of 80 cm, this is the optimal value for convenient servicing of animals. For breeding large breeds, it is permissible to increase the width and height by 5-10 cm, and the length by 50 cm.
The nesting department is set up permanently. Primary requirements:
- plank or plywood floor;
- front length 40 cm;
- the width of the queen cell is equal to the width of the cell;
- manhole 20 cm high and 17 cm wide;
- the presence of an external door for monitoring the offspring.
The cage is separated by a hay manger made of two frames covered with a mesh with a mesh size of 35x35 mm. Mesh doors are installed on both sides of the aft compartments. Feeders and drinking bowls are mounted and removable.
Option 2: insert queen cells
The difference between cells with an inserted queen cell is that it is used as needed. The dimensions of the portable nest compartment are 40x30x20 cm, it is made of plywood. When installing it, the queen rabbit appears extra bed rest at the top of the insert drawer.
The absence of a permanent nesting compartment allows you to slightly reduce the size of the house for rabbits:
- length 142 cm;
- width 70 cm;
- height of the front and back walls: 79 and 56 cm.
A design of this type is called Klenovo-Chegodaevsky. When the cages are not occupied by adult rabbits, they can contain young animals of 3-4 heads per place.
Insert queen cell
Need for building materials
Consumption of building materials per double cage is:
- board, timber - 0.2 cubic meters. m;
- metal mesh for the floor with a cell 18x18 mm - 1.3 sq. m;
- mesh for walls with a cell of 35x35 mm - 0.6 sq. m.
Exterior view of a double cage
Group cages for young animals
The area requirement or planting density of young animals, sorted by age and sex, is 0.25 square meters. m per head, optimal joint keeping is up to 10 rabbits. Based on these figures, simple group dwellings are built. They can stretch up to 7 meters in length; groups are separated only by partitions in a common long cage.
The structure has a shelter 70 cm wide and a mesh run 1 meter wide. Single-tier structures are grouped into blocks for ease of maintenance.
In the south, housing for rabbits is installed with a facade facing west to avoid heat strokes in animals.
Roof and additional tiers
The roof of the cages is made of boards with a front overlap of 25-30 cm and a rear overlap of up to 20 cm.
Insulating roof covering can be anything: from profile, slate, roofing felt or other materials. But it is better to cover structures for keeping rabbits natural materials, for example, reed or straw mats.
tiers
If you build a plank roof without a slope, and install another cage similar to the first one on top of it, you will get a two-tier structure. This optimal solution if there is not enough territory to arrange cages on one floor, but on the condition that a metal or plastic tray for collecting feces is installed under the bottom of the top one.
Three-tier and multi-tier designs are possible. But in this case, difficulties may arise with servicing the upper cells.
Two-tier cages under a canopy
8 Basic Steps to Making a Cage
A detailed guide to making a house for rabbits, with all the variety of options for structures and methods of their construction, is based on one diagram.
Diagram of a classic double cage
Step-by-step instructions for making a cage:
- 1. A drawing is drawn up or a standard version of the cell is taken.
- 2. A place for the rabbitry is determined, on which, according to the dimensions in the plan, supports from wooden (brick, stone, block, metal) pillars are installed.
- 3. The reference points are connected (connected) to each other by wooden beams in a single plane at the same mark.
- 4. On a flat, large table set strictly horizontally, a strong frame frame for the floor of the future cage is assembled (from timber with a cross-section of at least 50x50 mm).
- 5. A mesh for the floor is attached to the frame or boards are filled in the case of solid floors for the queen cell.
- 6. The frame frames of the side and rear walls are assembled one by one, while a metal mesh is strengthened on them, required quantity doors to the aft and uterine compartments; if necessary, continuous lining of the rear walls is performed.
- 7. The roofing board is assembled from boards.
- 8. Starting with the floor frame, all manufactured parts of the floor, walls and roof are assembled into a single structure, which is fixed on supports.
Cage frame
You should not nail or add anything to a cage already installed on supports unless necessary: everything must be taken into account before installing the structure on supports. Otherwise, it will become unreliable and short-lived.
According to this plan, you can build homemade rabbit houses any type from various materials.
Non-standard solutions and ideas for making cells
Rabbit breeding is considered a fast-paying and highly profitable business with skillful organization of a rabbit farm, even on a small plot and with insignificant start-up investments. A novice rabbit breeder can use new models and original ideas in technologies for arranging housing for animals, despite the fact that they solve only local problems.
Zolotukhin method
Professional rabbit breeders do not find anything particularly revolutionary in Zolotukhin’s method, but there are still original ideas. The main postulates of an experienced rabbit breeder, based on practice and long-term observation of animals:
- the floor should be solid, not mesh, and designed with a slope towards the drainage of feces, which will prevent pododermatitis in rabbits;
- only at the back wall there should be a small section of mesh floor;
- shifting the 2nd tier a short distance towards the feces drainage will ensure the normal sanitary condition of the lower row;
- the displacement of the 3rd tier relative to the second will ensure cleanliness in the second and so on.
Cell design according to Mikhailov
Academician Mikhailov’s method called “accelerated rabbit breeding” is aimed at creating the most comfortable and ideal conditions in terms of sanitation for raising rabbits. This goal is inherent in the design of the rabbit house, which is quite complex for self-made.
The use of the Mikhailov system gives good results. But the price of cells of this design is too high, and the payback period for investments is quite long.
Housing for rabbits according to Mikhailov
The cheapest options
These include structures that are quickly manufactured and durable, made entirely of metal mesh. But street keeping of animals in mesh houses on fresh air impossible in the Russian climate. Therefore, when using such cages, a room is required, and this may not be affordable for the rabbit breeder.
It is quite difficult to create conditions for raising these animals that are identical to their natural habitat. But developments in this direction are already underway.
Subsistence farming has always been profitable. You can keep chickens, pigs, and goats, but rabbits have always been especially popular, because they are unpretentious and do not require special food. But they definitely need special cages for rabbits; it is not customary to simply keep these animals in a barn.
Cell sizes
Before you build rabbit hutches, you need to find a blueprint to work from. You can find a ready-made one on the Internet or draw a drawing yourself. To do this, you need to know the size of rabbit cages. Beginning rabbit breeders should know that one cage is not enough for them to breed these animals. We need several houses for rabbits, at least three.
For adult rabbits
Two adult rabbits will fit in a two-section house. Her minimum dimensions: length – 140 cm (preferably 210-240 cm), width – 60-70 cm, height – 50-70 cm. Between the two compartments there is a feeder for grass and hay. The rabbit house can be made on two floors, which will help save space.
House of two sections for adult rabbits
Cage for young animals
In cages for rabbits, namely for young animals, baby rabbits are kept in groups. Making a cage is simple: the minimum dimensions of a home for young animals are: 200–300 cm by 100 cm, height – 35–60 cm. One young animal should have at least 0.12 square meters area. Sometimes separate cages are not made for young animals, but are kept in ordinary ones for adults, calculating the number of individuals according to the area they need.
House for a female rabbit with offspring
A house for rabbits with children for breeding consists of a feeding and uterine part, which are separated by a partition. There is a hole in it. It should be located slightly above the floor (10-15 cm) so that the rabbits cannot get out of the nest. Houses for rabbits (mother cell) have dimensions of 0.4 by 0.4 m and a height of 20 cm. It is placed in the uterine compartment just before the birth. Here is an approximate drawing of a cell with a queen cell.
Drawing of a cell with a queen cell
For giant rabbits
The size of the cage also depends on the size of the giant rabbits. If you have purchased giants, they will be cramped in standard enclosures; they need larger houses. To breed giant rabbits, you need a dwelling 0.75 m wide, 0.55 m high, and 1.7 m long. This is the minimum, it would be nice to make it larger.
Rules for making a cage
If you decide to build rabbit cages with your own hands, you need to know some rules so that you don’t have to make a new one in a few months.
- Rabbits are rodents, so for those who want to preserve cages for rabbits, it is better to protect all parts of the wooden frame that are located inside the cage by covering them with metal. This will only take a few hours, but the rabbits’ cage will then last 10 years longer.
- Antiseptic cannot be used. Pets can get poisoned.
- The roof should not be damaged by moisture. It is better to use slate for it. If your rabbits will live outside, do not make a metal roof. Under the influence of the sun, it becomes hot, and the animals will be uncomfortable in this stuffy space.
- For the frame of rabbit houses, timber (50x50 mm) is used. Can also be made from metal. Chain-link mesh, the cells of which are 25x25 mm, is suitable for cladding. The mesh is needed for the facade, for the sides of houses and doors. The back part is always made deaf, because... drafts are harmful to them.
- In order to build a floor, take a mesh with cells of 25x25 mm or 10x25. Because of this, feces do not accumulate inside the cell, but are collected in a special bunker or rolled down an inclined path to the ground. You will not see a solid floor in the rabbitry.
When building a rabbit cage, there are some rules you need to follow.
Rabbits have very caustic urine that soaks into the solid floor and causes the wood to rot. If not a mesh, then the floor can be covered with bars, between which there are gaps of 0.5 - 1 cm. Experienced rabbit breeders advise laying a small sheet of plywood on the floor. Then rabbits will not have pododermatitis. But it must be constantly taken out and washed and dried.
How to build a rabbit hutch
If you want to build correctly with your own hands, then this will help you step-by-step instruction. This is the most simple cell, which can only be kept indoors. According to these instructions, it is possible to make cages for rabbits and for the street, but use OSB.
You can make the drawing yourself, focusing on the size of the rabbit cage: size 1.5 by 0.7 m and height 0.7 m. But it is advisable to make cages for rabbits in pairs, which saves material, so the frame is taken as a basis: 3 m by 0.7 m, 1.2 m in front and 1 m in back. It is not difficult to make a drawing of such a cage.
How to make a rabbit cage with your own hands? Here are the step-by-step instructions. Prepare all necessary materials:
- plywood, 2 sheets (* 1.5 by 1.5 m), thickness – 10 mm;
- bars, 10 pieces: length 3 m, 30*50 mm;
- metal mesh with 15 mm cells, 3 m;
- self-tapping screws 30 and 70 mm, 2 kg;
- tools for work.
Making the frame. On solid smooth surface we assemble a frame measuring 3 m by 0.7 m and a height of 1.2 in front and 1 m in the back of the structure. The frame must be on legs.
We attach a mesh to the floor of the future cage; it may not reach the edges of the cage, because there will be a queen cell there. The floor of the queen cell is solid.
Let's do back wall: cut it to size and attach it with self-tapping screws over the entire area. Plywood sheets fasten along the edges of the cage where there is no mesh - these are future queen cells.
Start working on queen cells. To do this, attach a block located vertically, screw a wall to it, and make a hole in it according to the rules. The bars are attached to the walls of the queen cell, and the lid of the queen cell is attached to them.
Rabbit cage: making queen cells
Making a feeder: You need to make a feeding device. We attach a vertical bar in the middle of the cage, two feeders 7 cm high and 30 cm wide are attached to it. Two bars are attached above the feeder at a distance of 20 cm, these are guides. From plywood you need to make a frame for the feed, a special device, the top of which fits between the guides, and the bottom fits directly into the feeder.
Rabbit cage: making a feeder
Rabbit cage: feeder mounted on frame
Next to the main feeder there is a hay feeder, which is made of steel wire.
Rabbit cage: hay feeder
We cover the free space with plywood, install a roof with an overlap of 5 cm in front and 10 cm on each side and at the back. There should be a hole in the middle into which the food will be placed. It is better to install a lid on top to prevent rodents from getting into it. All that remains is to install doors 30 by 50 cm. To make them you need a mesh. The cage is ready.
If you don’t like this DIY rabbit cage design, there are detailed video instructions. There's a step-by-step explanation there. True, you will have to do the drawing yourself.
In this article we will tell you how to make a rabbit cage with your own hands (step-by-step instructions). Creating cells with your own hands can easily be done from scrap materials, such as waste boards, pieces of plywood or chipboard, etc.
The design of the cages can vary greatly, but it is best to choose one whose construction will not take much time and will be suitable and practical for feeding rabbits, inspecting them and cleaning them.
Simple rabbit cage design
Most effective way breeding rabbits are Mikhailov's mini-farms, which can provide intensive cultivation rabbits at minimum costs time for the farmer to care for the animals.
The design of Mikhailov’s cages is very well thought out and provides for automatic cleaning and provision of food for animals, water heating in drinking bowls, which is really important in cold season, as well as heating the queen cell in order to increase the survival rate of newborns in winter.
In order to start breeding rabbits you do not need any special costs: rabbit cages You can make drinking bowls and feeders yourself, hay and branches can be prepared in the summer, root crops and vegetables can be taken from your garden.
Mikhailov cell design The largest part of the costs will go to vaccinating animals and concentrating feed.
It is best to place adult rabbits and female rabbits with young rabbits in two-section cages. These dimensions are usually used as a guide for building cells: cell length one hundred twenty centimeters, cell height fifty centimeters, cell width seventy centimeters.
Young animals
The young should be kept in a large group cage, the size of which will correspond to the number of rabbits.
For example, for eight rabbits, a cage with the height and width as in the picture above is suitable. It is necessary to take into account the fact that in each cage you need to place rabbits of the same sex, approximately the same age and weight.
DIY rabbit cage step by step instructions:
First you need to make a frame from wooden beams, its height should be 55 centimeters, its length 240 centimeters, its back thirty-five centimeters, and its front fifty-five centimeters;
It is necessary to provide for the presence of nesting compartments inside, where a queen cell for the rabbit will subsequently be inserted or a small house will be placed;
A partition with a hole for the passage of rabbits is placed between the nesting compartment and the feeding compartment;
- The roof is made on hinges so that it can be raised if necessary;
- In the nesting compartment, the door must be made solid, made of wood, and
- in the aft compartment the doors are made of metal mesh with small cells;
- the floor must be laid with slats, with a gap of one and a half centimeters;
- in the nesting compartment the wooden floor must be solid;
- you need to install a tray under the cage;
- after making a cage for breeding rabbits, you need to equip it from the inside: feeders for grain are made, shelves and mangers are installed;
If rabbits are kept outdoors, the cages should be installed on beams so that they rise above the ground by about seventy centimeters. This should protect the rabbits from rodents and other animals.
This is the step-by-step instructions for creating a cage for rabbits with your own hands. Through simple materials And small quantity With enough effort, you can create your own rabbit farm and run a fairly successful farm.
There are special rules that should be taken into account when building a rabbitry, regardless of its size.
1. The size of the cage must be just such that the rabbits can move freely and do not interfere with each other to eat, sleep and especially play. If there is not enough space in the cage, the rabbits will begin to be lazy, and this will have a very negative impact on them. Perhaps such individuals will have no offspring at all.
2. For three to four rabbits, it is necessary to allocate a separate space. At the same time, it should be quite spacious. If a person decides to start breeding rabbits, he needs to keep the little rabbits with their mothers because they feed them.
3. One of the cages should always remain free, since not all rabbits reach required size and weight. In order to fatten them up the right size they are simply housed and fattened separately, and this naturally requires a separate cage.
DIY rabbit cage video collection
https://youtu.be/addXcSFhn8g
