How to build a rabbit hutch with your own hands. DIY rabbit cages - simple and advanced designs. Stages of cell creation

Breeding and keeping pets involves a large degree of responsibility for the breeder and requires strict adherence to certain rules. One of the most important is the creation of acceptable living conditions for the animal. They should be close to natural.

Rabbits have a high degree of resistance to various diseases. They are unpretentious to food and living conditions, and reproduce easily. But despite all this, animals need a properly organized home.

The construction of a house for pets must be approached competently. This takes into account the number of animals, their sex composition and age.

What is needed for rabbit farming?

To practice at home, no special financial costs are required. It is necessary to have cages for animals, drinking bowls, and containers for food. All this is easy to do with your own hands.

Harvesting hay and branches can be done in the summer. Root vegetables and vegetables are easy to harvest own garden. The main expense item will be animal vaccination and the purchase of concentrated feed.

Each cage should house same-sex animals of approximately the same age, weight and character. It is recommended to place adult animals and females with rabbits in one- and two-section cages.

The sizes of rabbit cages have standard indicators:

length - 100-120 cm;
height - 50 cm;
width - 70 cm.

For young rabbits, wooden cages covered with steel mesh. Their sizes correspond to the sizes of animals. For example, for 10 individuals, a cage with the same dimensions as indicated above will be acceptable, but its length should be 170 cm.

How to build a single-tier cage?

Many people are interested in how to do rabbit hutch with your own hands. Of course, if you have the right materials, this is not so difficult. The article presents drawings of rabbit cages. Recommendations on the choice of materials for work are also given.

For the outside of the cage system, the most popular are double, single-tier rabbit cages.

The length of such cells is 220-240 cm, and the width is 65 cm. The height of the wall at the front is 35 cm. The roof should have one slope, equipped with a canopy protruding forward by 20 cm, and from the sides by 10 cm.

There are two compartments for food in the cage. The floor is made of metal mesh. The cell size should be 18x18 mm or 16x48 mm. The width of the mesh should be 2 cm, and the gap between them is 1.5-1.8 cm.

Do-it-yourself rabbit cages with the correct design should have a partition with a hole, the width of which is 17 cm and the height - 20 cm. It should be located between the nesting box and the feed compartment in order to prevent the rabbits from entering from the nest into the feed compartment. The manhole is constructed at a height of 10-15 cm from the floor.

On the front side of the cage, two doors made of mesh are hung, which lead to the feeding compartment, as well as two solid doors made of boards, leading to the nesting compartment. Feeders with a removable structure and drinking bowls must be hung on the doors leading to the food.

For feeding with roughage, a nursery is installed between the compartments. They are based on two wooden frames on which a mesh is stretched. The size of the mesh cells should be 20x50 mm. The lower ends of the frames are aligned, and the upper ends are moved apart to the sides of the feed compartment. The result is a V-shaped crib for roughage.

What materials will be needed?

To build a single-tier cage for two individuals, the performer will need:

Plywood with an area of 2 m2.
Metal mesh with cell size 18x18 mm or welded mesh 16x48 mm (1.3 m2).
Mesh with cells 35x35 cm or 24x48 cm (0.6 m2).

Making bunk cages

The cost of constructing a two-tier animal cage is not so high. This is due to the fact that the design is simple. In addition, the cash costs will pay off in the first months of use.

What materials will be needed?

To make a cage with two tiers you will need:

Two wood fiber sheets.
Bars measuring 60x100 mm (4 pcs.).
Picket fence strips (50 pcs.).
Ruberoid measuring 4x2 m for the construction of a pallet.
Nails.
Dye.

What equipment will be needed?

Two deep bowls covered with enamel (their diameter should be 220 mm).
Manure collection tank (approximately 300 mm high).
Pair VPI-03 (also used for household purposes, immersed in water).
Step-down transformers 220x127 V (4 pcs. per 8 cells).
Five-liter polyethylene canisters (4 pcs.).

Cage design

Rabbit hutches should be positioned according to how the light will fall. The blank closed wall where the crates and feeders are located should face north. This protects animals from winds and cold.

The roof is constructed so that it overhangs 90 cm from the north, and 60 cm from the south. From the west and east, the roof should be level with the protruding beams.

Two-tier rabbit hutches contain a frame stand, a lower and an upper tier. You can also build a roof from the roof. As a rule, transparent or translucent material is used. You can also use roofing material.

The tier on top is a nursery, that is, it will serve as a place for raising rabbits after finishing feeding on mother's milk. This room is made of different cells. One of them must be larger than the frame.

The depositor is divided into two parts by means of a feeder for mixed feed, which has outlets on both sides. A common canister drinking bowl is also installed here. Each compartment should be equipped with a folding feeder for mixed feed and a nursery for fresh and dry grass. They look like an opening door. There is a door attached to the drinker.

The floor of the tier is horizontal. Its basis can be made of wooden slats, which are located at an angle of 45º so that small rabbits cannot injure their paws. All walls and doors of the cage are made of lattice. The exception is the north side.

Below is the uterine tier. It consists of two compartments: nesting and walking. It may also include the same components that are present in the upper tier.

The nest compartment has a removable floor. It is located below the rest of the tiered area. The queen cell will be placed in this compartment. Before the rabbit brings the babies, she will instinctively sneak into it herself.

The rest of the nest should be stationary. It is equipped with a wall with a hole that is closed with a valve. It is better to equip the door to the nest with hinges from below, so that when open it serves as a platform for the animal.

The walking compartment is equipped with a floor made of slats located perpendicularly. This ensures structural rigidity. In the walking area there is a canister drinker, a folding feeder and a bunker feeder for mixed feed. Nursery on the stand at the back of the paddock. A door must also be installed for the automatic drinker.

A window is constructed in the floor of the walking compartment at the end of the conical shaft, which is attached under the floor of the upper tier. The pitched shaft communicates with a bunker equipped with a removable door and a container for manure. Thus, rabbit cages will be cleaned due to special doors, which will also make feed containers accessible. The containers themselves are located under the inclined nets of the feeders.

At the bottom of the cage frame there is a compartment for electrical equipment. At the same time, this place serves as a nursery for rabbits. It must be locked. For convenient loading of the feeders, you need to build it folding outward.

The design of the feeder for mixed feed has a body with windows for rabbits, as well as a tray. It is constructed from a mesh with small cells.

All folding components must be equipped with handles, hinges and latches, as well as, if necessary, mortise locks.

The side and front walls are tightened with a fine mesh, working side can be covered with a mesh with large cells.

Mini-farm from two-tier cages

For construction small farm Based on two-tier cells, you don’t need a lot of space. One cell occupies 1.4 m2. If you build a farm of two rows and use eight cells with an opening between them of 70 cm (measured along the legs) and a passage of 110 cm, then the area of the farm will be equal to 25 m2.

Each cage houses up to 25 rabbits at a time. In the lower part there will be a female rabbit with a new offspring, and in the upper part - the previous offspring.

Double-tier cages have been used on experimental farms for a number of years and have proven to be highly cost-effective and profitable. So their use is recommended for all farmers.

Making a family unit - cages of three sections

Making rabbit cages of this design with your own hands is a more difficult task. But such family blocks very convenient for breeding animals. The central part is inhabited by a male, and on the sides there are female rabbits.

The wooden partitions between the cell compartments are equipped with manholes with plywood latches. They are designed to easily attach females to males and return them back to their compartment.

What materials are a cell made of?

The basis of the frame can be bars. The walls on the sides, the compartment for the nest with doors and partitions are constructed from clapboard.

A metal mesh is used for the front wall. The nesting compartments have an attic part - this is free place between the ceiling and common roof, where female rabbits can rest.

An additional convenience is that the location of the feeders and drinkers is designed in such a way that they are not subject to contamination and can be filled from the outside.

Cages for rabbits designed by breeder N. I. Zolotukhin

The famous rabbit breeder N.I. Zolotukhin has been breeding these cute animals for several decades. Such a wealth of experience helped him design a new cage for rabbits.

Features of breeder cages

The floor in them is solid. Its base is slate or boards.
There are no pallets in the cages.
A narrow strip of mesh flooring is located only along the rear walls of the structure.
The back walls are installed at an angle so that rabbit waste from the tiers located above does not fall on the rabbits located in the lower tiers.
There are no special queen cells. The female rabbit builds her own nest before giving birth.
Grain feeders are attached to the doors and are turned outward for filling.

A diagram of the rabbitry is presented below.

How to make cages for dwarf rabbits with your own hands?

If you want to have houses, their cages are constructed in a different way. Pet stores offer many different models. But you don't have to buy them. You can make a cage for your pet yourself, and it won’t take much time.

The structure consists of two walls on the sides, the size of which is 70x70 cm. The rear wall is attached in such a way that there is a gap under the cage. The height of the back wall is 55 cm, length - 100 cm.

Meter-long slats are nailed to the bottom of the cage. A metal mesh is fixed on top of them.

The cage lid is made of mesh with hinges. It is equipped with a handle. A tray is installed under the cage.

How to choose a grid?

When making rabbit hutches, of course, you will need a mesh. In order for the manufacturer to better understand which mesh choice will be optimal, we recommend using a number of tips.

Many people wonder: is galvanized mesh, steel or aluminum material suitable? It's better to opt for steel structure, as it is durable.

To make a cage made of wood with mesh doors and a floor, you should choose the mesh carefully so that it does not injure the animals' paws. Experienced breeders advise using it with small cells. The material used is metal. The mesh thickness is 2 mm, and the cell size is 16x48 mm. A galvanized mesh is suitable for constructing the side walls of the cage.

Any type of mesh is used to construct the door. It does not have to be welded. Wicker can also be used.

During the warm season, animals can be kept in an enclosure fenced with a mesh. A wicker structure with a thickness of 1.2 mm is suitable for it.

Owners of fluffy, charming rabbits ask themselves, first of all, the question of what conditions their pets should live in.

How to choose a place to install the cage

Let us first dwell on the homestead keeping of eared animals. There are two options:

open content (in the air);
placing cages indoors (for example, in a barn).

To select the location for installing the cages, you must follow the rules.

Air humidity should not exceed 60-75% (hence, the cages are installed in a dry, elevated place away from water bodies).
Because the rabbits categorically do not accept direct Sun rays , then the cells should ideally be located among trees that provide shade, or protected by an artificial fence that diffuses direct sunlight.
Drafts are a common cause of illness in rabbits. Therefore, air movement exceeding a speed of 30 m/s is undesirable. However, cell ventilation is one of the rules that must be strictly observed. Otherwise, the evaporation of the secretions will harm the health of your pets.

On winter time places where rabbits are kept should be insulated so that the temperature fluctuates in the range of 10-20 C. Particular attention is paid to the insulation of queen cells and compartments for rabbits.

If animals are kept in indoors, then it should be:

must be plastered
well ventilated
illuminated in winter for no more than 10 hours.

Ideally, a room for keeping cages with animals should have a window on the south side that covers the entire wall.

It is also advisable to place cells in open space in accordance with the cardinal points - with the front side facing east.

And one more nuance - the cages need to be installed at a height of 0.8-1.0 m from the ground. This will protect the rabbits from being bitten by domestic rodents and will make it much easier for the breeder to maintain the cage.

The classic version of a cage for keeping rabbits is a design of the following dimensions:

50*70*30 cm – for young animals;
50*100*30 cm – for female rabbits.

The entire space of the cage is divided into a walking room and a remote nook, where rabbits of any age find refuge in moments of “danger” and bad weather. The length of the walking compartment can vary, but is usually up to 50 cm in length and width. The cubby favorite of rabbits is a box 25 cm long and 50 cm wide. It is sheathed tightly, and only on the front side is a removable door attached. The hole is located in the wall adjacent to the walking area and is usually 17*17 cm.

The specificity of the structure of a rabbit cage is that a mesh or slatted floor is usually installed to allow free passage of waste into a tray located under the floor.

The height of the front side of the cage is usually 55 cm, and the back wall is 30 cm. That is, the cage assumes a sloping roof, which, in the case of a “tiered” arrangement of cages, will also be a tray for the higher cages, and therefore is usually lined with galvanized iron.

Materials for making cells

When choosing materials for making cages, it is better to give preference to high-quality and ecological wood. Wooden beams are suitable for constructing the frame. Boards or plywood work well for cladding walls. Chipboard is unacceptable because it takes on water, swells and crumbles.

To arrange the floor, use a welded mesh with cells 1.7 * 1.7 cm, or wooden slats up to 3 cm wide. The slats are placed at a distance of 1.5 cm from each other, for free passage of waste into the pallet. If the distance between the slats is greater than specified, or the mesh cells are larger, then this is fraught with fractures of the paws when getting stuck in large openings. Floor slats can be plastic.

One condition must be strictly observed - the material for making cells must be smooth, without traumatic foreign inclusions.

Dimensions and drawings of a cage for rabbits

The size of rabbit cages is directly dependent on:

rabbit breeds;
selected housing scheme (mini-farms, “battery” type cages, according to Zolotukhin
etc.);
standard indicators required areas(for example, for rabbits - 0.5-0.7 sq.m.,
males will need 0.17 sq.m., and young animals - 0.12 sq.m.).

In practice, houses of two connected cells measuring 100*55cm are often used. In these cages, the uterine compartments are adjacent to the outer walls of the cage and communicate with the feeding compartments through 17*17 cm manholes. On the front side of the house there are doors: two solid ones in the nesting compartments, and two mesh ones in the walking spaces. Between them there are nurseries and drinking bowls. Feeders are usually attached to the face of screen doors.

All wire cage

This type of cage is intended for placement in livestock-type premises and even in ordinary hay barns. The walls and ceiling of the cages are lined with a mesh with cells of 2.5-5 cm, the floor - 1.7 * 1.7 cm.

The main advantage of these cells is the simplicity and accessibility of cleaning and disinfection. All you need is a good brush and a propane torch, which will help you easily get rid of unnecessary microorganisms and accumulations of rabbit fluff.

All-wire cages take up significantly less space, which is also their advantage when farming.

Difficulties in cell construction

The main problem when making a cage with your own hands is the lack of high-quality and detailed drawings, or the unjustified high cost of licensed options (for example, drawings from Rabbitax).

The second difficulty faced House master– this is the non-standard size of the building materials used. And as a result, the need to purchase materials to order. If we add to this the lack of experience in the manufacture of cells, then the cost of materials turns out to be prohibitively high.

Novice craftsmen make similar mistakes when building cells:

saving material leads to crowding, which has a bad effect on the health and reproduction of rabbits;
the uterine or nesting compartment must be stationary (the cuffs frighten the rabbit and can cause crushing of the rabbits).

To reduce stress when laying young animals, you can use a cage with a stationary cubbyhole for baby rabbits, in which a hole measuring 12*12 cm will not allow the mother rabbit to constantly be with the babies. And the moment of separation of the rabbits will no longer be so stressful.

N.I. cells are very popular. Zolotukhina. Their main the difference is the absence of pallets, i.e. solid flat slate floor, and the presence of a mesh only on the back side of the cells to a width of 15-20 cm. The staggered arrangement of one cell above another helps to get rid of waste from “ upper floors" to "lower". A characteristic feature is also the absence of nesting compartments. The female rabbit is given the opportunity to build her own queen cell from hay. The door feeders are mounted on rotating nails and, thanks to their hinged design, are easy to clean.

On our website there is an article dedicated to it in which you will find everything practical advice and recommendations from the author, in addition you can familiarize yourself with the drawings and dimensions of the cells.

Cells from Tsvetkov

This is a kind of four-apartment house, with an equipped ventilation and “sewage” system. There are also mounted queen cells and gravity feeders and drinkers. The hay manger is covered with galvanized mesh and attached to the frame with nails. All vulnerable parts are reinforced with tin plates. In winter, the compartments for young rabbits and queen cells are heated with ordinary medical-grade heating pads. Unusual is the face of the cage facing south.

Rabbitax for beginner rabbit breeders

Cells from the Rabbitax company are distinguished by their unique decor and environmental friendliness ( a system of air flow redirection characteristic only of them). They are mainly intended for large farms. But there are acceptable options, for example, a cage with two compartments. For a novice master, the drawings are still a bit complicated. And the main disadvantage is the high cost of production.

Author's designs

I would like to mention Mikhailov’s rabbit cages. The main advantage of mini-farms is their compactness (the ability to contain 25 individuals on an area of 25 sq.m., taking into account the distance between houses of 70 cm). An undoubted advantage is also the automation of waste collection into a sealed container. A significant disadvantage of Mikhailov cells is the expensive materials for construction and the undoubted professionalism of the performer.

The design of E. Ovdienko attracts attention. Its characteristic feature is a special gate that protects the four-tiered structure, accommodating 24 cells, from the wind and vagaries of the weather.

DIY cage for decorative rabbits

Decorative eared creatures can also live well in a homemade cage. For a simple solution, you need to decide on the question of how often your pet is supposed to walk in open space. If the rabbit walks for at least 3 hours a day, then a cage size of 70*40 cm is sufficient. If your pet spends most of the time at home, then the cage size should be 100*50 cm. Otherwise, you should adhere to the same construction rules cages, as for farm rabbits.

Of all the above cages for rabbits, a novice master will be able to choose the best option for himself, combining ease of execution, ease of maintenance and an acceptable cost.

If you decide to get a decorative rabbit, we recommend that you read the same, no less important is and .

Watch also the video - how to make a cage with your own hands.

You can not only buy cages for breeding rabbits, but you can also make them yourself. The main thing is that the “home” for furry animals is as comfortable as possible, then the animals will grow quickly and gain weight well. Cages for domestic rabbits come in a wide variety, to suit every taste and budget.

What should the design be?

There are a huge variety of cells available for sale. The design can be either single-tiered or consisting of two or more tiers. Here are the basic requirements for the design of any dwelling for rabbits:

Cages consisting of several tiers have another name - “sheds”. Sheds intended for breeding, keeping young animals and adult animals have minor differences in design. But the general principle remains unchanged: the space is divided into zones using cells separated from each other by partitions. The number of tiers depends on the number of rabbits. Additional insulation is placed on the bottom. All wooden elements and accessories must be made from the strongest types of wood so that animals do not chew them through.

When choosing industrial cages, you should not purchase European houses; preference should be given to domestic ones, since other breeds of rabbits are bred in Europe, and housing for animals is made according to different standards. It is better to buy simple housing designed for Russian livestock farmers, or to construct cages yourself, for example, using the Zolotukhin method.

The size of the cage for rabbits is calculated depending on the breed and number of livestock.

Types of cells

It happens that a person has long decided to breed rabbits, but cannot choose a place to keep them. A novice rabbit breeder can easily become confused by the abundance of different types of cages. As a rule, the following varieties are used on Russian farms:

Cages intended for breeding females;
Premises for raising young animals until they reach sexual maturity;
“houses” for adults;
Premises equipped with an enclosure with the possibility of walking;

Each species has its own loyal supporters. Also, completely special cages are made for animals belonging to the Giant and Californian breeds. Depending on who exactly the home is intended for, the cells have different sizes and different internal organization. You can make a cage of any kind yourself using drawings and diagrams from the Internet. Also good ideas for beginner rabbit breeders, you can learn from the old Soviet magazines “Homestead Farming”.

Author's cell designs are also very popular. Among them, it should be noted cages made according to the Mikhailov method and housing for animals “according to Zolotukhin”. These cages for rabbits are much more convenient and compact than store-bought ones.

Cells designed by N. I. Zolotukhin

Cages developed by N.I. Zolotukhin are very popular among domestic farmers. Here are their main distinguishing features:

The animal housing consists of three tiers;
There are 6 rabbits living in one cage;
The floor is made of wood or slate, there is no mesh on the floor, and there is also no tray;
The mother liquor can be removed and moved from place to place.

Animal houses made according to this model are compact, inexpensive, and can be easily made with your own hands from scrap materials. They are also very easy to clean, which makes caring for your animals much easier. Such “houses” would be appropriate both on a small farm and on a farmstead with a large livestock. Making cells using the Zolotukhin method at home will not take much time if you have basic carpenter and carpenter skills.

Cells designed by N. I. Zolotukhin

Sheds for rabbits

Translated from English, the word “shed” means barn. A shed, in essence, is a structure of two to three tiers of cages installed under one common canopy. Here are the main features of the shads:

Base made of metal or durable wood;
Mesh cells;
Dimensions 60x3 m;
Automatic supply of food and liquid for animals.

One shed is designed for 500 individuals, but if the rabbit breeder builds it with his own hands, the dimensions may be different, it all depends on the number of livestock. Shad provides good protection from wind and sun; in cages of this type it is easy to maintain the required temperature and humidity. This is a truly universal home, suitable for both young animals and adults.

Important! If the shad is located on the street, the canopy must be especially strong so that street dust does not get into the houses.

Aviaries

An aviary is, in fact, not even a cage, but just a place fenced with a chain-link mesh. But, despite its many advantages, the aviary also has serious drawback: in enclosure conditions, animals can quickly become infected from each other dangerous infections. However, many farmers consider an enclosure to be the most convenient home for furry animals. In order to make an enclosure, it is not necessary to search the Internet for drawings and diagrams; it is enough to drive pegs around the perimeter of the area and cover the area where the animals are kept with a strong mesh with small cells. But still, sheds for rabbits are better than enclosures, especially in regions with cold climates.

Awnings

Many rabbit breeders successfully keep their livestock under a shed. The canopy allows you to keep animals in the fresh air, but at the same time the rabbits will be reliably protected from rain, wind and sun. The following requirements apply to the canopy:

You should also provide in advance the possibility of ventilation and protection from drafts, since rabbits catch cold easily, and a draft can cause mass death of livestock. The design of the canopy should be the simplest, but reliable. You shouldn’t look for industrial-made canopies on sale, since making them yourself will cost much less.

Bunk cages

If the livestock is small, cages consisting of two tiers are well suited for keeping animals. Below are their main features:

To make it easy to remove droppings, you can create an additional gap between the two “floors”. A litter tray is placed in this gap. If the house for rabbits will be located in a garage or shed, it is enough to cover it with a chain-link mesh. If the cage will be placed on the street, it must have solid walls. The outside of the tree can be treated with a composition that is resistant to moisture and mold. Structures consisting of two tiers are suitable for keeping rabbits of any breed, including giants. The main thing is to clean the premises regularly, otherwise the animals will often get sick and may die.

On a note! Two-tier dwellings are also suitable for keeping nutria.

Cages for rabbits with queen cell

During the calving period, females require increased attention. At this time, female rabbits can be aggressive, so they should be kept separately. For this purpose, special cells with queen cells are used. The design of such a house is by no means original and represents a kind of “nest” for a mother and newborn children. The little rabbit should feel as comfortable as possible. They differ in the following features:

The room is equipped with a separate area for giving birth and feeding the cubs;
Sawdust is suitable as insulation. The main thing is that they are out of the reach of animals;
If the cell is spacious enough, the queen cell is placed inside;
If the cage is crowded, a cobblestone base is attached to the front wall, which is then covered with mesh.

In regions with cold weather, an additional heating source can be installed under the floor. The main thing is to follow the rules fire safety. If the female is kept outdoors, the cage must have a canopy. Inside, complete absence is desirable metal parts and accessories.

If a farmer needs a cage for a female rabbit with a queen cell, the size of the home depends on the “dimensions” of a particular female. The main thing is that the rabbit should feel spacious and not cramped.

Cells with queen cell

Materials for making cells

To make a home for rabbits with your own hands, you can use almost any material. Which material to choose depends on the financial capabilities of the farmer. Plastic will be the cheapest, metal and wood will be more expensive. At the moment, domestic farmers prefer the following options:

Wood combined with chain-link mesh;
Polycarbonate, which is also used for greenhouses and greenhouses;
Metal;
Plastic.

If the design uses metal grid, it must be secured using slats made of wood or plastic.

Important! All parts made of wood that are inside the cage must be free of sharp corners and jagged edges so that the animals cannot injure themselves. Do not use flammable materials, such as certain types of plastic.

Wood or mesh is usually used for the floor. Wood retains heat well, and mesh floors are easy to clean. Metal is not used to make the floor, otherwise the animals will be cold. If animals are kept outdoors, wooden walls can be galvanized for insulation and as protection from moisture.

How to choose a grid

Rabbit netting is one of the main expenses of a new farmer. Choosing a mesh for making a “house” is not easy. Here are the basic requirements that must be met:

The strength of the material from which the mesh is made;
Small cell size;
The mesh must be securely fastened;
It is advisable that metal fittings are not used for fastening.

Important! Chain-linking is not used to make a roof, because even the smallest cells will let precipitation in.

The mesh is used not only for finishing walls and fencing enclosures, but also for making floors. Thanks to the mesh floor, droppings will easily fall through the cells, making cleaning much easier.

It is better to buy cage mesh in specialized stores for livestock breeders and farmers.

Features of cell location

Rabbits are quite vulnerable animals, so their health and development largely depends on where the cage is located. Here are the basic requirements for the place where animals are kept:

If all the above requirements are taken into account, the animals will grow well and gain weight quickly. Also, cages and enclosures should not be located in close proximity to where dogs are kept, since rabbits are shy animals, and dogs have a pronounced hunting instinct. If the dog suddenly breaks free from the chain, he will certainly want to feast on rabbit meat, so you should not deliberately provoke the dog by placing animals near him.

For those who are just starting to breed furry rodents, it is best to use industrial cages. More experienced farmers can easily construct simple houses on their own, using available materials and drawings.

Almost every owner country house there is a small farm. Some people prefer to raise cattle, others poultry, and others like to raise fluffy and adorable rabbits. But for any household it is worth considering comfortable living conditions. If you have chosen rabbits and decided to make cages for them with your own hands, you should decide in advance on the location of the cages, their size and internal contents.

On your own personal plot cages with living creatures can be placed:

on outdoors;
indoors, such as a barn.

All cages for rabbits, depending on their location and breeding method, are divided into three types:

year-round outdoor seating;
year-round indoor maintenance;
combined maintenance (outdoors in summer, in a barn in winter).

Many rabbit breeders believe that the best option placement of cells is their arrangement in the open air. This content has a beneficial effect on animals, promotes the development of immunity to diseases, and the presence of beautiful and high-quality hair. Farming in street conditions increases the productivity of females, increases the number of rabbits in one litter and promotes their endurance.

When choosing a place to install the cage, you should consider:

air humidity. It should vary between 60-75%. That is, the place should be chosen on a hill and away from bodies of water;
exposure to direct sunlight, which has a negative effect on animals. It is better to place the cages under trees or behind an artificial fence;
the presence of drafts, which are a common cause of diseases in rabbits. Air movement should not exceed 30 m/s. Don't forget about high-quality ventilation in cells. Otherwise, the fumes will undermine the health of your pets.

Street cages

All rabbit cages may differ in:

sizes;
structures;
manufacturing materials.

They are simple, two-tiered with additional amenities, such as heating. What kind of cage you need to build for your farm largely depends on the breed of rabbits, their size, the availability of building materials and personal preferences.

The advantages of setting up rabbit hutches outdoors include:

availability of large space;
ease of caring for animals;
the ability to build convenient and affordable structures.

For construction street cells You will need to prepare reliable materials. They must be resistant to moisture, frost and sudden temperature changes.

Important: the cage for rabbits must protect the animals from penetration by predators such as dogs, cats, foxes, and rats.

To prevent your pets from being bothered by direct sunlight and precipitation, make a canopy with a large canopy over the building. If you are breeding animals all year round, it is necessary to take care of insulating one of the parts of the cage. Despite the fact that these animals tolerate low temperature air, it is necessary to create a cozy and warm place for them where they can bask.

Important: special attention is paid to the insulation of queen cells and the compartment with small rabbits.

Cages placed indoors

Structures placed in sheds can be made of a single metal mesh attached to a wooden frame. The floor must be made of wood.

If you raise rabbits indoors, it should be:

well plastered;
ventilated;
illuminated in winter - at least 10 hours.

It would be nice if there was a window on the entire wall on the south side of the barn.

Combined rabbit breeding option

For the combined option of breeding animals, mobile cages are most suitable. In the warm season, it will be convenient to take them outside, and in the cold season, install them indoors.

If funds allow, you can make two versions of cages: one for the street, the other for the barn. But this option is unlikely to be suitable for those who breed a large number of animals.

Cell design and size

Rabbit cages can be single or multi-tiered. Depending on who they are intended for (fawns, young animals, adults), their design depends.

Single-tier and multi-tier structures

Single-tier cages are placed above the ground at a distance of 80 cm. The roof of the structures is covered with slate or metal sheet.

Important: if the cages are located outside, it is better to cover them with slate, since the metal gets very hot, and these animals do not tolerate heat well.

For easy care of animals, it is better to make the tray with a gutter for easy cleaning. In single-tier structures, metal pallets are installed for storing pet waste.

Multi-tiered cells can consist of two or more tiers. On each tier there is required amount sections. They can be made from bars, galvanized mesh and boards. These materials are suitable for the construction of rabbit hutches both outdoors and indoors.

Multi-tiered products are often called sheds. In them, the tiers are placed one above the other. This helps save space. The ideal option is two-tier structures. They provide convenient care and monitoring of pets.

When building multi-tiered cages, there must be a space of at least 15 cm between each tier. A metal roof must be installed above each cage, and inclined ebbs must be installed in the space between each tier. This is necessary so that the animals’ waste does not fall on the lower tiers, does not linger on the roof, but flows into specially arranged drains behind the cages.

Some people prefer to use removable plastic trays in their cages. They are convenient and easy to use. Such pallets can be installed directly in the cages themselves, or on runners under the grated floor.

Cages for breeding

In breeding cages, it is necessary to install special chambers on the sides or provide space for a mobile queen cell. If you choose an inpatient department, then the removable floor, walls and ceiling are made solid. They must be well insulated so that the young offspring do not die from cold and draft. In the rest of the cage, the floor can be made of metal mesh or wooden blocks.

The mobile queen cell is a completely closed box with an opening for entry. This box should have an additional side door so that the queen cell can be conveniently cleaned and dried. This design is convenient in that it can be rearranged into different cells as needed. They are also much more convenient for changing bedding and cleaning. The building is insulated for feeding with shavings or hay.

If you are expecting offspring in the cold winter, the mobile queen cell should be placed in an electric heating pad to create comfortable conditions for the female rabbit a few days before the birth.

In winter, it is practically impossible to do without heating the uterine tract. If you do not have an electric heating pad, you can use a regular light bulb, which should be kept constantly on during this period. The light bulb must be placed in a compartment located behind the wall of the uterine chamber.

Attention: when choosing to heat the queen cell with an electric light bulb, take care of fire safety. The chamber in which the lamp will be located should first be sheathed with thin metal.

There is another method of heating this part of the cage using a heating cable for underfloor heating. It is fixed to the bottom of the queen cell, and a removable floor panel is placed on top of it.

Important: if you prefer this type of heating, make sure that the cable is intact and without defects. Such a heating system can be connected to a thermostatic regulator. This will allow you to regulate the temperature in the uterine compartment, depending on weather conditions.

If the cells are in a barn, it is better to use a mobile queen cell. Then it will be easier to ventilate and clean them outside. If you decide to make a built-in uterine chamber, the floor in it should be removable.

In two-section single-tier cages, the length of each section should be at least 100-120 cm, and the depth - 55-65 cm. The width of the built-in uterine chamber should be 35-40 cm.

Cages for young animals

Rabbits aged from three to five months are called young animals. They are kept in groups of 8-20 pieces. The height of the walls of the cages must be at least 35 cm. The total area is calculated based on the fact that there should be 0.25 square meters per animal.

Multi-tiered cages for young animals are installed outdoors and rise 75 cm from the ground. If the floor is made of wooden blocks, it is recommended to install a metal mesh on top. This way, you will protect the rabbits, who will gnaw the tree and scratch it with their paws. For older rabbits, you can make a mesh floor.

In winter, cages with young animals must be well insulated. For this, hay or straw is used, laid 2 cm thick.

Cage for adult rabbits

Cages for medium-sized adult rabbits should have a depth of 60-70 cm and a length of 100 cm. This minimum dimensions for comfortable breeding of animals. They can be made using the same block structures. That is, in each block there are two cells separated by a wall.

To mate animals, it is worth considering combining two cages into one using a removable partition. For adult rabbits, it is recommended to make the floor from galvanized mesh.

Attention: adults must move freely around the cage. Their growth and development will depend on this.

Cage with aviary for walking

Cages with an aviary for walking are suitable for both young animals and rabbits of reproductive age. This design should consist of two separate compartments with a partition, a roof and a mesh enclosure. The two compartments are connected by a round or square entrance cut into back wall structures. Thanks to the convenient design, the animals move easily inside, which contributes to their proper development and growth.

The cage with a walk can be any size. It is good if its depth varies between 60-65 cm, and the depth of the enclosure - 80-100 cm. Such structures consist of single-tier blocks consisting of two separate cells. Mesh aviary fits behind the cages if there is space.

Cages for giant rabbits

Since the giant breed is a large rabbit, the cages for them must have appropriate sizes. Giants grow to considerable sizes. Their length is 55-65 cm, and their weight varies from 5.5 to 7.5 kg. When building housing for large breeds, it is worth starting from the weight and height of the animals.

For one adult, a cage is required with dimensions of 96 cm in length, 70 in depth, and 60-70 cm in height.

For young animals of the giant breed, housing may be a little simpler. For eight animals you need a cage with an area of 1, 2 square meters. m. Its height must be at least 40 cm.

Important: giant rabbits have an impressive weight. Therefore, the bottom of the cells should be pre-strengthened. When making a mesh floor, preference is given to thick wire, 2 mm thick. To prevent the mesh from bending under the weight of the animals, it is necessary to secure bars underneath it. If you plan to install plastic or rubber trays in cages, it is better to make a solid field under them

California rabbit cage

Californian rabbits are quite popular among breeders. They are absolutely unpretentious in care and resistant to severe frosts. Adults reach a length of up to 50 cm, and their weight ranges from 4.5 to 5 kg. The cage for this breed should be 0.5 sq.m. Since this breed's paws are covered with coarse hair, the floor can be made of lattice or mesh.

If you breed rabbits only for meat, they can be kept in a hole measuring 200 by 200 cm and about a meter deep. The walls of the pit should first be reinforced with slate, and boards or mesh should be laid on the floor. For safety, a small fence and roof are built around the pit. This method of breeding animals is as close to natural as possible and gives good results. Rabbits love to dig holes in the ground. With proper care, they will delight their owners with numerous offspring.

Making your own cells

Having decided to build cozy houses for rabbits, it is necessary to decide in advance on the type of structure, its dimensions and materials of manufacture. You will need to prepare:

hacksaw;
hammer;
corner;
plane;
screwdriver

Any type of cage will consist of: a frame, walls, floor, ceiling and doors. As a rule, when building houses for these animals, metal mesh or natural wood is used.

As for materials for construction, you should prepare:

large sheets of plywood;
slate;
nails and screws;
bars;
slats;
galvanized mesh.

To make doors, you will need to additionally prepare curtains and latches.

Having chosen wood as the main building material, it should be sanded and sanded in advance. All sharp edges are processed so that the animal does not get hurt. Since rabbits wear down their teeth on wood, there should always be branches in the cages. Otherwise, they will simply chew on their housing.

Feeders and drinkers for rabbit cages

In addition to the construction of cells, it is necessary to carefully consider their internal arrangement. Food and water should be provided to the animals in a comfortable way. Feeders can be purchased at finished form in the store, or do it yourself.

Rabbits need a lot of food every day clean water. If you just pour it into a plate, dirt and debris will get into it, or animals will constantly spill water. When choosing a drinking bowl, you should decide on its:

manufacturing materials;
location;
volume;
type of construction.

Attention: if the drinking bowl is made of thin plastic, animals will quickly gnaw through it. And in metal cans the water will become cloudy and dirty.

Automatic drinkers

Automatic shelves are most often used on farms where there are a lot of livestock. This design is quite simple and consists of: a bowl connected to a container. The bowl of water is always inside the cage, and the container is outside. It is easy to use and durable.

The principle of operation of this drinking bowl is quite simple: as the water from the bowl decreases, a new portion from the container enters it.

Attention: making such a drinking bowl with your own hands is quite difficult. It is easier to purchase it ready-made in the store.

Nipple drinkers

Nipple designs are practical and convenient. The liquid does not spill into them and remains in the tube until the animal begins to drink. The only drawback of such a product is that in the cold season the liquid can simply freeze in the tube.

Vacuum drinker

You can easily build a vacuum drinker with your own hands from a simple plastic bottle. You can make such a drinker as follows:

Bowl with flat bottom should be fixed at a height of 10cm from the floor on the cage so that one half of it is inside the structure, and the other is outside.
We take a simple plastic bottle of one or two liters and fill it with water. We close the bottle with a lid, turn it upside down and place it on a bowl. We secure the bottle to the cage with clamps or wire.
Carefully unscrew the lid and the bowl will automatically fill with water. As the animals drink water from the drinking bowl, it will be replenished with new liquid to a certain level.

Throttle drinker

The throttle drinker works on the principle of a conventional washbasin. You can also make it yourself. To do this, you will need to take a plastic bottle, make a small hole in the cap and attach the choke. A rubber gasket can be used as a valve. It will hold the throttle well and close the hole in the lid.

The drinking bowl is attached in a vertical position to the cage at a height of 30 cm from the floor.

Hanging drinker

A hanging drinker is also made from a bottle. It is suspended horizontally on a wire, at a height of 30 cm from the floor. To make this design, it is necessary to make a cutout in the bottle, 10 cm wide along the entire length, retreating only 5 cm from the bottom and lid of the product.

The hanging drinking bowl is attached to the outside of the cage - with a cut hole facing inward.

Feeders

It is worth considering the design of feeders at the design stage of cage construction. You can feed your rabbits using:

With the right approach to breeding rabbits, you can achieve good results. If the cages are built in accordance with all standards and requirements, and feeders, drinkers and queen cells are correctly located in them, your pets will feel as comfortable as possible, will quickly develop and gain weight.

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 household conditions, rabbits are usually kept 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 latter are erected along a fence or wall of a building and are a 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 central Russia and 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. For cladding the roof of street cages it is better to use old slate, 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 Zolotukhin can have different sizes, which are 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.
The back and side walls of the cage are lined with 30x100 mm boards. If desired, they can be sheathed with plywood, but this will cost a little more. If the cage is assembled for use outdoors, then the lining is carried out with 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. To ensure that the doors have the correct rectangular shape, you will need to prepare 6 blanks from bars, which are fixed 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. To make a pallet, a steel sheet is used, which is bent around the perimeter by 1.5–2 cm.
At the final stage, the roof is sheathed. 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 a regular plastic bottle with a nipple screwed into the cap. 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 at standard depth cages 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.
For filing interior wall The mother liquor uses a sheet of plywood, in which a hole is 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 30x30 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 side and rear walls are sheathed. 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. With proper insulation, the cage can not be moved into 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;
Rabbits' food in winter 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.