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» What to make cages for rabbits from. DIY rabbit cages: instructions and recommendations. Simple cells - advantages and disadvantages

What to make cages for rabbits from. DIY rabbit cages: instructions and recommendations. Simple cells - advantages and disadvantages

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. Its minimum dimensions are: 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 must have at least 0.12 square meters of 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. back part always make it 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 simplest cage that 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 a hard, 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.

We make the back wall: cut it to size and attach it with self-tapping screws over the entire area. Fix plywood sheets 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.

Construction of cages for rabbits involves certain questions: how many and what breed of rabbits will you breed, and will you engage in breeding. After this, we select the type of enclosure and begin work. We use the most affordable materials - plywood or wood, mesh and slate. Since rabbits will gnaw cells from the inside, we do not use in our work anything that can harm their health: chemical antiseptics, materials with metal shavings.

The main types of enclosures - what are common and how are they different?

Rabbits are capricious animals to keep. The enclosure can be located both indoors and outdoors. But street cages are suitable only for the southern regions, otherwise in winter period eared ones will freeze. The optimal temperature for keeping rabbits is from 10 to 20 degrees. In enclosures it is necessary to avoid drafts, direct sun rays and humidity above 75%. Considering all this, find the most optimal place and start choosing the type of enclosure.

There are several types of cages for rabbits:

  • simple cells, with or without queen cell; with or without an enclosure for walking;
  • I. N. Mikhailov cells;
  • cells of N.I. Zolotukhin.

Regardless of the type of enclosure, it is placed at a height of at least 70 cm from the ground in one or several tiers. This can be done using high legs or wall mounts. This way the rabbits will be protected from rodents and other animals, and the indoor air will circulate better. The size of a rabbit's home depends on the breed, gender and age.

Simple cells - advantages and disadvantages

To make enclosures with their own hands, they try to use natural materials, for example, boards. Since rabbits chew everything they come across, chipboard should not be used. It is both harmful to animals and will crumble quickly. Often, the inside of a rabbit's home is protected from animal teeth by iron sheathing. But this can only be done if the temperature is stable both in winter and summer. Otherwise, the iron will become very hot from the sun or cool in winter.

Particular attention is paid to the floor of the enclosure. Rabbit urine is very caustic and therefore corrodes wood. Most often, the floor is made of mesh. Sometimes the lattice is filled with wooden slats. This way all the feces will flow down. It will be much easier to clean the cages, which means the rabbits are less likely to get sick.

When making cages for decorative rabbits, they do not use mesh, because due to the lack of pads on their paws, they simply cannot sit on such a floor for a long time.

Attach the queen cell to the enclosures if you plan to breed rabbits. It is in the queen cell that the female gives birth and nurses the rabbits. Only when they get stronger does she move to the main room. The quality and quantity of the offspring is influenced by the attached enclosure for walking, since the high mobility of individuals contributes to their reproduction.


Mikhailov cages - mini rabbit farm

Mikhailov’s design is more complex enclosures, suitable for large farms. They are often used in industry, helping to significantly reduce labor costs. The construction of such an enclosure is patented, has automatic cleaning and feeding, and heated queen cells. Most often this is a three-level house with a middle floor for feeding and an upper floor for walking. Building it yourself is quite difficult; it requires good construction experience and significant financial costs.


Zolotukhin cells - saving space and building material

Zolotukhin cells are easier to manufacture. The main ones distinctive feature the fact that the floor is made at a slope. It uses not the usual mesh, but plywood or slate. The mesh is installed only near the cell wall. According to research, rabbits relieve themselves near walls in 90% of cases. Zolotukhin’s design takes up little space; the cells in it are arranged in three rows of two. This saves both space and material for work. Such enclosures are well suited for keeping large quantity rabbits, it is not advisable to use them for several individuals.

Making a regular cell

To save material and space, the cells are made at least in pairs. For the base, take a board 3 m long by 0.7 m. This way you can fit two compartments 1.5 meters long. These cage sizes are suitable for young animals or males. For females, a smaller size is sufficient. First of all, you need to prepare drawings with dimensions based on tips and illustrations.


To make this design you will need:

  • 2 sheets of plywood (1.5 by 1.5 meters);
  • 10 three-meter bars (30 by 50 mm);
  • 3 m mesh with 15 mm cells;
  • screws and tools for work.

The size of the cells in the mesh used should not exceed 20 mm, otherwise the rabbits will get stuck in them.

Before making a homemade enclosure, many farmers advise treating the wood with antibacterial impregnations. It is worth choosing the safest formulations, since otherwise you can poison the animal. First of all, a frame with a height of 1.2 in front and 1 meter in back is made from bars.

Then the floor is hemmed with mesh. There is no need to reach the edges with the mesh; the queen cells will be located there, and the floor in them will be made without holes. The back wall is made of plywood, attached to the bars with self-tapping screws. At the edges, queen cells are also made from plywood. The ceiling in them is lowered a little so that they look more like a hole. A small hole with a diameter of 16 centimeters is made in the side wall. This queen cell can be made removable if desired.

A feeder is made in the center. It is more convenient to divide it into two parts: for feed and for hay. The first is a tall box with a bowl base. And the second is a trapezoidal box made of mesh.

The roof is made of plywood with overlaps of 5-10 centimeters. You can make it in two parts, leaving a gap in the middle. It will be convenient to fill feeders. Then the doors are made using bars and mesh.

Using the same step-by-step instructions, you can make a cage with two or three floors. But in this case, the roof is covered with some kind of protective material. For example, they are upholstered with sheet iron or polycarbonate. Then your rabbit house will last longer.

Making a Zolotukhin cell

Making an enclosure using Zolotukhin’s method with your own hands is not much more difficult than building an ordinary cage. For this you will need:

  • wooden beams;
  • net;
  • boards;
  • sheet iron;
  • polycarbonate;
  • slate.

The enclosure will be built in the following dimensions: 2 m wide, 1.5 m high, 80 cm deep. The floor slope is 5 centimeters, and a 20-centimeter strip of mesh will be located at the back wall.

First we build a similar frame for the enclosure. We leave room in the middle for a hay barn. But the floor, unlike a regular cage, is lined not with mesh, but with durable slate. Don't forget to make an indent of 20 centimeters from the back wall.


The rear walls are made of polycarbonate. They need to be secured at an angle so that top part the walls connected to the slate edge of the floor of the next floor. And at the very top tier it is straight. This arrangement allows rabbit droppings to roll down the walls.

Closed queen cells are made on the sides of the structure, similar to a regular cage. We make all the other walls and doors of the enclosure from mesh.

The feeder in Zolotukhin’s model is also not easy. It is inserted directly into the door and is held on by hinge nails. Thanks to this, you can pour food and clean the feeder without opening the door. It occupies approximately 2/3 of the width of the door. The outer wall of the feeder is twice as high as the inner one.


It is not for nothing that Zolotukhin cells have long been very popular: they are easy to manufacture and easy to maintain.

It is best to start building enclosures from the very simple option. Later, based on the experience gained, you can move on to more complex structures, including to Mikhailov’s mini-farm.

Raising rabbits is a profitable activity that does not require much time. Animals do not require special care or specific living conditions. Therefore, you can have several fluffies in a private household. Beginning farmers often have a desire to breed these animals, but the first thing they have to face is how to make cages for rabbits according to drawings with dimensions.

Choosing a location for cells

When installing cages for rabbits, you need to pay attention to certain conditions in which the animals may be. First you need to choose the right place where the cells will stand.. They can be placed:

  • on the street;
  • indoors.

Of course, devices can be placed outdoors only in regions with a more or less warm climate. At severe frosts Rabbits can simply freeze. If the air temperature all year round optimal, then the following must be taken into account:

It's important to consider the details. They are useful for both street maintenance rabbits and indoors:

Keeping rabbits indoors

If the site is located in cold regions of the country, this implies the mandatory presence indoors for placing houses. A shed may be suitable for this. Need to create the right conditions for a comfortable stay for furry ones:

Having built a high-quality and comfortable cage for animals, the owner does only a small part of the work. The most important element is feeding, keeping and breeding rabbits in conditions that are comfortable for them. You will need to feed them the right food in a dry state. Wet or steamed food can adversely affect the health of rabbits and lead to death of the animals.

Building a cage with your own hands

Many people are interested in how to make a rabbitry with their own hands. There are different schemes in the pictures (one- and two-tier, large or small, queen cells, homemade, industrial, wooden and metal, Italian, wandering, homemade, etc.), just as there are many approaches, for example, the method of Mikhailov, Zolotukhin , Maklyaka. Simple design can be done for little money, but, unfortunately, not for free.

Before you start working, you will need, in addition to the diagram, to select the right material for the work.

Necessary materials

To create such structures, it is advisable to use natural materials to simulate conditions similar to natural ones. Therefore, wooden blocks that are treated with environmentally friendly antiseptics should be used as the basis for the structure. To build cells you will need the following materials:

The interior walls are made of plywood, as it is moisture-resistant and very strong. Chipboard is not suitable for such purposes, since it strongly absorbs moisture and collapses over time due to swelling.

What types of houses are there for rabbits?

All good cells have General characteristics, but still they can be divided into several types, each of which has its own individual differences. First important factor is what breeds and individuals will live in such structures. Each farm should have several types of cages. Depending on how much space there is in height in the barn, structures are divided into the following:

  • single-tier;
  • two-tier;
  • three or more tiers.

At a certain age, rabbits must be housed. Types of cells can be divided into the following types:

  • cages for young animals;
  • designs for adults.

Nest cages are made for pregnant rabbits and recently born rabbits. They are also called queen cells because they have a box, tank or booth inside that imitates a burrow in natural conditions. In it, the expectant mother makes a nest for her children. There they spend the first two months of their lives.

The size of the cells may also depend on what breed you want to breed:

  • dwarf rabbits;
  • ordinary;
  • large (accelerators).

It also matters for what purpose the animals are bred. They can be both for the soul and for sale.

Cell designs can be different, and their parameters can vary significantly. But, on the other hand, you can make a cell using general rules, and then complete the necessary details.

Manufacturing stages

Lovers of a country lifestyle are often interested in the question of how to build a rabbitry with their own hands. There are many drawings on the Internet, so there are plenty of options. The most common way to build a typical structure is to have two sections. In one part there will be adult livestock, and in the other there will be a queen cell.

If there is no female with cubs on the farm yet, you can put additional houses in the nesting compartment and put adult rabbits there so that they can hide there if they feel unwell. For owners who do not know how to build a rabbit cage with their own hands, step-by-step instructions are given below. Cell production occurs in stages:

Cells according to the Mikhailov method

Making a rabbit house using the Mikhailov method involves creating a multi-tiered mini-farm. In other words, this is a kind of shed consisting of mini-farms. Each of them has a separate cage for the queen cell (for two rabbits), and on the other side - separate design for the fattening period of young animals that have been disconnected from the mother's nest. After four months, you can get real giants weighing 8-12 kg using this method. Rabbit breeding using this method is quite a profitable business.

It is a little more difficult to make a cage for a female rabbit with a queen cell using Mikhailov’s method than a structure for fattening rabbits.

Thus, this method is rightfully considered the best in all respects for production breeding purposes.


Farming and raising livestock has always been a profitable activity, especially if you do it throughout the year. Rabbits of various breeds are especially popular among animal breeders - they are easy to keep, they are unpretentious, and 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 hours, temperature and air humidity play a significant role higher value. These indicators directly affect both the behavior and health of the animal, as well as the dynamics of its growth and weight gain. Temperatures of 12–18 o C and air humidity of 60–75% are optimal for keeping most breeds.

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

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

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

In addition to this cell 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 an animal arranges its own home. Unlike the cage method, the aviary method is more complex and requires not only a large area of ​​land, 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 middle lane Russia and those trying their hand at animal husbandry, it is recommended to keep rabbits exclusively on the street.

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

Types of cells

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

By design

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


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

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

By purpose

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


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

Necessary materials

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

  • edged board - size 30x100x3000 or 30x150x300 mm. Necessary for lining the side and back walls of the cage. Can be used for lining a portable queen cell;
  • wooden blocks - 40x40x3000 or 50x50x3000 mm in size. Will be needed to make the frame, legs and other elements of the cage. If desired, you can use rectangular bars;

    To assemble the cage frame, an edged block with a section of 40×40 or 50×50 is used

  • moisture-resistant plywood - 9 or 12 mm thick. It will be required when making a cage floor, wall cladding and other solid elements. It is better to use sheets measuring 150x3000 mm;
  • steel pipes - cross-section from 20 mm. Rarely used, but with the ability to work with welding machine allow you to assemble a strong and durable frame. It is not recommended to use for assembling the floor and making other elements that will come into contact with the body of animals;
  • steel mesh - galvanized fine mesh with cell size 15×15 or 20×20 mm. Necessary for making doors, covering some walls and re-upholstering the waste disposal area;

    To cover the walls and doors in a cage, it is better to use galvanized mesh with a cell of 20×20 mm

  • galvanized sheet - with a zinc coating with a thickness of 120 microns. It will be required in the manufacture of roofing, floor cladding and other elements for some types of cells. It is better not to use it for cladding the roof of outdoor cages;
  • wavy slate - 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. About cages for rabbits having big sizes, we told 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 options for cages for rabbits described below can be made with your own hands without much experience in working with construction tool. In addition to the materials for making cages, you need to prepare a wood saw or jigsaw, a screwdriver, a hammer, a plane, metal scissors, pliers, a construction tape measure and a pencil.

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

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

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

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

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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 frame of the cage, you can use a steel profile and corners

  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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

  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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

  13. 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.
  14. On final stage roof sheathing is carried out. To do this, the roof is hemmed wooden board 30×100 mm. 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

As finished products Drinkers with a nipple are most often used, 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:

  1. As an example, let’s take the drawing of a cell, which we gave as an example in the section “Cell size and drawing.” Let us remind you that this is a structure with a total height of 2000 mm. The length of the tier is 1400 mm with a standard cage depth of 600 mm.
  2. 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

  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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

  9. 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.
  10. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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

  3. 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.
  4. 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 it top edge coincided in height with the first board.
  5. 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

  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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

  12. 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.
  13. The roof is hemmed using moisture-resistant plywood. The plywood sheet should protrude 10–15 cm beyond the frame. Self-tapping screws 50 mm long are used for fastening.

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

Cage for young animals

Cages for baby rabbits can be either shared or single. The first option is most often used, since it is easier to manufacture. When designing, it should be taken into account that the size of the overall 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 to vertical racks from the board. 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, tolerate sub-zero temperatures quite easily, however, they need to be provided comfortable conditions to prevent frostbite and colds. At proper insulation The cage does not need to be moved to the utility room even at a temperature of -20 o C.

When insulating, thermal insulation material is placed between the walls of the cage

  • 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 a decrease in reproductive functions, 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. General principle the assemblies are easy to understand with 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.

Among various domestic animals, special place occupied by rabbits. Their maintenance is quite profitable: the owner receives meat and fur, but gives away very little. To make a good profit from rabbits, you will need to follow some maintenance standards. And although a lot depends on nutrition and care, first of all you need to think about the cells.

If for cows, chickens or goats it is enough to have a simple barn, then for rabbits it is worth taking care of special conditions. The optimal solution on the issue of price - quality - make your own rabbit cage. This is not only cheaper, but you can take into account all the characteristics of the breed being bred and the location. What material is suitable for this and what points should be taken into account, we will talk about this in the article and present photos and drawings of some cages for rabbits.

Where to place the cells

When choosing a place to breed domestic rabbits and place their cage, it is important to avoid wind and drafts.

But it doesn’t matter at all whether the cage is outdoors or indoors.

Except weather conditions, the number and size of the rabbit cage are taken into account.

With normal breeding, one cell will not be enough. You will need a room for pregnant rabbits, their babies and males, and this is a whole residential complex.

Dimensions - the dimensions of finished rabbit cages largely depend on the breed of pets, but there are minimum values, which are calculated based on the data given in the table.

Technological elements of a rabbit farm Maximum number of rabbit heads per unit area Standard area for 1 rabbit head, sq.m. Dimensions, m
Length Width

For main herd rabbits

Two-section rabbit cage

Nest compartment

1 0,5-0,65

0,18

0,6-0,7 0,9

0,36

Group cages for keeping rabbits in sheds (sheds)

For young animals 6 0,1 0,9 0,672
For replacement young animals:

females

males

0,15

0,605

0,672

0,672

Individual cages for keeping rabbits in sheds (sheds)

For young animals 1 0,13-0,16 0,29-0,36 0,45
For replacement young stock 1-2 0,22-0,32 0,48-0,72 0,45

The height of cages for both domestic rabbits and rabbits kept on industrial rabbit farms is taken to be at least 45 centimeters.

Size of the rabbit nest box: length – 50 cm, width – 36 cm, height 30-4 cm.

When making cages for keeping rabbits, galvanized steel is used. metal mesh, the cell size of which is 24x24-50 mm, floors - 16x48 mm.

Farmers can take care not only of the housing of their wards, but also of a place for walking.



Photo of wooden cages for raising rabbits

Materials for cells

The choice of material, as well as the location, must be treated with care. Usually they try not to use metal parts in the construction of cages. The frame and supports of the cage can be assembled from wooden parts. The choice of wall material is more varied; you can use board, plywood or mesh. The final option will depend on the climate zone and the location of the cells.

Some tips for selecting and preparing material:

  • The cell size of a rabbit cage should be small;
  • To attach the mesh, you can use wooden or plastic slats;
  • It is important to ensure the safety of the animals inside the cage. For this purpose, all wooden parts are processed.

Making a rabbit cage and its dimensions

The optimal size of the cage - housing for adult individuals is 1500x700x700 mm. If you make the floor from mesh or wooden slats, then caring for the rabbits will be more convenient. Waste products will be automatically removed from the cells. Street option assembled with a two-level floor, where the bottom layer is made of boards.

Roof for rabbit cage made from the same material as the walls. But if you plan to keep it outside, then you need to take care of protection from precipitation. Can be covered with slate or other similar non-metallic material. If the roof is made of metal, then sunny weather it will heat up and become very hot inside.

It is recommended to place the finished cells at a short distance from the floor or ground. This will provide protection from rodents and make caring for domestic rabbits convenient. Rabbit feeding equipment should not become dirty. Some have solved this issue by making retractable or hanging feeders.

A little more about the size of the rabbitry. The front wall of the cage should be approximately 10-15 cm higher than the back wall. The entire area of ​​the finished home is divided into several sections, which are connected to each other by small manholes. A hinged lid will help make maintenance a little easier.

It is worth mentioning once again that the size of the cage for rabbits largely depends on the breed, number and location of keeping. But there are general recommendations for any type of cell:

  • The section in which males are planned to be kept must be large enough. This will allow the animals to move freely and not become lazy, otherwise they will be unable to give birth.
  • A separate spacious cage is allocated for the rabbits. This section can accommodate up to four pieces. It is important to take into account that at first the baby rabbits are kept next to their mother for fattening.
  • Make one free cage in which the rabbits can be fattened. Some babies do not gain enough weight while spending time with their mother.
  • The hole into the nesting compartment should be raised by about ten centimeters. To prevent it from being chewed, you can trim the edges with steel. But do it carefully, without leaving any nicks.
  • The front wall should be equipped with two doors - one for the main compartment, the second for the nest. And if the first option can be mesh, then the latter is necessarily solid.
  • Outdoor cages for domestic rabbits can be equipped with a manhole for walking. For this purpose in back walls They make a hole into a special enclosure, fenced with a net. This will give the rabbits the opportunity to frolic and enjoy fresh grass.

Making a rabbit cage with your own hands is not that difficult. If you apply the tips written above, then you can hope for a good increase in profits and convenient care for the animals.

Drawings and photos of cages for rabbits


Photo wooden cage for raising rabbits at home with dimensions indicated

Cage for three adult rabbits (for home keeping). Consists of two levels. The lower level has double doors, which open wide to provide easy access to the cage. The upper level consists of two separate compartments connected by an entrance. One of the cage compartments is designed for rabbits to sleep. The other compartment is covered with mesh and this area can also be opened for easy access (great for cleaning the cage and for grooming and feeding rabbits). The design of this cage is quite simple, and you can make it yourself to keep rabbits in your garden.




The photo shows rabbit cages made of wood and metal mesh





Photos of cages with walking for rabbits


Drawings of cages for rabbits and their young


Drawing of an adobe cage (1), a wattle-clay cage (2), a combined cage with a run for keeping rabbits (3), a cage from a box (4)


Drawings of cages for keeping rabbits at home

Industrial cages for keeping and raising rabbits



Photo of one and two-tier cages for twelve rabbits with offspring (dimensions 2.3 x 2.05 m)



The photo shows one and two-story cages for fattening meat (up to 144 heads)

Video tutorials for constructing cages for rabbits

Video about making a rabbit cage with your own hands: