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:
All cages for rabbits, depending on their location and breeding method, are divided into three types:
Many rabbit breeders believe that the best option for placing cages is to arrange them outdoors. This content has a beneficial effect on animals, promotes the development of immunity to diseases, and the presence of beautiful and high-quality hair. Breeding outdoors 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:
All rabbit cages may differ in:
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:
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 air temperatures well, 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.
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 in indoors, it should be:
It would be nice if there was a window on the entire wall on the south side of the barn.
For combined option For breeding animals, mobile cages are most suitable. IN warm time It will be convenient to take them outside during the year, and to install them indoors in cold weather.
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.
Rabbit cages can be single or multi-tiered. Depending on who they are intended for (fawns, young animals, adults), their design depends.
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. Each tier contains the required number of 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.
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 a female rabbit a few days before the addition.
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 cell using heating cable For heated floors. 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.
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.
Cages for medium-sized adult rabbits should have a depth of 60-70 cm and a length of 100 cm. These are the minimum sizes 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.
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 the rear wall of the structure. 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. A mesh enclosure is attached to the back of the cages if there is space.
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
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, giving good results. Rabbits love to dig holes in the ground. At proper care, they will delight their owners with numerous offspring.
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:
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:
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.
In addition to the construction of cells, it is necessary to carefully consider them interior design. Food and water should be provided to the animals in a comfortable way. Feeders can be purchased ready-made in a store or made on your own.
Rabbits need daily large quantities 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:
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 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 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.
You can easily build a vacuum drinker with your own hands from a simple plastic bottle. You can make such a drinker as follows:
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.
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.
It is worth considering the design of feeders at the design stage of cage construction. You can feed your rabbits using:
At the right approach When 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.
Breeding rabbits suburban area or dacha requires a lot of knowledge about the lifestyle and habits of these animals. Much attention is paid to their diet and diet. At the same time, we should not forget about rabbit houses, since clean and comfortable housing is the key to the health and well-being of furry pets. There are many designs of cages for rabbits, made from a variety of materials with your own hands. The wooden structures brought to your attention can simplify the care of animals and will decorate the economic area.
Due to the simplicity of the design, such a cage can be made with minimal experience in working with carpentry tools. To make it you will need wooden slats and bars, plywood, metal mesh, bitumen shingles and plexiglass. Despite the fact that this type of cage is not particularly complex, it looks beautiful and interesting, which all members of your family will appreciate.
To facilitate the process of feeding animals, the cage is installed on an elevated surface, constructing an additional stand. The height is selected so that both adults and children can care for the animals. In order to have feed and hay at hand, and also not to look for additional space for storing food, the frame is equipped with a spacious shelf.
Cages for rabbits drawings
For the support posts of the cage you will need a wooden beam with a cross-section of at least 60×60 mm and a height of 850 mm.
When cutting wood, do not forget process the edges of the slats. This will avoid splinters and increase the aesthetics of the rabbit cage design.
The base frame and shelf support are attached to the main posts. To do this, four boards are screwed into the upper part of the frame with self-tapping screws and at a distance of 372 mm from the floor. It is important to correctly mark and monitor the geometry of the structure using a carpenter's square and a level. The result should be a smooth, stable structure without distortions or crooked corners.
To make a cage with an additional compartment, a neat figured cutout is made in the front board of the upper frame. The cut out part is attached to the old place using a piano loop. A narrow hinged part will provide access to the inside of the cage in the future.
WITH inside the upper and lower frames are mounted as spacers additional slats. They eliminate the instability of the structure and serve as support for the flooring, so they require especially careful adjustment.
DIY rabbit cage step-by-step instruction. Photo
In the corners of wooden boards or boards used as a shelf and base of the cage, a cutout is made for support legs. The shields are installed in their places, after which the work at this stage is considered completed.
A rabbit cage should please the owner not only with its durability and reliability, but also with its attractive appearance. Assembling a cage for rabbits begins from the front part, and step-by-step instructions will help you understand in detail all the nuances of the work with your own hands.
Cages for rabbits drawings
At the first stage they collect door box. To do this, a rectangular frame is assembled from slats using furniture dowels and self-tapping screws. A groove is cut out for the vertical movement of the door. A sliding partition frame is made that is slightly larger than the height of the box. WITH outer surface install the dowels, after which the door is installed in place by inserting the dowels into the prepared slots on the side jambs.
Compartments are installed from wooden slats on both sides of the opening. The rear part of the structure, as well as the side walls, are assembled.
How to make a rabbit cage. Photo
The eight slats from which the roof rafters will be made are cut at an acute angle. The rafters are assembled by fastening the pointed elements in pairs, after which they are finally fixed with self-tapping screws. After this, the brackets are removed and the rafters are attached to the base of the roof.
Triangular elements are cut out of a sheet of plywood to block access from the doorway to the roof. They are attached with self-tapping screws to the central rafters in accordance with the attached diagram.
DIY rabbit cage step by step instructions. Photo
The roof is sheathed plywood sheets, cutting them according to the drawing. The rear slope is made with a cutout mounted on a piano hinge. The hinged roof section makes it easier to access internal space cells. To connect the central part of the front roof slope with the side elements, small sections are cut out in its corners.
After assembling the base of the rabbit cage with your own hands is completed, the structure is treated with drying oil, dried, and then painted with one or two layers of oil paint. Despite the longer drying period, it will reliably protect the wood from moisture.
Cages for rabbits drawings
The inside of all the walls, as well as the door of the rabbit cage, are covered with your own hands using a screwdriver, self-tapping screws and a metal mesh with a mesh size of no more than 25x25 mm.
First, the ends of the cage are sewn up, and then the front wall is mounted above the doorway.
To make the design convenient to transport, folding handles are screwed onto the sides of the frame support frame.
Install on the front board of the upper support frame valve for fixing the narrow folding part.
The latch is also installed on the cage door.
Decorate The design can be made using the figure of a rabbit cut from plywood. It is painted and then glued or secured with self-tapping screws to the front wall of the roof.
Protect the piano hinge, which ensures the mobility of the folding part of the roof, can be done using universal adhesive tape. Glued on top of the metal, it will prevent rust and ensure reliable operation of the part.
Using a stapler and metal staples measuring 8 mm or more, attach them to the roof sheathing of the rabbit house. bitumen shingles.
DIY rabbit cage step by step instructions. Photo
Taking advantage special glue for a soft roof, a long, narrow piece of bitumen canvas is used to equip roof ridge.
cut out plexiglass according to the size of one of the side walls, after which a latch is mounted in its upper part. If necessary, this element will be able to protect animals from drafts and rain. The plexiglass is installed on the frame, securing it at the bottom with furniture dowels, and at the top by fixing the latch bolt in a pre-drilled hole.
Small ladders and an internal house are assembled for animals. After impregnation with drying oil, the parts are painted and placed inside the cage.
After the paint has completely dried, the cage is moved to a permanent place, provisions are prepared and the rabbits are moved into their new home.
Despite the fact that rabbits are not particularly demanding animals, it is still better to rely on the opinion of experienced people in the manufacture and placement of the cage.
The main criterion for choosing a place to install a rabbitry is the absence drafts. In addition, in the summer it is better for animals to be in the shade, so you will have to build a shed or place cages in a barn.
We must not forget that when breeding rabbits, you will have to resettle the young animals, keep pregnant females and males separately, etc., so you won’t be able to get by with just one cage. It is better to always have free space at hand, and the cages themselves should have walking areas.
Listen to the advice of experienced rabbit breeders, and you won’t have to correct your own mistakes and miscalculations.
Floor The rabbitry is best made from mesh or slats laid at a distance of 1.5 cm from each other. When using the cage outdoors, they also install a lower, folding floor tier made of boards.
The roof The cages installed in the room are made of the same material as the walls. Outdoors, the rabbitry is covered with waterproof roofing material. It is better not to use tin for this.
On the street, houses for animals are located on supports height from 0.5 to 1 m. It is best if inside the cage there is also a house with a cutout in the form of a “hole”.
Cells are divided into several branches, providing a passage for animals from one part to another, as well as hinged lids for cleaning individual “rooms”.
The dimensions of the rabbitry in which it is planned to keep the males are sufficient for them to roam freely. We must remember that males who lead a sedentary lifestyle can become infertile.
For every 3-4 females make separate spacious cage.
Baby rabbits kept in the same room with a nursing rabbit. At the same time, they keep one cage free nearby, placing the mother with the smallest animals there for additional feeding.
The best material for a rabbitry is wood - boards, slats, plywood, laminated boards. They make the power frame and roof. Depending on the climate and installation location, cage walls are made of mesh, plywood, slats or boards. During the work, special attention is paid to the finishing of materials so that animals cannot be injured by splinters, sharp parts of the mesh or protruding edges of nails and screws.
The dimensions of cages for breeding rabbits vary widely depending on the size of the animal, breed, purpose of the cage (for males, females with children, rabbits, etc.).
For nursing rabbits The dimensions of the cages must be at least 1.70 - 1.85 m in length, 1 m in width and 0.6 - 0.7 from the floor to the lid. The cages are placed at a distance of 0.7 - 0.8 m from the ground on trestles or supports. Animals weighing over 5 kg require rabbit hutches 1.3-1.5 m long and up to 0.7 m wide. At the same time, the height back wall should be 0.4-0.45 m, and the front one should be 10-15 cm higher.
Young animals rabbits are placed in group rabbitries, where they contain from 8 to 20 individuals. From 3 to 5 cubs who are under 3 months old are placed in individual cages. For older animals, no more than 2 - 3 animals per cage are placed. In this case, there should be at least 0.5 square meters per individual. m of area, and the height of the rabbitry should be more than 35 cm. In group cages, there should be at least 0.2 square meters per rabbit. m, which must be taken into account when making a rabbitry and placing animals.
Cage sizes for rabbits. Photo
An adult requires a room with a minimum size of 1×0.6 m and a height of 0.6 m, but it is better to increase these dimensions by 20 - 30%.
The cages are placed in one or two tiers (the so-called shed). Depending on the size of the animals, the width of the shad is made no more than 2 m, and the depth - up to 1 m, placing the cages at a height of about half a meter.
For breeding, a double rabbitry is used with a queen cell - a removable feed compartment for keeping animals up to 1 month. The cage is divided into compartments by a wooden partition with a 17x20 cm hole.
The main thing is that animals in captivity feel comfortable, so it is recommended to follow all the advice on their placement and maintenance.
A two-tier portable rabbitry makes it easier to care for and feed rabbits. It is enough from time to time to move the structure to a place with thick grass - and the animals are provided with food and a clean place to walk.
Photo of a cage for decorative rabbits
A wooden structure, on the roof of which there is a low box with a moisture-proof bottom, will allow you to grow seedlings or greens on the roof of the rabbitry. This solution is not only highly practical, but also looks impressive on the site. 
Rabbit cage. Photo
A “two-room” house for animals with a common feeding area makes it easier to care for animals and allows you to increase the space intended for their walking. 
Large cage for rabbits. Photo
Designs of cages for rabbits, in which animals have access to walk on the ground, are beneficial not only from the point of view of keeping the animals, but also from the economic side. If the cell volume is sufficiently large, its production does not require large material costs. 
A triangular hut cage with an aviary for walking is easy to make. During the day, such a structure is placed in a place with thick grass, and at night the cage is removed to a stationary elevation. 
The spacious rabbitry, designed for two places, has a presentable appearance due to its spacious design, flexible roof and coloring in light colors. Black metal elements of door hinges and latches complete the picture. 
Big summer house for breeding rabbits allows you to keep up to ten individuals. The high door of the structure allows you to enter inside for feeding, cleaning and examining the animals. 
A cage of increased depth, divided into two rooms, allows you to keep several individuals in each half. An enlarged courtyard provides comfort while walking and feeding animals. The contrasting coloring and copper fittings of the cage add elegance and presentability to it. 
Cage for decorative rabbits. Photo
Rabbit cages installed at a height are often built in the same building as an enclosure. A common roof allows you to save material during the construction of a rabbit cage and provides comfortable and spacious housing for animals. 
Rectangular rabbitry with pitched roof very easy to manufacture and provides all the convenience for animals and their care. A simple cell for rabbits can be made from wooden bars and slats, boards and wooden lining, and the roof covered with slate or soft roofing. 
Cages designed by a Russian rabbit breeder Zolotukhina have gained immense popularity due to their simplicity, low cost and ease of caring for animals.
The advantages of this type of cells include:
Improvements adopted by an experienced rabbit breeder-innovator bring the keeping of rabbits closer to the conditions in which they find themselves in the wild. natural environment a habitat.
To make a cage for Zolotukhin rabbits, you can use wooden boards and slats, slate sheets, tin, polycarbonate panels, and metal mesh.
The frame of the structure and partitions are made of wood, and the floor and roof are made of flat slate. The doors and a small part of the floor at the back wall are covered with mesh. Wooden elements the structures are sheathed with tin to prevent rabbits from chewing them.
Rabbit cage size:
Drawings of Zolotukhin cells. Photo
Each of the three levels consists of two cages, separated by two board partitions, between which hay is stored. The floor, also known as the roof for the lower tier, is made of slate. Rear end floors up to 200 mm wide are made of mesh. Each upper cell is extended by the same amount relative to the lower one so that feces are removed onto the floor or ground. The back wall is made of polycarbonate and installed in an inclined manner.
Exact dimensions for making cages are not needed; the diagram given by the rabbit breeder is sufficient. This structure is a structure with a queen cell, so for the usual keeping of rabbits, the wall with the opening will need to be replaced with a solid wooden panel.
The queen cell door is not made of mesh, since the nest requires shade and shelter from drafts. To prevent the young animals from falling out when cleaning or feeding, a board 10 centimeters wide is nailed to the front of the shelter.
The design with a fenced-off queen cell makes it easy to expand the space for growing rabbits. To do this, just remove the board partition.
In winter, Zolotukhin installs in a cage queen cell-burrow. He is wooden box with increased rear wall height. This allows you to create the necessary expansion in the depths of the rabbit hole. The hole in the queen cell is cut out so that there is no threshold between the box and the floor of the cage.
Dimensions of the winter Zolotukhin cage for rabbits:
The feeder is a long tray that takes up 2/3 of the length of the cage. Its front wall is twice as large as the back wall, and the bottom slopes into the cage at an angle of up to 35?. The feeder is mounted on a rod hinge, which allows you to install the tray in the door. This eliminates the need to open the cage when feeding and makes it easier to clean the feeder from leftover food.
DIY rabbit cages. Video
As you can see, making a rabbit cage with your own hands is quite simple. At the same time, it is important to ensure the comfort and safety of pets, as well as to provide for ease of feeding and cleaning.
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.
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 from your 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:
Suitable 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.
Many people are interested in how to make a rabbit cage with their own hands. Of course, if available necessary materials it's not that 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.
DIY rabbit cages with correct design must 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 young rabbits from entering the nest compartment 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.
To build a single-tier cage for two individuals, the performer will need:
The cost of constructing a two-tier animal cage is not that 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.
To make a cage with two tiers you will need:
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, the working side can be covered with a mesh with large cells.
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 rabbit cages of this design with your own hands is a more difficult task. But such family blocks are 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.
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.
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.
A diagram of the rabbitry is presented below.
If you want to have houses, their cages are constructed in a different way. There are many different models available in pet stores. 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.
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 is better to opt for a 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.
For successful keeping and breeding of rabbits, it is very important to choose the right cage for them, because the well-being of the animals and their ability to reproduce directly depend on its structure and type of material. Good, warm and comfortable housing is the key good health pet and good weight gain. There are two options - buy a ready-made cage in a specialized store or make it yourself. It would seem that the first option is easier and simpler, but it is preferable to do it yourself, taking into account all the necessary dimensions, depending on the expected number of individuals and the breed of pets. Having decided to breed rabbits, it is important to decide on the place where their cage will be located.
First of all, you need to take care of protecting your pets from cold wind and sunlight in the summer. Ideally, it is better to make the roof removable, this will facilitate the process of disinfecting the cage. So, how to make cages for rabbits with your own hands: all dimensions and drawings are presented below.
The main types of cages, mainly used by rabbit breeders in practice, are presented in the list below:
Each cell has a standard base - walls, floor, ceiling and frame, door. Let's take a closer look at cell types.
An example of a drawing of a two-section cage for rabbits can be seen in the photo below.
A standard cage, usually on high legs, with a mesh floor and tray, with two compartments separated by a partition with the ability to move from compartment to compartment. They provide a nest for the female rabbit and a place for feeding. The entrance to the cage is closed with doors. The high legs of the structure allow maximum protection of animals from moisture and drafts; they are usually made about half a meter. The mesh floor will allow the waste products of the rabbits not to linger in the cage; with the help of a tray, everything can be easily removed and the animals will be clean. Such cells can be found very often; they require minimum costs And small quantity materials. Often designs with a mesh floor are used when breeding, since the paws of this breed of animal are resistant to damage.
It is a regular cell (discussed above) made of wooden frame, often on legs, an enclosure for walking is attached to such a cage.
Considering the mobility of pets and their love for an active lifestyle, having a place to walk has an extremely positive effect on the health of rabbits and increases their reproductive qualities. During the summer months, it allows the animals to enjoy fresh grass and soak up the morning sun. It is necessary to take into account all the details so that pets cannot escape from the enclosure and cats or mice do not get into them.
The main difference between such a cage and other designs is the following: it does not contain a queen cell for the rabbit. It is assumed that the best option would be if she chooses a suitable place for herself. The feeder and sippy cup are located above front door. These cages do not have a tray or a mesh floor; instead, only the back side of the structure is covered with mesh.
A small metal mesh is used. Analyzing the behavior of rabbits, you can notice that they relieve themselves at the back of their homes. These cages are built using slate or planks. To make the frame and partitions, boards up to two centimeters thick are used. The floor and roof are made of slate; if this is not available, it is made of the same boards as the cage frame. Wooden surfaces are covered with thin sheet metal.
Let's look at the construction of such a cell step by step:
The first floor of the structure should be located at a distance of fifty centimeters from the ground to protect rabbits from moisture and cold. The cage frame itself is made using four two-meter beams; the finished width of the frame should be two meters, and the depth should be eighty centimeters. Thus, three floors are built.
Considering that rabbits love to chew everything and do it well, for protection everyone internal corner upholstered in metal.
The roof of the cage is made in such a way that it protrudes forward from the common part of the frame by at least five centimeters on all sides, in order to prevent rainwater from entering the room with the pets.
Rabbit cages using the Mikhailov method are the most complex and expensive, but at the same time the most convenient to use. They provide for a unified system of rabbit waste, heating of the queen cell with baby rabbits and a female rabbit, separate shelves for animals and a ventilation system. Their main feature is their sectionality - they include from two to four separate sections with a single compartment for collecting rabbit waste.
The first cages of this type were designed for two adult animals, improved designs are designed for several teenage rabbits or two rabbits expecting offspring. There are two-tier and single-tier cages. The construction of a cage of this type is tied to the cardinal directions; for protection from cold winds, the back wall is made blank and placed to the north. Apart from the back, the other three are made of mesh material. The mechanism for heating the queen cell must be turned on, and ventilation of the premises is provided.
The floors of the cage using the Mikhailov method are made of slats laid diagonally. To simplify the design, such cells are conventionally divided into three parts:
Thanks to the stand, the entire structure is fixed to the ground; without it, the cage can tip over. The total height of the legs is 140 cm; additional beams are installed at a distance of 40 cm from the ground for maximum strong fixation. Feeders and drinking bowls for rabbits are located inside the building, queen cells are in the center. To make such a design with your own hands, you must have the correct drawing with exact dimensions. The dimensions of the cage made using this method are relatively small, for two adult individuals total area the structure will be 1.4 sq. m. The height of the building is 210 cm, the width of the sections is 80 cm, the height is 70 cm. The angle of inclination of the lower section is 45 degrees. The sippy cup in the cage can be installed in any size, depending on the size of the section in which the pet lives. Let's consider the principle of constructing such a cage for four adult rabbits. The animal feeder is 15 cm long, 12 cm wide, and 30 cm high.
So, in order to make this design with your own hands at home, you must have:
Let's look at the construction of such a cage step by step. As an example for a detailed description of construction, let’s take a single-tier cage with three compartments. Having understood the principle of the method, it will not be difficult at all to complete the upper floors. We assemble the cage frame in accordance with required sizes and drawings.
An important point in such cages is that little rabbits are not separated from their mother. They are constantly with her in a heated queen cell and have the opportunity to receive mother’s milk for as long as possible, which significantly increases the animals’ immunity.
Mikhailov's method is based, first of all, on the fact that rabbits do not have direct contact with humans; for them this is a very serious stress. The idea of such automatic home, where pets have round-the-clock access to a feeder and water bowl, has achieved incredible results. Rabbits living in such cages practically do not get sick, reproduce well and gain weight very quickly. There are even four-month-old individuals weighing up to six kilograms.
All rabbit cages are manufactured according to several general principles, but a number of significant differences are also known, which must be taken into account in the process of independently implementing such a design.
The most important requirements for the design of a rabbit cage are as follows:
This is interesting! A correctly selected cage design for rabbits ensures the highest productivity of farm animals while minimizing morbidity and high safety of the livestock.
Installing cages indoors involves ensuring clean air and the absence of excessive humidity or overheating, as well as normal light intensity.
A standard cage for keeping young farm animals is most often designed for 8-20 animals, whose age varies from three months to six months. When making such a group cage, it is necessary to adhere to the approximate optimal area of 0.25-0.3 m² for each individual. In this case, the height of the walls cannot be less than 35-40 cm. The enclosure for walking is arranged along the back wall, and is also separated from the cage by means of a removable partition.
The home for a sexually mature female is divided into a couple of parts: uterine and stern. In this case, the partition is most often represented by a plywood element with a convenient sawn hole with a diameter of 200 mm. The hole is located above the floor surface at a height of 10-15 cm, which does not allow the rabbits to crawl inside the feeding area.
The floor inside the queen cell is most often made of solid moisture-resistant plywood. A board or plywood is used to make the front door of the queen cell. sufficient thickness. The stern part is made of high-quality mesh. Immediately before the birth, a queen cell is installed inside the nesting compartment, the dimensions of which are 40 x 40 cm with a height of 20 cm.
It is quite affordable to make simple three-section rabbit cages yourself. The so-called “family block” is very convenient for raising farm animals. In this case, the central compartment of the structure contains the breeder rabbit, and the females are located on the sides.
IN wooden partitions, installed between all compartments, manholes are equipped, which are equipped with plywood latches. Thus, it is possible to quite easily and simply control the process of placing females with males.
The timber frame is complemented by side and rear walls, as well as nesting compartments with partitions and doors based on wide lining. To make the front wall, a metal mesh is used. It is recommended to provide attic free space for animals to rest inside the nesting compartments. An additional convenience of such structures will be the thoughtful arrangement of drinkers and feeders, which can be easily filled from the outside.
The costs of constructing standard two-tier cages for farm animals are not too high, due to their structural simplicity. Particular attention is paid to the location of the mini-farm depending on the type of lighting.
A closed blank wall with crates and feeders is located towards the north, which helps protect the rabbits from gusty winds and extreme cold. The roof of the structure from the north should overhang by approximately 0.9 m, and from the southern part - by 0.6 m. On the west and east sides, the roof is made at the same level with the protruding beams.
This is interesting! With proper arrangement of a rabbit mini-farm, each cage structure can contain up to twenty-five adult valuable farm animals.
A two-tier cage consists of a frame stand, a lower part and an upper tier, and as a rule, transparent or translucent materials, as well as roofing felt, are used as roofing. As the practice of operating a mini-farm shows, one cell should occupy an area of 1.4 m2. A standard two-row farm of eight cellular structures with an opening of 70-110 cm occupies an area of 25 m2.
According to experienced rabbit breeders, California rabbits are extremely easy to care for and do not require much space to keep. The optimal dimensions of a rabbit cage structure for such a farm animal can be approximately one and a half times smaller than a dwelling for keeping a gray giant rabbit.
Among other things, California rabbits are well adapted to cold weather, so they are often kept even without traditional bedding. Standard sizes cells with a queen cell are 0.4 m2, and for one mature individual - 0.3 m2. For self-made constructions can use ordinary, environmentally friendly and hygienic building materials.
Decorative rabbits or miniature dwarf breeds are most suitable for home keeping. A cage for such an animal will not take up significant space in the room, which is explained by the compact size of baby rabbits and adults. The weight of a mature dwarf rabbit, as a rule, does not exceed a couple of kilograms.
This is interesting! Despite the fact that a rabbit cage can be made from very different, almost any materials, the best option would be high-strength, durable and completely environmentally friendly plastic.
The twigs in such a finished cage should not be painted. To make caring for an ornamental animal easier, the presence of a special retractable tray, which contains all the waste products of the domestic rabbit, will help.
Large-sized meat-skin rabbits of the “giant” breed require a special approach to their keeping and the arrangement of non-standard cage structures. The cage for a large and fairly fast-growing farm animal has significant dimensions, since the length of a rabbit is 55-65 cm with a weight of 5.5-7.5 kg. Based on these parameters, you should first draw up a design drawing of the cell.
One adult “giant” rabbit must be kept in a cage with the minimum dimensions given:
A young couple of this breed should be kept in a cage measuring 1.2-1.3 m². Among other things, giant rabbits have quite a lot of weight, so the floor in the cage must be reinforced with a galvanized mesh made of thick wire, which is laid on a frame base laid at a distance of 4.0-4.5 cm. Some farmers often use cages with solid flooring and installation of special plastic or rubber pallets. In this case, the pallets are cleaned daily.
The cages developed by Zolotukhin are characterized by creating living conditions for rabbits that are as close as possible to their natural existence. Thanks to the design features, farm animals are able to feel free, which has a positive effect on their fertility and general immunity.
Cages made according to the method of rabbit breeder Zolotukhin have significant differences from many other types of rabbit housing. The main characteristics of such convenient designs are presented:
The three-tier design is designed for six rabbits, and each subsequent tier is shifted back by 15-20 cm, which easily prevents any waste from falling on the lower animals. The inclined floor in the rabbitry is predominantly solid, and only a small lattice area is fixed at the back wall. IN summer period The queen cell is placed in the darkened area of the cage, and in winter, removable nesting boxes are placed in the structure.
The sizes of the Zolotukhin rabbit cage vary depending on the breed characteristics of farm animals, but for large or medium breeds the designs presented will be optimal:
This is interesting! If necessary, the above approximate cage parameters can be increased or decreased, which will make maintenance of the structure as convenient and easy as possible.
The advantages of such cages are represented by the affordable cost of materials, as well as ease of maintenance and self-manufacturing and not too large dimensions of the finished structure. Among other things, it is possible to maintain optimal lighting conditions and regular sufficient ventilation.
Rabbit cages intended for breeding animals on an industrial scale, as well as ready-made designs, can be represented in different types:
Outdoor growing is most often done in single-sided cages installed along a continuous fence or wall. In this case, the back and side walls of the cage must be solid, which will provide complete protection for the animals from precipitation and gusts of wind. For indoor placement, double-sided structures made entirely of steel mesh are best suited to ensure easy and efficient ventilation.
The most popular designs for keeping adult individuals are structures consisting of a pair of compartments with the installation of a queen cell near the side wall.
The solid floor in this area should be made of boards, and the aft section should be separated by a partition with a hole measuring 17x17 cm. The floor covering is made of steel mesh. Standard queen cell sizes:
This is interesting! Feature rabbit houses, intended for outdoor keeping of rabbits of any breeds, are their unlimited sizes and lightweight maintenance options.
On the front side there is a pair of solid doors and two mesh doors with securely fixed feeders. The entire structure must be raised to a height of 80 cm from the ground level using stable legs.
Most simple design It is quite possible to make a rabbit cage yourself. To locate the cage outdoors, moisture-resistant OSB boards are used as the main construction and finishing material. The length of a standard single cage is one and a half meters with a width of 0.7 m and a similar height. The best option is the manufacture of a pair of rabbit hutches 3 m long, 0.7 m wide and 120/100 cm high in front and behind. This design is easy to maintain and also allows for significant savings in building materials:
The manufacturing process includes the construction of the frame and its cladding, as well as the arrangement of the feeder and queen cell, installing the roof and hanging the door. It's important to do it right flooring inside the cell.
