Rabbit farm diagram drawings. Do-it-yourself rabbitry: step-by-step instructions. Further actions are as follows

Living in a country house brings a lot of positive aspects in the form of clean air, lack of noise and city bustle, and the presence of a place for relaxation and entertainment. It is also important that you can grow garden crops or raise pets on your own plot. This can become a source of environmentally friendly products and help the family budget. If you want to get into animal husbandry, then there is no better option than raising rabbits. At the same time, the decision to raise eared animals alone is not enough. You will need knowledge about keeping furry beauties and comfortable cages where they can “gain weight.” Of course, it’s easier to buy a ready-made rabbitry. However, we recommend making the cages yourself, since this gives you the opportunity to choose the design and size of the structure in strict accordance with personal preferences and the availability of free space for its installation.

Purpose and structure of the rabbitry

Today, two main systems for keeping rabbits are used.

In insulated, closed-type rabbitries, this method is relevant for northern regions and mid-latitudes. Adults are kept in individual cages, and rabbits are kept in communal cages, which are installed in a heated building.
In outdoor cages. In this case, adult animals are placed separately from young animals, which are placed in group rabbitries and walking facilities.

Outdoor rabbit houses can be single or multi-person. Most often, the cage is designed to accommodate one adult rabbit or several young animals.

The simplest cage for rabbits

The cage is divided into two parts: a feed compartment with an area of about 0.5 square meters. m and a nesting “room” with an area of at least 0.25 sq. m. Often the feeding space is made common, with living compartments located on both sides of it.

The parts of the rabbitry communicate with each other using a round manhole up to 20 cm high. The aft part is equipped with a feeder, and for convenience it is made of lattice or covered with wire mesh. Access to this part of the cage is provided by a door measuring 40x60 cm.

The frame of the rabbitry is made of durable timber or round posts with a thickness of at least 8 cm, and the cage itself is placed at a height of 70–80 cm from the ground. The wall material can be wooden boards, clay wattle, hardboard, plywood, etc. The roofing material is slate, roofing felt or polycarbonate laid on top of the boards. Tin roofing is used only if the rabbitry is installed in a well-shaded place.

The floor of the cage is made from edged boards, sloping towards the back wall. A gap is left in this place for urine to drain. An excellent solution is a narrow strip of metal mesh located at the back of the rabbitry floor.

Common designs and their features

Livestock specialists and amateur rabbit breeders have developed many models of cages for keeping rabbits. The most common designs of rabbit hutches are:

single-section cage;
design with two sections;
rabbitry with queen cell;
three-section (family type);
solid wire;
Mikhailov mini-farm;
Zolotukhin cells.

The most successful and simple design that can be repeated with your own hands can be considered a two-section one.

Two-section cages are very convenient for keeping rabbits

To save space, the cages are installed in several tiers, forming a so-called shed. This design saves material and makes caring for animals easier. It is this system that is used in the designs of rabbit hutches by famous rabbit breeders Mikhailov and Zolotukhin.

A double cage with a queen cell (feed compartment) is used to place the female rabbit during birth. In the form of a queen cell, a removable type nesting box is used - newborn rabbits are kept in it until they reach one month of age. Between the food compartment and the main part of the cage, a hole measuring 20x20 cm is arranged.

At the time of giving birth, the female is placed in the queen cell. It is often done in an ordinary cage, setting up a closed compartment with a hole

All-wire rabbitries are convenient for mass breeding or on farms. Along with the advantages of simplicity and ease of maintenance, such cages also have a significant drawback - they require a separate room for installation.

In a family-type cage you can place two females with young animals or two individuals of different sexes. The compartments between the compartments are made of mesh, slatted or solid wooden partitions.

Single-section cages, although they are the simplest to manufacture, are practically not used in private farmsteads due to the low hygiene and aesthetics of the structures.

Before starting the construction of a rabbitry, they prepare the tools and materials that will be needed for the work, and also take the necessary measurements and draw up drawings of the future structure.

Tools and materials

To make a rabbit hutch you will need the most common carpentry tools

To build a rabbitry from wood and various available materials, you need to stock up on:

wooden beam with a cross-section of at least 60×60 mm;
planed boards 25–30 mm thick;
slats with a cross section of at least 25×40 mm;
plywood, OSB, plexiglass - for walls and partitions;
polycarbonate, tin, slate, soft tiles or roofing felt - for roofing;
mesh with cells no more than 40 mm for walls, doors and floors;
furniture dowels;
nails and screws;
door hinges, latches, carrying handles.

In the process of work you will need ordinary carpentry and plumbing tools:

hammer;
screwdriver or set of screwdrivers;
drill with a set of drills;
hacksaw for wood and metal;
jigsaw;
grinder with a disk for woodworking or an angular circular saw;
chisel;
roulette;
carpenter's square;
bubble level;
metal scissors.

When building a rabbitry, safety requirements should not be neglected. Be sure to use a protective shield or eye glasses, and when working with cutting tools, you must exercise extreme care and caution.

Calculation of optimal cell sizes

When calculating the size of rabbit cages, they are based on the conditions of their keeping, the breed, size of the rabbits, as well as the purpose of the rabbitry (mother cell, structure for single or group housing, structure with walking for young animals, etc.).

During the calculation process, certain standards and recommendations are followed.

The length of the cage for nursing females should be from 170–180 cm in length and at least a meter in depth. The height of the structure is taken to be 60–70 cm. Rabbit houses are installed on pillars or supports dug into the ground at a height of 70–80 cm from the ground.
The rabbitry for large individuals weighing more than 5 kg should be spacious - at least 130 - 150 cm long and 70 cm wide. The height of the front wall is 40–50 cm. The roof is sloping due to a decrease in the height of the rear wall by 10–15 cm.
Young animals are kept in group cages of 8–20 animals at a time. In separate buildings, 3–5 rabbits that are less than three months old are placed, and older animals are kept in the amount of 2 to 4 individuals per cage. For young animals, the height of the cage can be reduced to 35 cm, but the living area should not be less than 0.25 square meters. m.
Adult rabbits are placed in individual cages with a minimum size of 100x60 cm. If conditions permit, these dimensions are increased by 20–30 percent, which is especially important for mature males, since limited mobility in cramped conditions leads to their infertility.
If a two- or three-tier shed is constructed from cages, then its width should not exceed 200 cm and its depth should not exceed 100 cm.

Of course, when calculating a rabbitry that you will make yourself, you can deviate a little from these recommendations. Nevertheless, it is still not worth reducing the size in order to save space or materials - animals should feel spacious and comfortable. At the same time, you will always not be at a loss - the rabbits will gain weight faster and get sick less.

Option drawings

Convenient, durable and inexpensive outdoor rabbit hutches can be made from a wooden frame covered with metal mesh or lined with solid material.

A simple rabbitry with a compartment for hay A three-section cage for adults A rabbitry with nesting compartments A two-volume closed cage A rabbitry with a run for young animals A four-tier shed

The presented drawings and diagrams of rabbit hutches range in size from 45 to 100 cm in width and up to 2.5 meters in length.

The frame of the cage is made of wooden beams with a cross-section of 50×50 mm or larger, and the doorway is made of slats with a cross-section of at least 25×50 mm. A plywood or plank roof with slate or soft roll covering must protrude beyond the perimeter of the frame by at least 150 mm.

The walls of the cells are made solid or covered with steel mesh. At the same time, mesh, lattice or panel partitions are installed in rabbitries for group housing. For this, 50x50 mm beams covered with mesh, 25x40 mm slats and boards with a thickness of 25 mm or more are used. The lower part of the rear and front walls has a rim made of boards 10 cm wide. The design of the rear and side walls must exclude drafts, therefore, depending on the installation location, these elements can be either solid or lattice.

Having chosen the appropriate drawing and made the necessary calculations, you can begin making the rabbitry.

DIY rabbitry - manufacturing instructions

Let's look at two models of rabbit hutches that are easy to make at home. The first design is a three-section type cage, designed to contain two adult individuals or females with young animals. The second model, which we propose to make, is a more complex two-tier shed - the Zolotukhin rabbitry, famous among rabbit breeders.

A simple three-section cage of an original design (with step-by-step photos)

A rabbitry can be a real decoration of the economic area and a source of pride in the work done

To build a rabbit hutch you will need minimal experience with plumbing and carpentry tools. During the work you will need lumber, plywood or OSB, steel mesh, soft roofing and plexiglass. Despite the simplicity of the design, the rabbitry has an original shape and can decorate the economic area of a suburban area. At the same time, the design has natural ventilation, which is undoubtedly beneficial for the health of animals.

Construction of the frame

Placing the cages at a distance from the ground will keep the animals safe and make feeding easier. The height of the installation is such that it is possible to involve not only adults, but also children in caring for the animals.

Drawing of the frame of the rabbitry

A convenient shelf installed on the lower tier will be an excellent storage for hay and feed, which will always be at hand.

The supporting legs of the frame are made of wooden beams with a thickness of at least 60 mm. Their height is 850 mm.

The boards of the upper frame and the supporting structure of the shelf are attached to the main racks with self-tapping screws. The elements of the lower trim are mounted at a distance of 372 mm from the ground. The work requires using a level and a carpenter's square to ensure that the cage is level and stable.
Installation of the lower frame
For a cage with an additional compartment, a cut is made in the front trim of the upper frame, after which the cut-off part is attached to its original place using a piano loop. In the future, this folding board will provide convenient access to the inside of the rabbitry.
Installing a piano hinge
In order to secure the upper base and shelf, support rails are screwed onto the inside of the upper and lower frames. Precise adjustment of these elements will give them the opportunity to perform another role - spacer bars for the supporting legs of the cage. This will reduce the wobble of the rabbitry and significantly increase its stability.
Installation of spacer rails
The boards for the base of the cage and the shelf are cut out of boards, thick plywood or OSB. To ensure that these parts fit into place, shaped cuts are made in the corners for the supporting legs of the rabbitry.
Adjustment of base and shelf panels
The shelf and base are mounted in place.

The final stage of frame assembly is the installation of base panels and shelves

How to make the main compartment

Drawing of the main compartment

The assembly of the rabbitry body begins from the door frame. It is assembled from slats reinforced with furniture dowels. Cutouts are made in the side jambs so that the door can move vertically.
The elements of the main rabbitry compartment are assembled using dowels
The sliding door body is assembled from slats and covered with mesh. Furniture dowels are installed on the outside of the door, which will serve as guides when opening it. The door is installed in the frame, for which the dowels are inserted into the slots on its side posts.
Door installation
The frame of the nesting compartments is assembled on both sides of the door. Mount the base of the rear and side walls.
They make rafters to make the roof. To do this, the slats are cut at an acute angle and assembled in pairs using self-tapping screws. The rafters are installed, attaching them to the upper cross members of the frame.
Making rafters
Triangles are cut out of OSB or plywood and secured in the openings between the middle compartment and the roof. According to the drawing, they are screwed to the rafters with self-tapping screws.
Attaching the main compartment trim
Rectangular roofing elements are cut out of sheet material, and then attached to the rafters. At the rear, a folding roof panel is made by cutting out a rectangular section of the roof and installing it on a piano hinge.
Making a panel for lining the rear part of the roof
After assembling the frame, the wood is treated with drying oil and painted. The piano loop located on the roof of the cage is protected with adhesive tape.

Cage lining and external arrangement

All walls are sheathed from the inside with a metal mesh, which is cut with metal scissors and secured with self-tapping screws and a screwdriver.
Covering the side elements of the frame
First, the sides are sheathed, after which the front wall of the rabbitry is installed. For ease of transportation, folding handles are screwed to the side elements of the frame. A latch is attached to fix the folding plate on the front board of the frame and a latch to fix the door.
Gate valve installation
You can increase the aesthetics of the cage with a rabbit figurine, cut according to the presented template from sheet lumber. After painting, it is installed on the front surface of the roof.
Rabbit pattern for cage decoration
The roof of the rabbitry is covered with a soft roof, which is attached to the plywood base with metal staples using a stapler.
Fastening roofing material using a stapler
To make a ridge, a narrow strip of bitumen shingles is cut off, after which it is glued with a special glue for soft roofing.
The ridge is glued with special glue for soft roofing
To protect rabbits from drafts, use a plexiglass shield cut to fit the side wall. It is attached to the frame frame at the bottom with furniture dowels, and at the top with a latch.
Installation of a protective plexiglass screen
Assemble and install the inner rabbit box and ladder. After painting, these elements are installed inside the rabbitry.
Making an inner box that acts as a nest
The cage is installed in the chosen place and the rabbits are populated.

How to build a Zolotukhin cage with your own hands

The design of the cage, developed by the famous Russian rabbit breeder N.I. Zolotukhin, has become widely known due to its ease of manufacture, low cost and a number of improvements that make caring for animals easier.

The rabbitry designed by N. I. Zolotukhin has received recognition from many amateur rabbit breeders

Design Features

General view of Zolotukhin cells

The Zolotukhin rabbitry is a three-tier shed made of double cages. A special feature of the design is that the floor at the back wall of the house is made of mesh to a width of 20–25 cm and each upper tier is shifted back by exactly the same amount relative to the lower one. Since rabbits relieve themselves primarily at the far edge of the rabbitry, their waste passes freely through the mesh cells and ends up in a pre-installed collection container. This allows cleaning to be done several times less frequently and reduces the maintenance time for each department.

Another option for cages in which, instead of shifting the upper tier, the rear wall of the cage is sloped

Other advantages include the ability to quickly convert an ordinary cage into a queen cell and a specially designed feeder that does not allow animals to transfer food. The doors of the feeding sections provide the necessary ventilation, so you don’t have to think about installing a forced air intake.

Due to the fact that the roof of the lower tier is the floor for the upper cells, it becomes possible to save roofing material, and the construction of a common frame for six cells allows you to reduce the consumption of lumber.

Dimensions and correct layout of the rabbitry

Zolotukhin cells are undemanding when it comes to material. For their manufacture, scraps of boards and slats left over from repairs, pieces of tin and polycarbonate, slate sheets and metal mesh are suitable.

The design of the Zolotukhin cell is extremely simple

A well-known rabbit breeder says that exact dimensions and drawings are not needed to build a rabbitry. To build a cage, a diagram and approximate dimensions are enough:

To arrange a queen cell, a partition with a hole up to 0.2 m high is installed in the cage.

A 10-centimeter piece of board is nailed to the bottom of the hole to prevent the baby rabbits from falling out of the nest.

Step-by-step manufacturing instructions

Front and rear support posts are cut out of timber with a cross-section of at least 6x6 cm.
Four frames are made from the same timber. Of these, three structures serve as the base of the cages, and one serves as the roof of the rabbitry.
The frames are attached to the support posts, taking into account the height of the cages and the slope of the floor to the rear wall. In order to ensure proper geometric accuracy, a building level and a carpenter's square are used when assembling the frame.
When assembling the frame, you can use metal corners, which will ensure the strength of the connections
Vertical struts are installed, which divide each tier into nesting and feeding compartments. These same elements will later serve as door frames.
Bottom frame trim
The floor of each tier is installed from flat slate or boards connected into a groove or quarter. In this case, a 20–25 cm gap is left at the far wall.
Install a strip of metal mesh on the remaining part of the floor of each tier.
Installation of a mesh floor section at the rear wall of the rabbitry
Door frames are made from slats with a minimum cross-section of 25×40 mm. They are covered with metal mesh.
The doors are installed on hinges and bolts are installed.
The rabbitry is sheathed with panels cut from polycarbonate, plywood or OSB, as well as steel mesh.
The cage lining can be made of any material, for example polycarbonate.
Cover the cage with the selected roofing material. Under soft coverings (bitumen shingles, roofing felt) a continuous plank sheathing is installed.

Of particular note is the original design of the feeder. It is assembled from wooden slats in the form of a tray the size of two-thirds of the aft compartment. The outer frame of the feeder should be twice as high as the inner one, and the bottom should have a slope of at least 35º. With this design, the side walls are sewn up with plywood triangles with their vertices down. The feeder is installed directly into the door, bending the mesh inside the rabbitry. The tray is secured as follows: on each side, through the door frame and the upper part of the side wall of the feeder, a through hole is drilled into which a metal rod is installed (a long nail can be used). The design allows you to rotate the feeder for cleaning without opening the rabbitry door.

An excellent drinking bowl can be made from an ordinary plastic bottle

You can buy drinking bowls for rabbits or make them yourself. A very popular design is a plastic bottle screwed upside down to a mesh and a low water container. Thanks to rarefaction, the liquid flows out of the bottle gradually as it is consumed or evaporates in the summer.

Tips from an experienced rabbit breeder for creating quality houses (video)

As you can see, there are no pitfalls in the design of rabbit hutches, so even the most complex cage can easily be made with your own hands. When starting production, you should remember that the rabbitry may not be ideal from the point of view of aesthetics and geometry, but it simply must be safe for animals. Therefore, while working, carefully treat wooden surfaces, bend the protruding ends of the mesh rods, and remove the protruding parts of nails and screws. In the process of breeding rabbits, carefully follow all the requirements for keeping and breeding, and they will definitely repay you with a good appetite, excellent health and rapid weight gain.

To make a rabbitry with your own hands, you do not need any special skills or special knowledge. It is enough to be able to handle common construction tools. However, the matter must be approached responsibly. Rabbits are very sensitive to living conditions, including the quality of housing. If the cages are damp, cramped or stuffy, then you shouldn’t even dream of a prosperous livestock. We will tell you in detail how to properly build a room for animals and from what materials.

Selection of location and construction requirements

Usually, a rabbitry is understood as a special rectangular building or a one-story barn, where there are cages for animals in several tiers. If the farmer lives in a warm region where there are no cold winters, two or three walls with a canopy can serve as a shelter. In areas with harsh climates, rabbit hutches are heated.

There are several rules that designs must comply with:

be of such a height that it is convenient to serve them;
have a size and environment that is comfortable for the living and breeding of animals;
have a good system for removing urine and feces from the huts.

The rabbitry should be located in a quiet place, as the noise unnerves the long-eared ones. A dog enclosure, a cowshed, or a chicken coop are not the best neighborhood for rabbits. Also, direct rays of the sun should not enter the cages, but animals need a lot of light.

In windy weather, rabbit houses should not be ventilated. The distance from the cells to the ground is 0.8-1 m.

Optimal dimensions

The correct size of your rabbitry depends on how many animals you plan to keep. For a pair of rabbits you need a house divided into two sections, between which a net is placed at an angle. The height of the structure is from 50 to 70 cm, length - from 140 cm, width - from 60 cm. To save space, rabbit hutches are often made with two and three tiers (shed system). At the same time, artificial ventilation must be provided on the lower tier. On the top ones it will be quite natural.

Cages intended for housing a group of young animals up to 2 months old have different sizes. One rabbit needs at least 0.5 square meters. m of area, ideally 1 sq. m, but you can’t keep too many animals in the house. The best dimensions for such a rabbit house are: 200-300 cm in length, from 80 to 100 cm in width, 40-60 cm in height.

A queen cell for a female rabbit with newborn babies is built, taking into account that a female with offspring needs at least 0.6 square meters. m of area, not counting the nest. Dimensions of the latter: length 35-36 cm, height 30-33 cm, width from 25 cm to 28 cm.

Larger breeds and males used for breeding require more space.

Popular types of designs

To build a rabbit shed with your own hands, you need to consider possible shelter options.

If you live in the south or in the middle zone, you can build a mini-farm of several tiers to protect cages with animals. This option is not suitable for cold regions, since it does not provide heating.

The second option is suitable for any climate and any season. These are large rabbit hutches with compartments, each of which is insulated. Such structures are often built heated. To keep the rabbits warm, you can use EG-1 heating pads or similar ones to heat each compartment. They are placed and secured to the bottom and in frosty conditions they are turned on to the minimum setting.

The third type of structure for keeping rabbits is pits. They have many supporters and opponents. On the one hand, the animals are comfortable in the pits; the conditions are as close to natural as possible. But it is very difficult to control mating and catch rabbits.

Cages are not needed for such maintenance. It is enough to create a hole 1-2 m deep, concrete the walls and floor, and fill it with sand on top. Layer – 20 cm. A net is placed on the sand. Feeders and drinking bowls are located here.

What types of cells are there?

To build a rabbitry with your own hands, you need to decide on the type of cells that will be there. Their purpose varies. For example, it can be used as an enclosure for keeping animals alone, if you need to separate out some individuals.

If you decide to build a shed for rabbits, the cages can be kept there. It also happens that they are included in collapsible complex mini-farms.

Depending on their functions, cells are divided into:

for young animals that have been removed;
for fattening animals;
houses with a nest for females with rabbits.

Rabbit hutches can be attached to the wall of another agricultural building. This is especially convenient if the room is heated - it will play the role of additional insulation.

A good solution is houses with a small enclosure so that the animals have both shelter and space to stretch their legs.

The best materials for the job

Before building a rabbitry with your own hands, you need to select the right materials. Remember: rabbits chew everything that surrounds them, so houses should be made from natural ingredients. Usually they make wooden buildings, upholstering places accessible to animals with metal. You cannot soak wood with antiseptic, otherwise your pets may get poisoned.

So, to build a rabbitry with your own hands, you will need:

slats, boards and beams made of wood;
galvanized mesh;
sheets of tin and iron;
hinges, nails, screws, latches;
metal corners, pipes;
roofing material.

To build the roof, use slate. It does not allow moisture to pass through and does not overheat in the sun. The amount of materials depends on the size of the rabbitry and is calculated based on the drawings.

Ready-made and homemade drawings

To make good housing for pets, you need the right rabbitry layout. You can find ready-made ones on the Internet, or you can draw it yourself. The second option is convenient because you can change the parameters depending on the number of animals on the farm.

There are several cell options. The first is a two-section or two-tier, suitable for two adult animals. It is rectangular in shape. All walls, except the front, are solid. Mesh doors are made at the front.

The second option when building a rabbitry is a cage with a place for a nest. They have two compartments connected by a small passage. They are different sizes. The smaller one is used for the nest. Group houses are needed for young animals aged 3 to 6 months. They don't have compartments.

Before we build a rabbitry, we make a drawing. Having decided on the size of the house, draw a rectangle - top view. If necessary, mark the compartments.

We draw where the doors, feeders and other furnishings will be located. Then we draw a side view of the structure. The cut you imagine must go through the section that is the most difficult technologically. For example, through a nest.

It is not necessary to draw a view from below, but if there are difficulties with the legs and supports, this will not hurt. Make sure that the plan is correct - all dimensions must match.

We make wooden houses

Having ready-made drawings, building a rabbitry with your own hands is not so difficult. To begin, take two pieces of corner and connect them. This creates a foundation. Next, we make a frame for the lid of the house from two wooden rectangles. We drill holes and connect the parts with bolts and nuts. We make inserts in the corners.

We trim the corners with wooden blocks and place the frame on a stand. We make a rectangle at the base of the cage with a lathing of 5 bars. We attach it to the corner of the cross member. The frame can be created from metal pipes, then welding will be required.

Let's start covering the frame. The best option is a chain-link mesh, cells 20x20 mm, galvanized. For the front of the cages, sides and doors, a simple steel mesh will do.

From similar material we make a hay box (the space between the compartments where hay is placed for food). The size of the cells should be 50x50 mm, otherwise it will be difficult for the animals to get food. You can stretch the whole mesh or cut it and install it in parts.

A galvanized mesh is laid on the lattice bottom. The cell size can be 10x25 or 25x25 mm. To create the floor, you should use special bars, pre-planed. The distance between them is 1 cm. Place plywood on the mesh so that the rabbits do not injure their paws, but do not fasten it - the plywood must be regularly removed and dried.

To better strengthen and insulate the rabbit house, plywood, polycarbonate or boards are attached to the back wall.

Roof and doors

We continue to tell you how to make a rabbitry. Wavy slate or roofing material for the roof is attached to a sheathing made of bars. For fastening, use self-tapping screws or regular mounting strips.

The doors are secured at the bottom with hinges, and a latch or lock is placed at the top. This way the door will tilt, which is convenient. But there is no need to install the popular rotating wooden shutters on a nail. They quickly become loose and stop working.

Containers for food and water can also be made from wood yourself. Plastic dishes will not work. Any item made of plastic is harmful to rabbits, who love to chew on everything. Read more in the articles “About feeders for rabbits” and “About drinking bowls for rabbits”.

If you are making a rabbitry for the first time, use cheap or used materials. They won’t feel sorry if something doesn’t work out the first time. When you get the hang of it, build better houses for animals.

Now that you know everything about the structure of the rabbitry, all that remains is to talk about some of the nuances. Beginning livestock breeders rarely think about them, but in vain.

Firstly, when making houses by hand, people try to save on everything, especially on fasteners. However, cheap fasteners are the worst idea. The strength and durability of the entire structure depends on its quality.

Secondly, when installing screens on the doors and inside the rabbit hutches, make sure that the cut ends of the wire do not stick out. They must be bent well so that the animals cannot get hurt.

You need to place a tray under the mesh floor in the rabbitry. Then the animal waste can be easily removed without creating unsanitary conditions.

If the house has compartments, the edges of the passage between them need to be covered with metal. Otherwise, the rabbits will not fail to sharpen their teeth on it.

If the cages will remain outside in winter, they need to be insulated. Read more about this in the article “Is it possible to keep rabbits outside in winter?”

Was our article useful to you? Write your opinion in the comments.

Cell placement

Rabbit cages can be located in utility rooms, such as, for example, or directly on the street. Therefore, they can be divided into three types according to their location and the method of breeding rabbits:

Year-round outdoor placement of cages, when animals are constantly outdoors.
Keeping pets indoors all year round.
A combined breeding option, that is, in winter the rabbits are kept indoors, and with the onset of warm weather they are transferred outside.

Experienced rabbit breeders believe that the most optimal way to breed these animals is to keep them outdoors all year round, as this promotes the development of immunity to various diseases and the formation of healthy, high-quality hair. In addition, when raising rabbits outdoors, the productivity of females significantly improves, which increases the number of rabbits in the litter and their endurance.

Street cages

Rabbit cages are most often installed outdoors if you plan to breed a large number of animals - a hundred or more animals.

The convenience of setting up rabbit hutches in outdoor conditions lies in the availability of more space and the ease of caring for your “menagerie”, since each of the cages needs periodic cleaning.

Rabbit cage

To build outdoor cages, fairly durable materials are used, since the structure must be reliable and stable - these qualities will help protect rabbits from adverse natural factors, as well as from the penetration of predatory animals - dogs, foxes, cats or rats - into the cages.

It is advisable that the building be located under a large front canopy so that any precipitation, as well as direct sunlight, do not bother the pets too much.

If the rabbits will be outside all year round, then it is necessary to take care of insulating one of the parts of the cage. These animals tolerate low winter temperatures well, but it would still be a good idea to create comfortable conditions for them and a special place where they can bask on especially cold days and nights.

Cages placed indoors

Cages placed in non-ventilated areas can be made entirely of metal mesh attached to a wooden frame and have a wooden lattice floor. If breeding pets is carried out indoors, it is important to think carefully about the convenient disposal of their waste.

Combined rabbit breeding option

In another case, if funds and space allow, cages are built in two places - both on the street and in a barn. This method of farming is unlikely to be suitable for those farmers who raise a large number of pets, since installing winter and summer cages will require a fairly large area.

Cell design and size

Rabbit cages can be single-tiered or multi-tiered. In addition, their design may vary depending on the main purpose - for breeding, for raising young animals or for keeping adult pets.

Single-tier and multi-tier structures

Cells can be single-tiered or multi-tiered, but they are arranged in no more than three tiers.

Single-tier cells

Single-tier buildings are raised above the ground by 700÷800 mm and covered with a roof made of or metal sheets. If this type of building will be located on the street, then it is better to choose a slate roof, since the metal heats up quickly, and rabbits do not tolerate extreme heat very well.

To collect and dispose of animal waste, a metal tray made in the form of a drain is often installed in a single-tier cage for the convenience of its regular cleaning.

Multi-tiered cells

More often, multi-tiered cages are practiced, which can have two or three tiers, and on each of which a different number of sections are placed. Such structures are most often made of bars, boards and galvanized mesh, and are used for breeding rabbits, both outdoors and indoors.

Such cage designs are called sheds - in them, tiers with sections are located one above the other, which helps to significantly save space.

A two-tier design is considered the best option, as it will allow for comfortable care and monitoring of pets.

It is recommended to raise the shad above the ground by 500÷600 mm when installed indoors, and by 700÷750 mm when installed outdoors. This cage is considered the best for keeping rabbits, so it is used most often.

When building multi-tiered cages, there must be a space of at least 150 mm high between each of the tiers. A sloping metal roof is installed over the cages. In the space between the tiers and under the lower tier, inclined tides are fixed. They are necessary so that rabbit waste does not fall into the lower cages and does not linger on the lower roof, but flows to the ground or into a common or separate drain for each tier located at the back of the structure. At each of these ebbs, sides are bent on the sides to prevent waste from falling beyond this plane.

Some owners prefer to use removable plastic trays, which are mounted on skids under the slatted floor and can be removed for cleaning and rinsing.

Another option is for the trays to be installed directly in the cages. In addition, sometimes cages are made with a solid floor. Both of the latter options are probably still not very convenient, since the bedding in the cages will have to be changed quite often - once every two to three days.

Cages for breeding

In cages intended for breeding, special chambers are installed on the sides, or space is provided for installing a mobile queen cell. In a design with a stationary compartment, the walls, removable floor and ceiling are made solid, since it must be well insulated and not blown through by drafts, otherwise the rabbits will die.

The floor in the rest of the cage, where the food section is located, is made of wooden blocks or metal mesh.

The mobile queen cell is a completely closed box with a round hole for entry. The box should also have an additional side door to allow it to be cleaned and dried.

breeding cages

A mobile queen cell is convenient because it can be rearranged, if necessary, into different cells, and it is also easier to clean and change bedding.

This chamber is insulated with dry, mold-free hay or shavings. It is not recommended to use small sawdust, as they can get into the respiratory tract of the rabbits, and they will die.

If breeding is carried out in winter, then a few days before it, it is recommended to place an electric heating pad in the queen cell to create comfortable conditions for the female rabbit.

During the cold season, it is often impossible to do without heating the uterine tract, so instead of a heating pad, you can also use a regular light bulb, which is kept constantly on during this period. It is placed in a compartment located behind the wall of the uterine chamber. Having chosen this heating option, it is necessary to take care of fire safety, so the chamber where the lamp will be located must be sheathed with a thin metal sheet.

Another way to heat this part of the cage is, which is fixed to the bottom of the queen cell, and a removable floor panel is placed on top of it. When using this option, it is imperative to ensure that the cable located in the cage is solid, without splicing. This system, installed in accordance with all the rules, allows you to regulate the temperature in the uterine compartment depending on the temperature outside - it can be connected to a thermostatic regulator.

For cages located indoors in barns, it is best to make queen cells mobile so that they can be taken outside for thorough cleaning, ventilation and drying in the sun. If a built-in uterine chamber is planned, then the floor must be removable.

Each section of cells of this type usually has a length of 1000÷1200 mm, a depth of 550÷650 mm, a height on the front side of 550÷600 mm and 400÷450 mm on the rear wall. The built-in uterine chamber is made 350÷400 mm wide.

Cages for young animals

Cages for young animals should be designed to accommodate 8÷20 rabbits at a time, aged from three to five months. A group cage is made with an area of approximately 0.25 - 0.3 m² per pet, with a wall height of at least 350 mm.

If the cages are made multi-tiered and installed on the street, then they must be raised above the ground by at least 700÷750 mm.

In cages for young animals, the warm nesting compartment should also be well insulated for the winter, in approximately the same way as for newborn rabbits. For insulation, hay or straw is used, laid 15÷20 mm thick. You should not choose artificial materials for insulation, as they have a bad effect on the development and growth of babies of all breeds of rabbits.

Cage for adult rabbits

For adult rabbits of medium-sized breeds, cages are made with sections 600÷700 mm deep, a front height of 600 mm and a length of 1000 mm - these are the minimum dimensions for the comfortable development of an adult animal. The same block design is used for these cells; each block contains two cells separated by a wall.

It is also necessary to provide for the union of these cells into one, for example, for the mating period - for this, the partition between them is made removable. It is recommended to make the floor in cages for adults from galvanized mesh.

It is very important to take into account that pets must move freely inside the cages, since their growth and development will depend on this.

Cage with aviary for walking

This cage design is well suited for keeping young animals or for rabbits of reproductive age. The cage consists of two compartments - an area completely enclosed by walls and a roof and a mesh enclosure. The two compartments are connected by a round or rectangular entrance cut into the rear wall of the cage with solid surfaces. Rabbits in such cages have the opportunity to move freely and safely, which is beneficial for their development and growth.

The dimensions of such structures may vary, but usually the depth of a closed cage is 600÷650 mm, and the depth of the enclosure is 800÷1000 mm. Most often, a regular single-tier block is built, consisting of two separate cages, and then, if there is space behind it, a mesh enclosure is attached to it.

Cages for giant rabbits

Large rabbits of the “giant” meat-skin breed require a special approach, since not standard cages are built for them, but those with more significant parameters. Individuals of this breed grow to sizes from 550 to 650 mm in length, and their weight ranges from 5.5 to 7.5 kg. These numbers must be used as a starting point when drawing up a construction design drawing.

For one adult “giant” rabbit, you will need a cage measuring at least 960 mm in length, 700 mm in depth and 600÷700 mm in height.

For young animals of this breed, in one litter of which there are on average eight rabbits, you will need a cage of 1.2 m², at least 400 mm high.

Since “giant” rabbits have quite a lot of weight, the floor of the cage should be reinforced - it is also covered with galvanized mesh, but made of thicker wire, for example, 2÷2.2 mm. In addition, to prevent the mesh from bending under the weight of the animal, when making the floor, you must first secure bars measuring 30×30 mm, laid at a distance of 35÷40 mm from each other, and then lay and secure a metal mesh on top of them.

Some farmers put a solid floor in their cages, but in this case, the best option would be to install plastic or rubber trays in them. If you choose this option for arranging the cage, then you will have to clean it of waste daily or once every two days.

metal aviary

California rabbit cage

This breed of rabbits (a hybrid of the New Zealand breed, the Soviet chinchilla and the Russian ermine) is quite popular due to its ease of care and resistance to negative winter temperatures. In size, adult individuals of the Californian breed are smaller than “giants” and their length is 450÷500 mm, but their weight sometimes reaches up to 4.5÷5 kg. The cage for these rabbits should be approximately 0.4÷0.5 m² in size. The paws of pets of this breed are covered with coarse hair, so they will be quite comfortable in cages with mesh or slatted floors.

When California rabbits are raised exclusively for meat, they are often kept in a pit measuring 2000x2000 and 1000 mm deep. The walls of the pit are reinforced with slate, a plank or mesh floor is laid on the floors, a low fence is installed around the pit and a roof is built.

An earthen niche is made in one of the walls of the pit, which is not reinforced in any way. It is necessary to create conditions close to the natural habitat of these animals. Rabbits will happily dig holes in the ground, and with proper care they will reproduce well and raise young on their own.

Feeders and drinkers for rabbit cages

To make caring for your pets easier, it is worth considering a convenient supply of food and water for them. There are many different designs, both feeders and drinkers. They can be purchased ready-made or even made yourself.

Drinking bowls

Rabbits need a lot of clean water, and if you pour it into a bowl that is not fixed at a certain height, then various debris will fall into it, or, even worse, the rabbit, stepping on it with its paw, will simply knock it over and spill the water.

It is very important to decide on the choice of material from which the drinkers will be made. For example, if you install products made of thin plastic, they will not last for a long time, as rabbits will chew them. In metal cans, water will quickly become dirty and cloudy. Therefore, experienced rabbit breeders have developed several simple designs that allow them to constantly provide the animals with the necessary amount of water.

Automatic drinkers

This type of drinker is often used both on large farms and in small households. The design of this drinking bowl consists of a bowl connected to a container filled with water. Moreover, the bowl is in the cage, and the container is located outside, so it is easy to replenish it with new supplies of fresh water.

The principle of operation of such devices is quite simple - as the water decreases from the bowl, a new portion of liquid will flow into it from the container. In this case, the float system is triggered - there is little water left in the bowl, so the valve installed in the container opens and the drinking bowl is replenished with water. It is quite difficult to make such a drinking bowl yourself, but it can be purchased ready-made.

Nipple drinkers

The nipple type of drinker is convenient and practical, since in this case the animals cannot spill the water - it remains in the tube until the rabbit begins to drink, performing sucking movements.

The disadvantage of this water delivery system is that at low temperatures the water in the container and in the tubes quickly freezes, so this drinker can only be used in the warm season.

Vacuum drinker

There are several ways to make a drinking bowl from a regular plastic bottle, and they should be considered, so the manufacturing process can be carried out independently.

The operating principle of this design is based on the laws of physics, and to make it, you need to proceed as follows:

A bowl with a flat bottom, sides approximately 50 mm high and an elongated shape is fixed to the cage at a height of 100 mm from the floor, so that half of it is inside the cage and the other remains outside.

A regular plastic bottle of two or one and a half liters is filled with water. The bottle is then closed with a cap or even a piece of paper, which is pressed firmly to the neck. Next, the container is quickly turned upside down and placed in a bowl. The neck should not reach the bottom 2÷3 mm. The bottle is then secured to the cage using wire or clamps.
The lid is carefully unscrewed (if paper was used, it is simply pulled out), and the bowl is filled with water by about ⅔. As your pets drink water, water will flow from the bottle into the bowl, filling it to its previous level.

Throttle drinker

This drinker works on the principle of a conventional hand washbasin, that is, when you press the throttle installed together with the valve in the bottle cap, water begins to flow down the throttle through the resulting hole.

The hole in the cover should not be large, but the throttle should move up and down easily in it. A rubber gasket can be used as a valve, which holds the throttle well and covers the hole in the bottle cap in a calm state.

The bottle with this device is fixed vertically on the cage, at a height of 250÷300 mm from the floor.

Hanging drinker

This is a very simple version of a drinking bowl, made from a plastic bottle; it is suspended on wire holders at a height of 250÷300 mm from the floor. To make such a drinker, a cutout is made in the side of the bottle, 100÷120 mm wide and almost the entire length of the bottle, 50÷60 mm away from the lid and bottom.

The drinking bowl is fixed on the outside of the cage so that the hole cut in the bottle is turned inward. In the cage at this level, part of the mesh wall is also cut out so that the rabbits can easily reach the water. Such a drinking bowl will have to be replenished with water quite often, but it is extremely simple to manufacture.

Feeders

It is advisable to plan the feeders at the stage of drawing up the drawing of the entire structure. Feed supply devices can be of three types:

Senniki are most often located between two adjacent cells and have a V-shape. They are made together with the structure of the cell itself - they, in fact, are its integral part. Fresh grass or dry hay is placed in these feeders, and the rabbits pull it out through the lattice walls.

Feeder for filling feed. This product is necessary for rabbits to enrich their body with minerals and vitamins, which contributes to the rapid growth of animals. This food is especially important in winter, when there is no grass, fresh vegetables and fruits.

Feeders for feed can be made of metal sheet used for laying sewers or other materials. An important condition that must be met for the effective operation of this device is the correct and reliable fastening of the container to the cell wall. The principle of operation of such a device is that food independently enters a bowl located in the cage from a container fixed outside it, as it decreases.

A device for vegetables, fruits, tops and other fresh shredded products can be made of any material. It is made spacious and easy to clean. The feeder must be kept clean, otherwise harmful insects may grow in and around it, which can cause various diseases in animals.

Making your own multi-tiered cage

Before purchasing materials, it is recommended to draw up an accurate drawing of a cage or multi-tiered complex. It is necessary to foresee the location of feeders and drinkers on the plan, especially in cases where they will be built into the overall structure.

In this case, a step-by-step description of the manufacture of a three-tier cage with a width of 1400 mm, a height of 1900 mm and a depth of 600 mm is presented.

For work you will need the following materials:

Name of materials or components	Size, mm	Quantity
Board	100×30	10 m
timber	50×30	27 m
Plywood 15 mm	Standard	1÷2 sheets
Metal grid	Wire 0.7 mm, mesh 25×25 mm	8 m²
Metal galvanized sheet	Thickness 0.6÷0.9 mm	3 m²
Self-tapping screws	50	300÷500 pcs.
Nails	60÷70	100 pieces.
Latch locks for queen cells	Standard	6 pcs.
Hinges for securing the hinged doors of the queen cell.		12 pcs.

The table below describes the cage installation process step by step:

Illustration	Brief description of the operation performed
	From the purchased boards it is necessary to make parts for mounting the frame: - 100×30×2250 mm – 4 pcs.; - 50×30×1340 mm – 12 pcs.; - 50×30×540 mm – 12 pcs.; - 25×30×540 mm – 72 pcs.
	Six identical frame frames measuring 1340x600 mm are assembled from prepared lumber.
	Making frames is easy. First, one is assembled with precise dimensions and squareness, and then it is used as a template for making the rest. To assemble each frame, you will need two beams measuring 50x30x540 mm and two beams measuring 50x30x1340 mm. Smaller bars are secured between two long ones using two self-tapping screws at each connection
	The result of installation should be six neat, even frames of the same size.
	The next step is to position the frames and fix them on boards measuring 100x30x2250 mm, laid at a distance of the width of the frame. The distance between the frames forming the frame and the floor of the cage of each tier should be 400 mm. The space left between tiers is 180 mm. The first tier should be raised 400 mm above the ground. The frames are secured with two self-tapping screws, screwed in along the diagonal intersection line at the joints of the frame frame and side boards.
	The next step is to fasten the frames along the top edge with two boards laid parallel to the bottom ones. It is important here to ensure that the frames are perfectly vertical. To check their verticality, a building level is used.
	Next, the blocks for installation of the grated floor are prepared. Their size should be 25x30x540 mm.
	The distance between the sheathing bars should be 15÷20 mm (lightwise). They are installed inside the frame frame, and through it, on the side, secured with self-tapping screws on both sides.
	The floor of the cells on all three tiers is lined in exactly the same way. If it is planned to make a queen cell on one of the tiers, where breeding occurs, and where the rabbits will be kept until a certain age, then in this place the floor of the cage should be solid and removable. The arrangement of the queen cell was described above.
	Will each of the tiers be divided into two separate cells? between which a hay box is mounted in the shape of the Latin letter V. Hay or grass for rabbits will be placed here. The sennik is formed from four bars, which are installed on both sides of the frame. The size of the hay is 150÷200 mm in the upper part, and 6÷8 mm in the lower part. Naturally, it is necessary to achieve a clear correspondence in the location of the inclined crossbars on both sides of the frame.
	To ensure that the doors have the correct rectangular shape, the hay can be made from boards, cutting off one of their sides at a certain angle and connecting them at the bottom from the inside of the cage. Thus, the outer edge of the hay barn will be smooth and will act as a wall to which the door will adjoin. In addition, the front parts of the hay barn can be cut from plywood 15 mm thick.
	The frame of the hay barn is sheathed inside along installed bars (or cutouts made at an angle in boards or plywood) with a mesh of 0.7 mm wire having cells of 25 × 25 mm.
	If you plan to make a queen cell in the cage, then it is separated from the cage by a plywood or plank wall with a small entrance. To make it easier to attach this wall, additional bars are mounted into the structure, to which the plywood jumper will be attached.
	The entrance to the wall can be round or semicircular, but it must be located at a height of 100–120 mm from the floor of the cage - this distance must be maintained so that the rabbits cannot get into the large cage until they can overcome this height on their own. The width of the entrance to the queen cell should be approximately 150 mm. After the hole is cut, it must be cleaned with sandpaper, since its edges must be absolutely smooth.
	The width of the queen cell is usually 300÷350 mm. The jumper wall is fixed to the bars, then the same wall is mounted on the outside of the cage, and then the roof panel is fixed. If in the main space of the cage the roof can be covered with a metal mesh, then in the queen cell it should be continuous. Lastly, a bottom made of plywood is placed in the queen cell compartment. However, it should not be secured to the lower bars with self-tapping screws, since after the rabbits grow up and are moved to other, more spacious cages, the bottom part is removed from the uterine chamber, washed, dried and put in place for the next birth.
	The final stage in the installation of the queen cell is the installation of a hinged external door on it across the entire width of the chamber. At the bottom, the door is secured to the beam with two metal hinges.
	A latch lock or latch is installed in the middle of the upper part of the door panel.
	Next, the cage door frame is made from 30x30 mm bars. It is made according to the size of the opening formed in the cell wall. The door frame bars are fastened together at the corners with two self-tapping screws.
	The illustration shows the finished door frame before it is covered with metal mesh.
	The mesh is fixed to the frame using staples and a stapler - such fixation will be quite sufficient.
	A door with a mesh installed on the inside looks like this.
	Hinges on mesh doors can be mounted at the bottom (in which case the door will be hinged), or on one side of the opening (in which case it will be hinged). It all depends on ease of use in specific conditions.
	If the cages will be installed under a roof, for example, in a barn or other indoor utility room, then the walls and roof of the cages can also be lined with mesh. When installing the structure outdoors, the side and rear walls and roof must be covered with plywood or boards
	It is very important to make the correct tides under each tier of cages so that animal waste from the upper cages does not fall into the lower ones. To make ebbs, a metal sheet is used, on which the edges are folded on the sides - these sides should have a height of 80÷100 mm. The ebbs are attached to the front lower part of the frame under the cage, and its other edge is laid on the rear wall of the lower cage and extends beyond it by 300÷350 mm. Thus, the ebb tides are tilted and they protrude back beyond the structure so that they do not interfere with the approach to the rabbitry from the front side.
	The result should be something like this cell. In terms of complexity, this design option can be called the simplest and most accessible even for beginners.

If you understand the principles of constructing cages for rabbits, then when drawing up a drawing, if desired, you can make your own adjustments. But it is still necessary to always keep in mind that any adult rabbit requires at least 0.5 m² of living space. It’s even better to adhere to the recommended section sizes, about 1000 mm in length, 600÷ 700 in depth, and from 400 to 600 mm in height.

And at the end of the article, there is a video in which the rabbit breeder shares the secrets of the design of improved cages:

Video: an interesting version of cages for rabbits

Among various domestic animals, rabbits occupy a special place. 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.

In addition to 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
Technological elements of a rabbit farm	Maximum number of rabbit heads per unit area	Standard area for 1 rabbit head, sq.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 stock: 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 animals	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 metal mesh is used, the cell size of which is 24x24-50 mm, the floors are 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. The outdoor version is assembled with a two-level floor, where the bottom layer is made of boards.

The roof for the rabbit hutch is made of 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 in sunny weather it will heat up and it will 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. To do this, a hole is made in the back walls into a special pen, 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 of a wooden cage for raising rabbits on a home plot with dimensions

Cage for three adult rabbits (for home keeping). Consists of two levels. The lower level has double doors that open wide for 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:

The rabbitry is a convenient design designed for all types and breeds of rabbits. Made from wood. May be lined with iron. When building it yourself, it is recommended to raise the structure 1 m above the ground.

Primary requirements

An entire farm for several hundred heads, special sheds, cages for outdoor or indoor keeping can be designed for production. Regardless of the conditions in which the animals will be kept, it is necessary to take into account physical indicators, breed, age and gender. The future design should be easy to manufacture. Permanent requires examination, disinfection, feeding. An inconvenient rabbitry should not negatively affect the health of the animals. Therefore, it should be made as spacious and comfortable as possible. Correct fulfillment of certain requirements will reduce maintenance time and make maintenance less burdensome.

Selecting a location

Before starting construction, it is necessary to select a location on the plot. During the daytime, the area should be shaded from direct sunlight. It is best to make sure that the rabbitry is located on a hill with your own hands. Cold gusts of wind, stale and damp air should not be allowed to appear. The rabbitry should not be located next to a compost pit. This will lead to the gradual extinction of individuals or the entire population. It is also not recommended to build a house for rabbits next to a dog’s enclosure or other sources of noise.

Design

The structure of the building must be durable. That's why you need to choose only good, strong materials. The future house must be raised by at least 1 m; before construction, the drawings must be carefully completed and a location on the site must be selected. Also, the animal house must have ventilation.

Optimal sizes

Professionals have developed the required cell sizes. The width and length of the structures vary depending on what animals they are aimed at.

How to keep a couple of rabbits

For two adult animals, a warm room with two sections should be built. Required sizes:

Length at least 140 cm;
Width at least 60-70 cm;
Height 50-70 cm;

Fresh water should also be placed around the edges of the structure. It will be very difficult for rabbits to climb into the feeders with their paws. An inclined mesh must be placed between the sections. Hay or green fodder is placed in its frame. The internal part of the structure is called the hay barn. In order to save space, you can make two or three tiers stacked on top of each other. But it is worth considering that artificial ventilation will be needed in the lower structure. The last two tiers can be managed by natural air circulation using the wind. Such cells will be compact and convenient. They are easy to add food to and clean up.

Group keeping of young animals

Recommended length 200-300 cm;
Width 80-100 cm;
Height not less than 35-60 cm;

Such structures are intended for keeping young animals no older than 2 months. It is necessary to calculate the volume of dwellings based on the number of livestock. One individual will need a space of 0.12 square meters. m.

Female and newborn rabbits

A female with needs at least 0.6 square meters. m, there should also be a nesting container in the cage. Recommended container sizes:

Length at least 34-36 cm;
Height 30-32 cm;
Width 25-28 cm;

Video by Pavel Tverikin

The tree protruding inside the house, the passage in the partition, which should separate the walking compartment and the queen cell, should be carefully lined with tin. Thanks to this design, animals will not be able to destroy the walls.
When installing the cage outdoors or under a canopy, it is necessary to place the container above the wooden floor. Only after this is a metal mesh and ladder laid on top. Thanks to this, in winter, when the compost decomposes, additional heat will begin to be released. The temperature in the rabbitry will rise. The animals' stay in the cage will be more comfortable.
If the livestock breeder is a beginner and is making a rabbitry with his own hands for the first time in his life, then in this case, professionals recommend using wood waste and waste material. When purchasing new heads or when offspring appear, the need for new cages will arise. The experience gained will help you design a structure from high quality building materials. During subsequent construction, the material can be used most rationally.

Rabbits and rats

After you have built a rabbitry with your own hands, you should remember about the occurrence of wild rodents. Rats are considered carriers of bacteria and various infections. These animals can cause irreparable harm to adults and their offspring. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that rats do not bother the rabbits. To do this you need:

Do not scatter food throughout the rabbitry;
Carry out thorough mulching and weeding;
Garbage must be removed throughout the entire area. This is especially true for the territory where the rabbitry is located. Rodents can make burrows in garbage and waste. Such proximity to rabbits is extremely unpleasant;
The rabbitry should be cleaned, disinfected and repaired.

In addition to spreading infectious diseases, rodents can eat newborn babies. Today there are a large number of means by which you can get rid of rats. Such preparations include various baits, ultrasonic whistles, and ditches. When exterminating rodents, care must be taken. Ill-considered actions can harm not only rats, but also the rabbits themselves.