How to make a cage for rabbits with your own hands

Breeding and keeping pets implies a greater degree of responsibility of 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 nature.

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

By building a house for pets must be approached correctly. This takes into account the number of animals, their sex composition and age.

What do you need for rabbit breeding?

To do the breeding of rabbits at home, special cash costs are not required. It is necessary to have cages for animals, drinkers, containers for food. All this is easy to do with your own hands.

Hay and twigs can be made in summer. Root vegetables and vegetables are easy to collect in their own garden. The main item of expenditure will be the vaccination of animals and the purchase of concentrated feed.

Recommended rabbit cages

In each cage, same-sex animals of approximately the same age, mass and character should be placed. It is recommended to place adult animals and females with baby rabbits in one- and two-section cages.

The sizes of rabbit cells have standard indicators:

• length - 100-120 cm,
• height - 50 cm
• width - 70 cm.

For young rabbits fit 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 mentioned above will become acceptable, but its length should be 170 cm.

How to build a single tier cell?

Many are interested in how to make a rabbit cage with their own hands. Of course, with the right materials, it’s not that difficult. The article presents drawings of rabbit cells. It also provides recommendations on the choice of materials for work.

For keeping rabbits outside in the cage system, double single-tier rabbit cells are most popular.

The length of such cells is 220-240 cm, and the width is 65 cm. The height of the front wall is 35 cm. The roof should be with one slope, equipped with a visor jutting forward 20 cm, and on the sides 10 cm.

In the cage are built two compartments for food. The floor is made of metal mesh. The size of the cells must be equal to 18x18 mm or 16x48 mm. On the grid should impose a wooden slats, the width of which is 2 cm, and the connector between them is 1.5-1.8 cm.

Rabbit cages with their own hands with the correct design should have a partition with a manhole, the width of which is 17 cm, and height - 20 cm. It should be located between the nest and the feeding compartment in order to prevent the rabbits from penetrating from the nest into the aft compartment. The manhole is constructed at a height of 10-15 cm from the floor.

From the front side, two mesh doors are hung on the cage, which lead to the feeding section, as well as two solid doors from the boards leading to the nest compartment. On the door leading to the stern, it is necessary to hang the trough with a removable design and drinkers.

A nursery is set up for feeding with roughage between branches. The basis of them are two frames of wood, on which the grid is stretched. The mesh size of the grid should be 20x50 mm. The lower ends of the frames are combined, and the upper parts are moved apart to the sides of the feed compartment. The result is a V-shaped nursery for roughage.

What materials will be needed?

For the construction of a single-tier cage on two individuals, the performer will need:

• Plywood with an area of ​​2 m 2.
• Grid of metal with a mesh size of 18x18 mm or welded mesh 16x48 mm (1.3 m 2).
• Grid with cells 35x35 cm or 24x48 cm (0.6 m 2).

Making bunk cells

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

What materials will be needed?

To make a two-tier cage, you will need:

• Two sheet plates of wood fiber.
• Bars size 60x100 mm (4 pcs.).
• Fence pads (50 pcs.).
• Roofing material 4x2 m in size for the construction of a pallet.
• Nails
• Paint.

What equipment is required?

• Two deep bowls covered with enamel (their diameter should be 220 mm).
• Manure collection tank (approximately 300 mm high).
• A pair of electric immersion heaters VPI-03 (used for domestic purposes, immersed in water).
• Transformers for lowering 220x127 V (4 pcs. Per 8 cells).
• Five liter polyethylene canisters (4 pcs.).

Cell construction

Rabbit cages need to be arranged in accordance with how the light will fall. The blind closed wall, where the creche boxes and feeders are located, must face north. It protects animals from winds and cold.

The roof is constructed taking into account that it hangs from the north by 90 cm, and from the south by 60 cm. From the west and east, the roof should be on a par with protruding beams.

Rabbit bunk cells contain a stand-frame, lower and upper tier. You can build a roof of the roof. As a rule, use transparent or translucent material. Roofing material can also be used.

The tier above is an otsadnik, that is, it will serve as a place for growing rabbits after the end of feeding on mother's milk. This room is made from different cells. One of them should be larger than the frame.

The breeder is divided into two parts by means of a feeder for feed, which has exits on both sides. Also here is a common canister drinking bowl. Each compartment should be equipped with a folding feeder for feed, nurseries for fresh and dry grass. They have the appearance of an opening door. There is a door adjoining the auto drinker.

The floor at the tier is horizontal. Its basis can be made of wooden slats, which are arranged at an angle of 45º, so that little rabbits could not 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 compartment for the nest has a removable floor. It is located below the rest of the longline area. In this compartment will be placed mother liquor. Before the rabbit brings babies, she instinctively sneaks into it herself.

The rest of the nest should be stationary. It is supplied with a wall with a manhole, overlapping gate. It is better to equip the door to the nest with hinges from below, so that in the open state it serves as a platform for the animal.

Vigilance compartment provide floor of the rails, perpendicular. This provides rigidity. In the area for walking there is a canister drinking bowl, a folding feeder and a bunker feeder for animal feed. A cloister door is hung on the back of a walking rack. For the auto drinker the door must also be installed.

In the floor of the booster compartment there is a window under the end of the conical shaft, fastened under the floor of the upper tier. Pitched mine communicates with the bunker, equipped with a removable door and a container for manure. Thus, rabbit cages will be cleaned by special doors that will also make available feed tanks. The tanks themselves are located under the inclined grids of the feeders.

At the bottom of the cell frame is a compartment of electrical equipment. At the same time, this place serves as an outhouse for rabbits. It should be locked. For convenient loading of feeders it is necessary to build it folding out.

The design of the feeder for feed has a housing with windows for rabbits, as well as a pallet. It is constructed from a grid with small cells.

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

The side and front walls are tightened by means of a fine mesh, the working side can be closed with a mesh with large cells.

Mini farm of bunk cells

For the construction of a small farm on the basis of bunk cells do not need a lot of space. One cell takes 1.4 m 2. If you build a farm of two rows and use eight cells with an opening of 70 cm between them (measured on the legs) and a passage of 110 cm, then the area of ​​the truss will be equal to 25 m 2.

Each cage simultaneously contains up to 25 rabbits. In the lower part there will be a rabbit with a new offspring, and at the top - the previous offspring.

Over the years, cells from two tiers have been used on experimental farms and have shown their high profitability and profitability. So their use is recommended for all farmers.

Making a family unit - cells of three sections

Making rabbit cages with their own hands of this design is a more difficult task. But such family blocks are very convenient for the reproduction of animals. In the central part of the male lives, and on the sides are rabbit.

Partitions made of wood between the cell compartments are equipped with manholes with plywood latches. They are intended for easy replanting of females to the male and returning them back to their ward.

What materials does the cage build from?

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

For the front wall using a grid of metal. In the nesting compartments, an attic part is provided - this is the free space between the ceiling and the common roof where the female rabbits can rest.

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

Features cell breeder

• The floor is solid. Its basis is slate or board.
• There are no pallets in the cages.
• A narrow strip of the floor of the grid is located only along the rear walls of the structure.
• The rear walls are installed with a slope so that the rabbits' waste from the tiers located at the top does not fall on the rabbits in the lower tiers.
• There are no special queen cells. The little rabbit builds her own nest before birth.
• On the doors are mounted feed troughs for grain, tilted out to fill.

The rabbit map is presented below.

How to make a cage for rabbits dwarf breed with your own hands?

If you want to build dwarf rabbits at home, their cages are constructed in another way. In pet stores there are many different models. But it is not necessary to acquire them. Cage for a pet can be done by yourself, and it does not take much time.

The construction consists of two walls on the sides, the size of which is 70x70 cm. The back wall is fastened in such a way that a clearance is obtained under the cage. The height of the back wall is 55 cm, length - 100 cm.

At the bottom of the cage nailed meter rails. Over them the grid from metal is fixed.

The cage cover is made of mesh on the hinges. It is equipped with a pen. A pallet is installed under the cage.

How to choose a grid?

In the manufacture of rabbitks, of course, need a grid. In order for the manufacturer to better understand what choice of grid will be optimal, we advise you to use a number of tips.

Many people ask: is galvanized mesh suitable, material made of steel or aluminum? It is better to opt for a steel structure, as it is durable.

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

For the construction of the door using any type of grid. It does not have to be welded. Allowed to use and wicker.

In the warm season, animals can be kept in an enclosure enclosed with a net. A wicker construction with a thickness of 1.2 mm is suitable for it.

How to choose a place to install the cage

Place to install the cage

Let's stop first on the backyard maintenance of eared little animals. Two options are possible:

• open content (in the air),
• placing cells in a room (for example, in a barn).

To select the place of installation of cells, you must follow the rules.

• Humidity should not exceed 60-75% (therefore, the cells are installed in a dry, remote from water, elevated place).
• Insofar as rabbits categorically do not perceive direct sunlight, then the cells should be ideally located - among the trees that give shade, or protected by artificial hedge, scattering direct sunlight.
• Draft is a common cause of rabbit disease. Therefore, air movement exceeding a speed of 30 m / s is undesirable. However, cell ventilation is one of the rules that must be strictly observed. Otherwise, evaporation of emissions will damage the health of your pets.

In wintertime, the places where the rabbits are kept should be insulated, so that the temperature fluctuates in the range of 10-20 C. Particular attention is paid to the weatherization of queen cells and rabbits.

If animals are kept indoors, then it should be:

• necessarily plastered,
• well ventilated
• illuminated in winter no more than 10 hours.

Ideally, the animal housing room should have a window on the south side of the entire wall.

Cells in open space should preferably also be located in accordance with the cardinal directions - facing east.

And one more thing - the cells must be installed at a height of 0.8-1.0 m from the ground. This will save the rabbits from the bites of domestic rodents and greatly facilitate the maintenance of the cage by the breeder.

Rabbit cage

Rabbit cage

The classic version of the rabbit cage is a construction of the following sizes:

• 50 * 70 * 30 cm - for the young,
• 50 * 100 * 30 cm - for the little rabbits.

The whole space of the cage is divided into a walking room and a deaf zakut, where rabbits of any age find shelter in moments of “dangers” and bad weather. The length of the compartment for walking may vary, but is usually up to 50 cm in length and width. Zakut beloved by rabbits is a box 25 cm long and 50 cm wide. It is sheathed tightly, and only a removable door is fastened on the front side. Laz, is located in the wall adjacent to the walking room, and is usually 17 * 17 cm.

The specificity of the structure of the rabbit cage is that it is usually equipped with a mesh or slatted floor for the free passage of waste into the pallet, which is under the floor.

The height of the front side of the cage is usually 55 cm, and the back wall is 30 cm. That is, the cage assumes a sloping roof, which in the case of “long-line” cell placement, will simultaneously be a tray for superior cells, in connection with which it is usually covered with galvanized iron.

Materials for the manufacture of cells

Assembly cages for rabbits

When choosing materials for the manufacture of cells, it is better to give preference to a high-quality and ecological tree. For the construction of the frame fit wooden beams. For wall cladding is well suited board or plywood. Chipboard is unacceptable because it draws water, swells and crumbles.

To arrange the floor using a welded mesh with cells of 1.7 * 1.7 cm, or wooden slats up to 3 cm wide. The slats are placed 1.5 cm apart from each other for the free passage of waste into the pallet. If the distance between the slats is larger than the specified one, or the grid cells are larger, then this is fraught with broken legs when stuck in large openings. Floor slats may be plastic.

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

Rabbit cage dimensions and drawings

Rabbit cell sizes are directly dependent on:

• rabbit breeds
• selected content scheme (mini-trusses, “battery” type cells, according to Zolotukhin
• and so forth)
• regulatory indices of the required space (for example, for rabbit - 0.5-0.7 square meters,
• males will need - 0.17 square meters, and young animals - 0.12 square meters).

In practice, houses of two connected cells of 100 * 55 cm in size are often used. In these cells, the uterine compartments adjoin the outer walls of the cage and communicate with the aft compartments with openings of 17 * 17 cm. On the front side of the house there are doors: two solid in the nesting compartments, and two mesh in the walking spaces. Between them are nursery and watering. Troughs are usually attached to the front side of the mesh doors.

Drawing cage for rabbits

Solid wire cage

This type of cage is designed to be placed in livestock-type rooms and even in conventional hay barns. The walls and ceiling of the cells are sheathed with a grid of 2.5-5 cm, the floor is 1.7 * 1.7 cm.

The main advantage of these cells is the simplicity and accessibility of cleaning and disinfection. Для этого потребуется лишь хорошая щетка и пропановая горелка, которая поможет с легкостью избавиться от ненужных микроорганизмов и скоплений кроличьего пуха.

Цельнопроволочные клетки занимают значительно меньше места, что является так же их достоинством при ведении фермерского хозяйства.

Трудности при строительстве клеток

The main problem in the manufacture of cells with their own hands is the lack of quality and detailed drawings, or the unjustified high cost of licensing options (for example, drawings from Rabbitaks).

The second difficulty that a home craftsman faces is the non-standard size of the used building materials. And as a result, the need to purchase materials under the order. If the lack of experience in the manufacture of cells is added to this, then the cost of materials is prohibitively high.

Cell Construction Tips

Rabbit Cage

Beginning masters make similar mistakes when building cells:

• material savings lead to crowding, which is bad for the health and reproduction of rabbits,
• the uterus or nesting compartment should be stationary (zakuty scare the rabbit and can cause a crush of rabbits).

To reduce stress in the jigging of young stock, you can use a cage with a stationary zakut for rabbits, in which a hole with a size of 12 * 12 cm will not allow the rabbit to be constantly with rabbits. And the moment of separation of rabbits will not be so stressful.

Cages for rabbits from Zolotukhin

Cages for rabbits from Zolotukhin

NII cells are very popular. Zolotukhin. Their main the difference is the lack of pallets, i.e. solid flat slate floor, and the presence of the grid only from the back of the cells to a width of 15-20cm. Gradient location of one cell above another helps to get rid of waste from the “upper floors” to the “lower” ones. A characteristic feature is also the absence of nesting compartments. The rabbit is given the opportunity to build independently a queen of hay. Feeders in the doors are mounted on rotating nails, thanks to its articulated design are easy to clean.

On our site there is an article dedicated to the cells of Nikolai Ivanovich Zolotukhin in which you will find all the practical advice and recommendations from the author, in addition to this you can familiarize yourself with the drawings and sizes of cells.

Cells from Tsvetkov

This is a kind of four-apartment house, equipped with a ventilation system and a "sewer". There are also hanging queen cells and gravity feeders and drinkers. The manger for hay is upholstered with galvanized netting and fastened to the frame with nails. All vulnerable parts are reinforced with tin plates. In winter, the compartments for young rabbits and queen cells are heated with conventional medical heaters. Unusual is the turn of the face of the cell to the south side.

Rabbitaks for beginners krolikovodov

Cells from the company Rabbitaks are distinguished by a peculiar decor and environmental performance (their characteristic system of redirection of air flow). They are mainly intended for large farms. But there are acceptable options, for example, a cell from two compartments. For the beginner master, the drawings are still complicated. And the main disadvantage is the high cost of manufacture.

Author's designs

I would like to mention the cages for Mikhailov rabbits. The main advantage of mini-farms is compactness (the ability to contain 25 individuals in an area of ​​25 square meters, taking into account the distance between the houses of 70 cm). The undoubted advantage is the automation of waste collection in an airtight container. A significant disadvantage of Mikhailov's cells can be called expensive materials for construction and the undoubted professionalism of the performer.

Attention is drawn to the construction of E. Ovdienko. Its distinctive feature is a special gate, covering a four-tier structure, which holds 24 cells, from the wind and weather vagaries.

DIY cage for decorative rabbits

Cage for decorative rabbits

Decorative eared creatures can also exist perfectly in a hand-made cage. For a simple solution, you need to decide on the question of how often your pet walks in open space. If the rabbit walks at least 3 hours a day, then a cage size of 70 * 40 cm is sufficient. If most of the time your pet spends "at home", then the cage size should be 100 * 50 cm. Otherwise, follow the same construction rules. cages, as for rabbits farms.

Of all the above cages for rabbits, the novice wizard will be able to choose for himself the best option, combining in itself the simplicity of execution, ease of maintenance and an acceptable costly cost.

If you decide to start a decorative rabbit, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the content and care you need for a decorative rabbit, and how to feed them is equally important.

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

Cell selection

Rabbits are animals that do not require special conditions of detention. That is why it is not necessary to buy houses for them: they can be made independently.

Advantages of self-made houses:

• the construction takes into account all the features of the room, its location and conditions of detention,
• significantly reduced costs for the arrangement of the rabbit farm,
• self-fabrication of cells will help avoid marriages, which are often allowed at the factory.

An example of a homemade house in the photo.

Advantages of factory cells:

• ideal design, which provides optimal conditions for the life of animals,
• the structure is equipped with nests, drinking bowls, feeders, pallets,
• factory products are constantly being improved, their designs are becoming more complex: when buying a finished cage, the farmer can be sure that he will become the owner of modern equipment.

Factory houses presented on the photo.

Tip! Buying ready-made cells will cost a considerable amount, while self-manufacturing of rabbit dwellings is a very budget event.

Cell types

If you are seriously going to start breeding rabbits, then you will have to build several rooms:

• for fattening baby rabbits,
• for keeping rabbits with cubs,
• for males.

To provide rabbits with housing, you need to build a whole "residential complex". It can be installed both on the street and in the barn: it all depends on the environmental conditions of a particular region. Drawings for creating cells can be developed independently or found ready in specialized journals and on the Internet.

Cages for males

Males are settled in separate houses. This allows you to avoid fights, fighting for food, as well as unplanned mating (if males and females are kept in the same room). The size of the house should be such that the rabbit can move freely inside it. If the males are cramped, they will become lazy and obese. And this may affect the reproductive function: rabbits will stop producing offspring.

Rabbit cages with cubs

Houses for rabbits with rabbits should be spacious enough. They are located in one tier and consist of two sections: the main and uterine. In order not to freeze cubs in the winter, the uterus must be carefully warmed.

Cages for feeding young animals

Rabbits are populated in such houses at the age of 2-3 months, if they could not gain the necessary weight during the period of their stay with the mother. To give the female an opportunity to give birth to new rabbits, the grown up cubs are deposited in a separate room and fed to the desired weight.

Adult Rabbit Cage

House for adult animals can be made by hand. It will take several hours to create a home, but you can be sure that the room meets all the requirements for keeping furry pets.

The finished cage for adult animals is shown in the photo.

Stages of work:

1. Make from 4 wooden bars the frame of the house. It should be rectangular, its dimensions are equal to the length and width of the future product.
2. Install the house on the legs. To do this, take 4 bars: 2 of them must have a length equal to the height of the front wall + 30 cm, and another 2 - the height of the back wall + 30 cm. The frame of the front wall is formed by long bars, the back - shorter (enough difference 10-15 cm). Screw them to a rectangular base so that it rises 30 cm above the floor. These will be the legs.
3. Attach a galvanized grid to the rectangular base of the floor so that it covers the middle part of the room. From each side, leave a space of 35–40 cm in length for nesting compartments. Cover the nest floor with suitable size plywood so that it slightly grabs the net.
4. Install the side and rear wall of plywood and finish the frame house. To do this, fix between the front side bars 1 long bar at the top.
5. Separate the nest compartments from the rest of the room with slats. Install spacers between these slats and the back wall: plywood sheets with holes cut into them. Holes are needed so that rabbits move freely between the breeding and feeding compartments. Attach a roof to each socket.
6. Divide the room into 2 sections with a crossbar. Make plywood troughs and screw them on opposite sides of the separating rail.
7. To keep the bottom well, turn the structure upside down and secure the net with nails and battens.
8. The bunker for feeders make of 4 sheets of plywood, which in height should be slightly smaller than the house. The bunker should look like the letter “V” and expand upwards. Attach it between the feeders so that after filling the feed from this funnel unhindered fed into the feeders.
9. Close to the back wall make a manger for coarser food: hay and grass. Their width should be 30 cm. To make it convenient for rabbits to pull out blades of grass, make walls of wire rods on both sides.
10. Attach the roof to the cage. It should protrude slightly above the cage. In the middle, where the feeders are located, build a slider door that you can slide out to feed. For convenience, attach to it a wooden or metal handle.
11. Attach the doors to the front wall, which are made of slats. Stretch the mesh between the slats. Nest compartments can be left without external openings, and it is possible for them to have solid wooden doors.

Drawings for making such cells are easy to find.

Houses for three month rabbits

Up to three months, rabbits contain groups of 6–8 individuals, therefore group dwellings are used to keep them. They are made in the same way as double houses. The only difference is that for a large number of rabbits a different feeding system is required: they simply cannot eat all together from a small feeder.

Stages of work:

1. The skeleton of the house is made in the same way as the skeleton of double cages for adult animals. However, it is not necessary to divide the room into two sections. The cage will consist of breeding and aft compartments. At the same time, the nested compartment should be 1.5 times less than the aft one.
2. The floor of the nesting compartment is covered with wood chop and separated from the aft plywood wall with a hole for the movement of animals. The outer wall of the socket must be made of plywood.
3. The floor and the front part of the aft compartment are made of mesh. In front of the need to attach the door, made of rails.
4. Over the entire length of the aft compartment, place the feeder. It should be placed in such a way that part of it is in the cage, and part of it is outside (for the convenience of laying hay). It is made from a net, so that animals can conveniently pull out grass. It is better to raise the feeder above the floor by 3–4 cm so that the food is not contaminated by the waste of the little rabbit.

Tip! Up to 12 animals can be held simultaneously in such a cage.

There are ready-made drawings for the manufacture of such cells.

Two-tier (three-tier) shed

Two-tier and three-tier structures are manufactured in the same way as two-section houses for adult rabbits. But in this case, several cells are located one above the other in tiers.

Stages of manufacturing a two-tier shed:

1. Make 3 rectangular frames. They will become the floor and roof of future cells.
2. Strengthen them on the long bars. Connect the first rectangle to the bars so that the legs remain 30 cm high below. Attach the next rectangle 50 cm above the previous one, and the third 10 cm above the second.
3. On the first and third rectangles, fix the galvanized mesh, which will be the floor for the aft compartment. Equip both houses in the same way as usual two-section cage.
4. The second rectangle will simultaneously serve as a roof for the lower house and a tray for the upper one. Between the second and third rectangles you need to install a removable box into which waste from the upper house will be dumped through the grid.

Thus, it is possible to make not only two-tier, but also three-tier shed. If you make several such structures, then you get a real rabbit farm.

How a multi-tiered structure for keeping rabbits may look is visible in the photo.

Rabbit House with Nest

To make a house for a rabbit with a nest, you need to take into account some features of this structure. The house for the rabbit is built separately from other structures. Well, if it is portable, so that animals can be moved from the street to the barn.

Stages of work:

1. Chuck the frame for the house, from plywood make the back wall and side. In this construction there should be two compartments: the main and the uterine.
2. For each of them, make a separate door: to the rabbit compartment - from the grid, to the queen cell - from plywood or thin boards.
3. To prevent rabbits from freezing, warm the queen cell. It is desirable to make it a double floor, walls and roof, in the space between which you need to put insulation: foam, straw or any other material. If the winters are very cold, the “warm floor” system will do: a heating pad fits between the two levels of the floor. The wire from the unit is brought out so that the animals do not nibble it.
4. The roof is covered with water-repellent material.

The photo shows how the house for a rabbit with a cub should look like.

Do I need a house with a walk?

If the owner of the rabbit farm has a large green area at its disposal, then the houses with a walking range are in this case an excellent option. They look the same as ordinary rabbit houses, only on the back wall they have a door through which rabbits are let out for a walk.

Place for walking can be made by hand. Behind the cage you need to equip a large aviary. Its frame is made of wooden slats, and the walls are covered with a dense mesh. An open-air cage is better placed on the sunny side: rabbits spend most of their lives in dark cages, and they simply need the sun.

What is the advantage of cells with walking? The fact is that rabbits need space to run. If they have the opportunity to stay in the fresh air and periodically knead the paws, they will be less sore, gain weight faster and be more active. In addition, the fur of such animals will be much more fluffy and shiny than their sedentary relatives.

A house with a walk may be the same as in the photo.

Place for the house

The choice of location for the house depends on the climatic conditions of the region. If winter frosts in your area - a rarity, then rabbit houses can be easily placed on the street. However, you should choose a place where there are no drafts and excessive moisture: rabbits are prone to colds.

Tip! Rabbits can be kept indoors as well, but the ideal option is combined maintenance: in summer, rabbit houses are exposed to fresh air, and in winter they are sent back to the barn or house.

If you install the shed cages, then it is desirable to arrange them in two rows and turn the facades to each other. An adult should walk freely between the rows.

Rabbits do not like intense lighting, but if the houses are in a barn, then the room should be equipped with several lamps. They should cover the rabbit dwelling 8–10 hours a day.

For the manufacture of cells with your own hands it is recommended to use the following materials:

• wood (parallel bars, slats, plywood),
• galvanized mesh with a small cell size (it depends on the size of the rabbits),
• plastic for finishing work,
• slate or roof tiles if the cage is outside.

Tip! All wooden parts of the product should be well polished, and the edges of galvanized mesh - tightly nailed to the surface. Rabbits - gentle creatures that can easily get hurt about poorly processed parts of the home.

For the arrangement of rabbit cells is not recommended to use metal. Under the rays of the sun, this material is very hot, and during the cold season it freezes. In such a dwelling, rabbits will feel uncomfortable, start to hurt and stop breeding.

Instruments

To make a house for rabbits with your own hands, you will need the following tools:

• hammer,
• roulette,
• hacksaw,
• plane,
• scissors for cutting the mesh,
• pliers,
• nails, screws, screws, corners,
• screwdriver and screwdriver,
• sandpaper.

Cage dimensions

The sizes of rabbit cells depend on the size of the animals. Одноместная клетка для кролика-самца должна иметь ширину не менее 0,6 м и длину в пределах 0,8–1,1 м. Если кролики большие, то и размеры секции следует увеличить. Один кролик весом более 5 кг требует помещения длиной от 1,3 до 1,5 м.

Размеры помещения для молодняка зависят от количества крольчат. Их можно размещать по 5–8, а при уплотненной посадке – по 12 особей в домик. Ширина клеток в этом случае должна составлять 1 м, высота – от 0,35 до 0,6 м, а длина – 2–3 м.

In any case, one adult rabbit should not be less than 0.5–0.7 m2, and one cub should be less than 0.15–0.2 m 2.

After studying these simple recommendations, you can easily equip your rabbit farm. If you make pet houses yourself, the company will cost a small amount. And the rabbits bring considerable income: after all, not only the tender meat of these animals is appreciated, but also their wool and dung.

Where to place the cells

When choosing a breeding site for domestic rabbits and placing their cages, it is important to avoid wind and draft.

But it doesn’t matter whether the cell is on the street or in the room.

In addition to weather conditions, the number and size of the cage for rabbits is taken into account.

At normal dilution, one cell will not be enough. It will take room for pregnant rabbits, their babies and males, and this is a whole residential complex.

Dimensions - the size of the finished rabbit cages is largely dependent on the breed of pets, but there are minimum values, the calculation of which is based on the data given in the table.

For rabbits of the main herd

Group cages for keeping rabbits in sheds (sheds)

Cages individual for the maintenance of rabbits in sheds (sheds)

The height of the cells for both domestic rabbits and for rabbits kept on industrial rabbits is not less than 45 centimeters.

The size of the rabbit nest-box: length - 50 cm., Width - 36 cm., Height 30-4 cm.

In the manufacture of cages for the maintenance of rabbits, a galvanized metal mesh is used, the cell size of which is 24x24-50 mm and the floor - 16x48 mm.

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

Photo of wooden cages for growing rabbits

Materials for cells

By the choice of material, as well as in place, you need to be treated with attention. Usually try not to use metal parts in the construction of cells. The frame and cage supports can be assembled from wooden parts. The choice of wall material is more diverse, you can apply a board, plywood or mesh. The final option will depend on the climatic zone and the location of the cells.

Some tips on choosing and preparing the material:

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

Making rabbit cage and its size

The optimal size of the cage - housing for adults is 1500x700x700 mm. If you make the floor of the grid or wooden slats, then the care of rabbits will be more convenient. The waste products will be automatically removed from the cells. Outdoor version is assembled with a two-level floor, where the lower layer is made of boards.

The roof for the rabbit cage is made from the same material as the wall. But if you plan to keep outside, then you need to take care of protection from precipitation. You can cover 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.

Finished cages are advised to be placed a short distance from the floor or the ground. This will provide protection from rodents and make care for domestic rabbits convenient. Rabbit feeding equipment should not be contaminated. Some have resolved this issue by making pull-out or overhead feeders.

A little more about the size of the rabbit. The front wall of the cage should be about 10-15 cm above the back. The entire area of ​​the finished home is divided into several sections, which are interconnected by small manholes. A hinged lid will help bring a bit of care.

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

• The section in which the maintenance of males is planned should be large enough. This will allow the animals to move freely and not become lazy, otherwise they will be unable to give birth.
• For rabbit allocate a separate spacious cage. Up to four pieces can be placed in this section. It is important to take into account - at first the rabbits are kept near the mother for fattening.
• Make one free cage in which you can fatten baby rabbits. Some babies do not gain enough weight during their time with their mother.
• Laz in the nesting compartment should be raised by about ten centimeters. In order not to be bitten, you can beat the edges with steel. But do it carefully, leaving no chipping.
• 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 reticulated, then the latter is necessarily continuous.
• Street cages for domestic rabbits can be provided with a manhole for walking. To do this, in the rear walls make a hole in a special pen, enclosed by a grid. This will make it possible to frolic rabbits and enjoy fresh grass.

Making a cage for rabbits with your own hands is not so difficult. If you apply the tips written above, then you can hope for a good profit growth and convenient care for the animals.

Drawings and photos of cells for rabbits

Photo of a wooden cage for growing rabbits on a home plot with size indication

Cage for three adult rabbits (for home keeping). It consists of two levels. The lower level has double doors that open wide to allow easy access to the cage. The upper level consists of two separate compartments connected by an entrance. One of the compartments of the cage is designed for sleeping rabbits. Another compartment is covered with a net, 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 it can be made independently for keeping rabbits in the garden.

In the photo are rabbit cages made of wood and metal mesh.

Photo of cells with walking for rabbits

Cell drawings for rabbits and their young

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

Cell drawings for home rabbits

Industrial cages for the maintenance and cultivation of rabbits

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

In the photo, one and two-story cages for fattening rabbit meat breeds (up to 144 heads)

Do I have to keep rabbits in cages

Rabbits intended for domestic and industrial breeding, undemanding to the area on which they will be kept. This is largely due to their behavioral features - in the wild, animals use small burrows as a place to rest and sleep.

Duration of daylight hours, temperature and humidity play a much greater value. These indicators directly affect both the behavior and health of the animal, and the dynamics of its growth and weight gain. Temperatures of 12–18 ° C and humidity of 60–75% are optimal for the maintenance of most rocks.

Street content of rabbits favorably affects their weight and quality of fur.

In household conditions, rabbits can be maintained in two ways:

• in isolation - in cells or sheds,
• free - in aviaries or runs.

Keeping in cages and sheds is most common, as it is convenient and allows you to grow a large number of rabbits (

The cellular method allows you to clearly control the amount of food intake of the animal, thereby reducing feed consumption and preventing overeating of the animal. In addition, the content in the cages helps control the mating of rabbits. Breeding of animals is a clear and according to the plan, which provided the breeder.

In addition, the cellular method helps to avoid contamination of the entire population of rabbits due to the ingress of any infection to one or several individuals in the herd. Content in the aviary is most often used on European farms. This method is as close as possible to the natural conditions when the animal settles itself for itself. Unlike the cellular one, the captive method is more complex and requires not only a large area of ​​the site, but also constant observation of the livestock.

When installing the cage on the street, it is recommended to raise it above the ground level by at least 50 cm.

Ideally, the breeder will combine these two methods, but to achieve such conditions in modern realities can only be professionals who take more than a dozen years to do this. We recommend to beginner breeders to use the cellular method of maintenance, as the most simple and effective.

Recommendations for placement

Depending on the climatic conditions in the region where it is planned to engage in animal husbandry, rabbit cages may be located directly on the street or in the utility rooms. Therefore, taking into account the location of the cells, they can be classified into three types:

• outdoor with insulation - dimensional structures with a canopy of wood and metal, having two or more tiers. Intend for year-round maintenance of rabbits on the street. It is recommended to be located in places well protected from the wind. The maximum wind speed around the cells is not more than 30 m / s with a humidity of not more than 75%,
• year-round for indoor - frame construction of various sizes of wood and steel mesh. It is desirable to locate in non-winding utility rooms where the air temperature does not exceed 30 o C. To maintain the activity of the animal, good lighting should be provided in the room, allowing to extend the light duration of the day. For young animals, this figure is at least 10 hours, for adults - 8–10 hours,

Portable single-tier rabbit cage by Mikhailov technology

Some owners have at their disposal two types of cells. Some are always located in the utility room and have a convenient mesh bottom system that allows them to be quickly and conveniently cleaned. The latter are erected along the fence or wall of the building and represent a winter version with a canopy.

This option has a lot of advantages, but not all breeders are available, as the maintenance of a large number of animals requires a considerable area of ​​the site. Therefore, for most people living in central Russia and trying themselves in animal husbandry, it is recommended to keep rabbits exclusively on the street.

Year-round maintenance of rabbits on the street allows animals to develop immunity to various infections and diseases. And also fresh air favorably affects the formation of a healthy and lush hair.

Cell types

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

By design

Depending on the design of the cage for rabbits are divided into the following types:

• single-tier - buildings raised 70–80 cm above the ground. For the construction of the supports, improvised means or building materials are used (see below). The roof, as a rule, is a single-pitch roof covered with wavy slate or roll-bituminous roofing. To collect waste at the bottom of the cage, a steel or wooden pallet with a gutter is mounted,
• multi-tier - two- or three-tier structures with different number of sections, which depends on the total number of adult rabbits. It is used both for keeping rabbits on the street and for indoor use. The second name of these cells is sheds, which means the layered arrangement of cells one above the other. The optimum height of the location of the shed above the ground in outdoor conditions is at least 70 cm, when installed indoors is 50–60 cm. Waste ebb of metal is mounted between each tier,

Multi-tiering allows significant savings in space and eases cell cleaning.

Often you can meet the combined variants of cells, when an open-air cage is attached to the classic single-tiered version. Usually for two cells or sheds there is enough space of no more than 200x100x60 cm.

For multi-tiered structures, it is possible to arrange the exit point directly to a harvest or ground through special manholes. But this option is used extremely rarely, since the factory cells are not equipped with such a system, and not every breeder of rabbits can make it on their own.

To destination

By appointment, rabbit cages are classified into the following types:

• for okrola - cells, intended for childbirth rabbits. They are located in economic premises along a solid wall without windows. They represent a single-tier structure with two cells, to which a compartment for the installation of a mobile queen cell is attached. In the cages for okrol, heating is installed on the basis of a heating cable or a conventional light bulb, which is fixed in the free space between the walls of the cell,
• for young animals - a group single-tier cage, designed for keeping 8–20 rabbits from the age of three months. The cage area is selected on the basis of the estimated number of rabbits, taking into account that there will be at least 0.15 m 2 per pet. Cage height - 35 cm and more. When cells are installed in the street, they are raised above the ground to a height of 70–75 cm. For street cells, insulation is necessarily carried out using mineral wool and hay,

Rabbit cages have a much larger size, since in one section usually contains up to 7-8 animals

Necessary materials

Cages for rabbits are recommended to be made from sawn timber, as well as combined building materials, for the creation of which the minimum amount of adhesive and synthetic components is used.

For the manufacture of cages for okrol, young and adult rabbits will need the following material:

• edged board - size 30x100x3000 or 30x150x300 mm. Required for plating the lateral and posterior walls of the cell. Can be used for plating of the portable queen cell,
• wooden bars - size 40x40x3000 or 50x50x3000 mm. Need for the manufacture of the frame, legs and other elements of the cell. If you wish, you can use bars of rectangular section,

To assemble the cage frame, a trimmed bar with a cross section of 40 × 40 or 50 × 50 is used.

It is better to use a galvanized grid with a cell of 20 × 20 mm for covering the walls and the door to the cage

To assemble the cell frame, galvanized self-tapping screws 70 mm long are used. The board and plywood are fastened to screws with a length of 30–50 mm. If desired, galvanized nails of appropriate length can be used. Doors, feeders and other pivoting elements are fastened to ordinary furniture or door hinges.