Advanced drawing of a female rabbit cage. Optimal cage sizes for rabbits. Video - Cage for rabbits, self-building

Rabbit breeding is one of the most profitable directions livestock farming Rabbits are quite unpretentious, reproduce quickly and grow well. The only thing the owner must do is provide for the animals nice home. In a properly designed cage, rabbits will reproduce faster and become less sick.

You can buy a cage for rabbits in finished form- today there are many various designs from any materials. But it’s much cheaper to make a cage yourself. In addition, this will allow you to economically distribute the space allocated for the rabbitry and choose the most suitable type design and, if necessary, modernize it. Learn more about how to make a rabbit cage at home with video and photos in this article.

What determines the choice of cell design?

The rabbit needs enough space, and the choice of design for the cage should be based on this factor. When starting to breed rabbits, it is necessary to build at least 3 types of rabbit hutches:

  • for males;
  • for pregnant females;
  • for breeding young animals.

The main type of cages are structures for fattening young rabbits.

There are 3 different types of rabbit hutches:

  • on outdoors;
  • in the barn;
  • portable structures.

If rabbit cages are installed under open air, you need to choose a shaded place on the site that will be protected from wind and drafts. The location should be such that the rabbits are warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

If the rabbitry is installed in a barn, the roof on it can be made of mesh, because there is no need for protection from precipitation. A house with a walk is considered an ideal option (shown in the photo below).

For this design, the back wall of the cage is made mobile; if necessary, the latch is opened, and the rabbits can go out for a walk. The walking area is fenced with a net and wooden blocks. This allows animals to eat pasture. When the grass in the fence is completely eaten, the rabbitry is moved to another place.

Attention! The length of the cage should be at least one meter; for rabbits of large breeds it should be increased to 1.5-2 meters. Width - not less than 60 cm, and standard height- 50 cm. In this case, the back wall should be 5-10 cm lower than the front in order for a slope to form.

How to choose material for a rabbitry

The main requirement for the material from which the rabbit cage will be made is safety. The material must be non-toxic and non-traumatic. Rabbits love to chew on everything, they should not be poisoned or injured by parts of the cage.

The most popular material for rabbit hutches is wood and metal grid. The mesh cell should be no less than 1.7x1.7 cm, but no more than 2x2 cm. Rabbits' paws should not fall into the mesh, as this could cause the animal to be injured and break a limb.

You should not buy wood from expensive construction stores, rabbit houses do not require high-quality material. A rough-cut board or timber, which can be purchased on the market at a low price, is quite sufficient.

Important! All protruding fragments must be cleaned sandpaper so that the rabbits do not get hurt on the tree.

You also need to pay close attention to the fasteners and the edges of the mesh - there should be no sharp objects inside the rabbitry.

Common cell designs

Most often used standard design cells divided into two sections. In such a “house” two rabbits live at the same time: these can be two males or pregnant females (photo below).

The essence of this design is that in one building and under one roof a cage of two “rooms” is built, separated from each other by a nursery or a partition. A manger is a feeder for hay or grass; it is most often made from a mesh in the shape of the letter V. Feeders for dry food and drinking bowls are attached to the sides of the rabbitry. Each of the two compartments has its own door made of metal mesh.

The bottom of the cage can be made from the same mesh or wooden slats can be used for this. Slats are more preferable, since it is more comfortable for rabbits to sit on them, and in cold weather their paws will not freeze to the floor. But rabbits can damage wood with their teeth, so a metal floor will be more durable.

In order to effectively remove manure from a rabbitry, two methods are used:

  1. A tray made of plywood, boards or plexiglass that is installed under the cage floor. To clean the cage, the tray is simply pulled out along the guides.
  2. Bunker made of galvanized metal or wood. It is installed below the floor level of the cage so that waste flows into a container installed under the cage (shown in the photo below).

Such a two-section cage can be covered removable roof, then it will be easier to clean inside the “house”. If the cage is installed outdoors, it is covered roofing material(slate or tiles).

Attention! It is not recommended to use metal for roof construction, since in the summer it will heat up in the sun, which will lead to overheating of the rabbits.

If the owner dreams of breeding a large number of rabbits, it is necessary big square for the construction of cells. To save space on the site, the cages are made in two tiers. Three-story structures are no less common. The cage frame, in multi-story construction, must be strong enough to support the weight of the entire structure and animals.

Making a three-story cage requires a special pallet design. In this case, it will not be possible to use the bunker method due to lack of space, and pull-out trays are not very convenient, because the height of the cage will be significant.

For a rabbit “house” of three floors, it is more convenient to use inclined pallets. Each of them is located at a slight angle to one of the sides of the cell. All waste and manure will flow into pallets with upper tier to the lower one, eventually ending up in the waste receptacle.

Arrangement of the feed compartment and nesting

Each cage should have a place for eating and walking, and a separate area for sleeping and resting. Therefore, the free space of the compartment must be divided by a partition. A hole measuring 20x20 cm is cut out of a sheet of plywood or a board made of boards, making it at a height of 10-15 cm from the floor level (a similar design is shown in the photo).

The feeding and nesting compartments must have own doors: mesh for feeding and solid for nesting. Through two doors it will be more convenient to get the rabbits out and clean the cage, because its length often exceeds 1.5 meters.

The nesting compartment should not be too large; the rabbits should feel warm and comfortable here. The parameters 30x60x50 are quite sufficient, that is, it is necessary to separate about 30 cm of the width of the cage with plywood or boards. You can make a separate roof over the nest or arrange it under a common roof.

Arrangement of queen cells

In cages containing pregnant or lactating females, queen cells must be installed. They can be mobile and installed as needed, or stationary.

The floors in the queen cell should be solid, the dimensions of this “house” made of boards or plywood are as follows - 30x30 cm, height - about 20 cm. It is not necessary to make a roof in the queen cell, but with a roof the kids will be much warmer in the winter.

Important! Among experienced rabbit breeders, there is a version that there is no need to build queen cells at all - the female herself will choose a place convenient for herself and build a nest.

Insulation of the rabbitry

In regions with cold winters, it is better to move cages with rabbits to barns. If this is not possible, the “houses” must be insulated. To do this, the walls, floor and ceiling are made double, and the void is filled with insulating material:

  • mineral wool;
  • polystyrene foam;
  • straw.

To prevent the insulation from getting wet, it can be placed in plastic film, the edges of which are soldered.

In the northern regions, queen cells need additional insulation, because newborn rabbits can quickly freeze and die. The bottom of the queen cell is made double, and a medical electric heating pad or a small fragment of a “warm floor” is placed in the cavity.

Attention! It is very important to hide electrical wiring from rabbits, they can easily chew it.

Instructions for collecting the cage

You should start assembling your rabbitry by studying the project. Having familiarized yourself with the dimensions and understood the design, you can proceed to assembly:

  1. First of all, assemble the cage frame. It is most often made from wooden blocks measuring 50x50 mm. The assembled frame is installed in the place where the rabbitry will be located.
  2. Make a floor - attach a mesh to the bottom or wooden planks, which are filled in increments of 1.5 cm.
  3. A pallet for collecting waste is made according to the design laid down in the project.
  4. Now you need to mount the walls and partitions. For the back and side walls, solid sheets of plywood or knocked down boards are most often used. It is necessary to ensure that the fasteners do not protrude into the cage.
  5. The front wall is made of mesh. First they shoot down wooden frame from bars, and then using nails or screws, attach the mesh to it.
  6. Performed in the front wall of the door using awnings and installing locks.
  7. The front wall is attached to the main part of the cage.
  8. They install mangers for hay, partitions, nests, queen cells, feeders and drinkers inside the rabbitry - all parts must be fixed and stationary so that rabbits cannot move them.
  9. The roof is being installed.

Making a rabbit cage with your own hands is not difficult at all. This approach will help save space and position the rabbitry in the most convenient way.

Cages with two or three floors significantly save space, and they are also easier and faster to maintain. A self-made rabbitry can be easily modified, if necessary, converted into a compartment for young animals or added another floor. If rabbits feel comfortable in their new “home”, they will grow faster, reproduce better and get sick less.

Breeding rabbits when properly managed can bring good dividends.

Animal cages must be made of high quality materials. The normal functioning of the animal depends on compliance with these requirements.

The main advantage of rabbits is their unpretentiousness. They have a fairly high resistance to various diseases. A properly constructed home creates a comfortable existence for the animal.

Nursery construction

The correct drawings of cages for rabbits allow you to build a good home for the whole family.

The animal nursery consists of:

  • frame;
  • ceiling;
  • side walls;
  • central door;
  • feeders.

How to make cages for rabbits with your own hands?

If the finished nursery is located on the street, then the height of the support should be 110 cm. High housing for rabbits helps protect animals from various predators.

The side walls are made of dense plywood or fine mesh. For feeding rabbits, it is recommended to use a fine mesh or thin slats.

The presence of holes allows you to get rid of food debris, thereby preventing their rapid spoilage.

The roof for the cages must be made of durable, waterproof material. Suitable for this: slate, roofing felt; polycarbonate

Materials for the production of housing should not contain sharp edges or chips.

Types of cells

Nursery designs have some differences among themselves.

Mainly:

  • cells with queen cell;
  • nursery using the technology of I. N. Mikhailov and N. I. Zolotukhin;
  • a dwelling with an enclosure for walking animals.

The first version of the cage is a tall structure with two separate sections. One of them is used for feeding, and the other for the nest.

They are separated between a thick sheet of plywood. For normal movement of the animal, a manhole is provided.

An exit for animals is made in the side wall. The entire perimeter of the cage is fenced with a mesh. This helps prevent escape from the nursery area.

The sizes of cages for rabbits are calculated based on their number.

Note!

For intensive breeding of animals, the technique of combining neighboring nurseries is used. To do this, a corridor is made along the back of the cage with additional doors for the male to move around.

Industrial cell designs using Mikhailov technology

They are miniature farms. There is a nest for small rabbits, a place for feeding adult animals, and additional ventilation. An additional compartment for waste disposal is made along the lower border.

How to make a similar cage for rabbits? To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the design drawings. Shown in detail here exact dimensions walls and ceiling.

Nurseries using the Zolotukhin technique

Nurseries using the Zolotukhin technique are multi-storey departments that can accommodate several families. The design of the rabbit cage provides for additional compartments for feeding and easy cleaning of waste.

The main advantage of this method is to create conditions as close to natural as possible. Small rabbits acquire immunity to various viral diseases. The female independently arranges a warm nest from her down and dry straw.

Stages of cell creation

Do simple cell quite simple for animals.

Note!

To do this, you must follow a strict sequence of actions:

  • The frame of the future cage is assembled from the beams. The thickness should be 10 cm in diameter;
  • a blank wall is installed at the back of the nursery;
  • The sides of the cage are covered with mesh.

For this it is necessary to use small fractions.

  • Experienced experts recommend upholstering side walls small slats. This will protect the animal from overheating in summer time and freezing in winter;
  • The bottom of the nursery is made of a durable sheet of plywood;
  • Feeders and additional doors are installed outside the cage. This allows you to easily remove bedding and debris from the animal.

The photo of the rabbit cage shows step by step instructions, which will facilitate the process of constructing a nursery.

Photos of do-it-yourself rabbit cages

Breeding rabbits in households can be profitable, as well as result in complete losses. Rabbits actively breed, grow quickly, eat green food, and their meat and skins are expensive - and this brings considerable profit to the breeder. However, they are capricious in maintenance and subject to high mortality. Therefore, the construction of a rabbitry should be given the most close attention. We will tell you how to create a rabbitry with your own hands in this article.

The word "rabbit" has a double meaning. This is the name given to the room where rabbit enclosures are located, as well as cages placed together and mini-farms located on the street.

Most often, rabbit farms are heated and lit rooms with good ventilation, where cages are located in tiers. In regions with a mild climate, open rabbitries are more often used, which are a structure of two or three walls covered with a canopy.

Rabbit farm - inside view

A good rabbitry must meet the following requirements:

  • create comfortable conditions for living and breeding of animals;
  • be easy to use for a person of average height and build;
  • have a well-thought-out system for removing waste from cells and their subsequent disposal.

Buildings for rabbitry are made one-story and rectangular. They are built in accordance with GOST 23838.

In practice, cages with these animals can be placed in a frame-type barn.

Common designs and their features

A standard indoor rabbitry is an enclosed room equipped with lighting, ventilation and heating systems, and, less commonly, a water supply system. There are cages in long rows, usually in three tiers. There are passages between them, optimal width which is equal to 1.5 m. Often part of the rabbitry is separated for Technical buildings and feed storage.

Multi-tiered mini-farms

Rabbit hutch in a hole

This is one of the most controversial decisions; there are approximately equal numbers of supporters and opponents of this design.

An example of “pit” rabbit keeping

Pros of “pit” content:

  • life in burrows is natural for rabbits;
  • in the pits a microclimate, humidity and temperature that is normal for rabbits is naturally formed;
  • animals breed all year round;
  • good litter survival;
  • animals get sick less often and gain weight better;
  • feed is given to all animals at once, this saves time and effort.

Disadvantages of “pit” content:

  • it is impossible to regulate mating;
  • it is difficult to monitor the condition of individual individuals;
  • difficult to catch animals;
  • there is a possibility that rabbits will dig under the walls and escape.

Example No. 1 of keeping rabbits in pits
Example No. 2 of keeping rabbits in pits
Example No. 3 of keeping rabbits in pits

For pit-keeping in a rabbitry, a hole with a depth of 1 to 2 meters is dug around the entire perimeter. The floor and walls are concreted to prevent escapes. The resulting hole is filled with sand approximately 20 cm thick, on which a net is laid for easy cleaning. Feeders and drinking bowls are placed inside, and you can let rabbits in.

According to a number of farmers, pit farming is the best option, since it is as close as possible to the natural living conditions of rabbits. It is believed that the characteristics of meat from rabbits living underground are much better. However, despite all the advantages, organizing such housing is associated with a number of difficulties. dealing with rabbits in pits in .

All-season option with insulated compartments

The climate of Russia is such that in most of its territory the winter is too cold for keeping rodents outdoors or in uninsulated rooms. Therefore, to successfully keep rabbits, you need to think about insulation. There are two options here, and to achieve the best result they must be combined. Either heat the rabbitry or insulate the compartments themselves in which the animals are kept.

The temperature in the place where they are kept should not fall below -5. The ideal range for this time of year is considered to be from +5 to +15-20 degrees. Approaching the upper threshold of the specified range is most desirable; in warm conditions, rabbits reproduce well and gain weight. This will help prevent seasonal “breaks” in this type of business.

In the queen cell, the temperature should not fall below 10 degrees, otherwise the rabbits may die, or, under the best circumstances, they will lag significantly behind in development, and the farmer will spend more on maintaining the young than he will ultimately make a profit. It must be taken into account that rabbits are born naked and are very sensitive to cold. Although the female herself takes care of heating the cubs and insulating the nest, both mole rats, and rabbits that have already grown up and have grown fur - low temperatures, everything is exactly harmful. Systematic freezing leads to slow growth and poor weight gain, as well as decreased immunity.

Russian rabbit breeders came up with an original way to insulate compartments. A “pocket” made of thick plywood is attached to the bottom of the compartment, into which an EG-1 (or other) electric heating pad is placed. Using a transformer, if necessary, the heating pad is switched to a reduced mode, thereby heating the floor of the cage.

Basic principles to follow when setting up a rabbitry

Regardless of the chosen design of the rabbitry and cages, there are certain sanitary and hygienic standards that must be observed. In particular, there are certain standards for lighting, temperature and ventilation of cells. When creating a rabbitry, they must be adhered to.


Types and sizes of cells

From description large structures Let's move on to small ones, that is, to cells. They can be used either autonomously, to keep one or two animals separately from the rest, or stand in a barn-type rabbitry or be part of a collapsible mini-farm complex.

There are a lot of options for rabbit cages. But they can all be divided into three conditional groups, depending on their purpose.

Queen cells

These are specially designed cages where female rabbits are placed for lambing. There she gives birth and lives with the cubs until they reach twenty days of age.

A distinctive feature is the presence of a nest. It is a box made from scrap materials, such as plywood, and has dimensions of 40 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm.

Rules for building a nest:

  • it is necessary to cut a hole in the nest at a height of at least 10 cm. This is done so that rabbits that are too small cannot get out of the nest;
  • the floor in the queen cell should only be solid;
  • the plywood from which the nest is made rots from the secretions of the animals, so it is necessary to lay a piece of waterproof material on the bottom, for example, a sheet of stainless steel, and on top - a thick layer of straw;
  • the lid is made so that it can be raised and lowered (it is best to place it on furniture hinges);
  • if the queen cell will be standing outside or in a cold room in winter period, you need to take care of heating (you can use a cheap and proven heating method: an infrared lamp placed in a special compartment).

Two-section cage with hay for adults

This type of design is good for housing two adult animals. At positive temperatures it is permissible to display it outdoors; at sub-zero temperatures it is recommended to use it indoors, including heated ones.

The two-section cage is wooden box 1.4 - 2 m long, 0.5 to 0.7 m high and 0.5-0.7 m wide. The upper, lower, side and rear walls are made solid. For this purpose, it is best to use structures made of sanded, unpainted boards knocked down without cracks, but other solutions are also possible, for example, from fine mesh or tin. In the last two cases, it is worth taking care of a rigid, strong frame that will support the entire structure.

Drinkers and feeders are placed along the edges, so that animals cannot climb into them with their paws.

Two-section cages can also be made multi-tiered. This will help to use the rabbitry area more efficiently.

Video - DIY two-section cage

Cage with nest

This option is a little more complicated to make, but allows the rabbit to lead a more natural lifestyle. In this case, the cell is divided into two compartments with a hole between them. The smaller compartment is insulated with hay and serves as a nest.

Group cells

Aviaries for young animals 3-6 months, also called group cells. Animals can be either different-sex or same-sex. Please note that uncastrated males may begin to show aggression towards each other early, in which case they must be placed in individual compartments. The typical dimensions of this cage are 120 by 50 by 40 cm.

How to create a blueprint for a rabbitry

Of course, you can make a drawing of an individual cage or a whole rabbitry yourself, or simply adjust any of the above options to your size. Main parameter What you need to know is the number of rabbits that you plan to keep in the cage.

  • One young animal requires a minimum of 0.1-0.2 m2. For a comfortable stay, this norm should be increased to 0.5 m2. Males that are planned to be allowed to breed need 2 times more space.
  • An adult animal needs at least half a meter free space. Ideally, a meter to be able to move fully.
  • For large breed rabbits, these standards need to be increased. The dimensions should be such that the animal can freely stretch out to its full length along the cage without resting its body against the walls, and can sit without touching the lid with its ears.
  • The queen cell must have a separate nest. His standard sizes- 40 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm.

When the dimensions are determined, you can begin the drawing. You should start by drawing out the top view: draw a rectangle of the required dimensions, if necessary, divide it into sections. Then, all elements are indicated on the drawing: partitions, doors, manholes, feeders, etc. Dimensions are indicated everywhere. Based on the top view, a side view is drawn. The imaginary cut should pass through the most technologically complex section, for example, along the nest of the queen cell. The sizes must match. You can draw the view from below, paying particular attention to the legs and support structure.

Nuances in making a rabbitry

If this is your first time building a cage, here are a few tips that will come in handy. They are not obvious to new farmers and will help to avoid mistakes.


Watching a video, where you can personally observe the construction process by professionals, also helps to avoid mistakes.

Video - Step-by-step construction of a rabbit cage

Tools and materials

To build a rabbitry you don’t need anything particularly rare or expensive. Of the tools, the usual ones are enough construction kit. Having a welding machine will be a plus.

Prices for popular models of jigsaws

Jigsaw

Usually, clapboard, timber or ordinary boards are used for construction. It’s just not recommended to use them; rabbits chew through the wood. Therefore, it is combined with the following materials:

Let's look at what materials the parts for creating cells are made from.

  • Frame. It is made from wooden blocks.
  • Side and back walls. They are made from thick boards. There are recommendations to make walls from plywood, but this should not be done. Plywood is less durable, it warps from moisture, delaminates and bubbles, and, most importantly, rabbits quickly chew through it.
  • Front wall. Made from fine mesh. Iron mesh can only be used if it is painted or coated, otherwise it will rust.

  • Floor. It is made of fine mesh or boards packed in parallel.
  • Roof. Made from wood, roofing felt, slate. But corrugated sheeting can be used exclusively for covering cages standing under a canopy or indoors - it gets very hot in the sun.

How to choose a place

Regardless of whether you want to build a building, a mini-farm, or just put a few cages under a canopy, you need to start by choosing a suitable location.

Accepted in Russian Federation building codes allowed to build on personal plot outbuilding area 15 sq. m. and a building for keeping farm animals or poultry with an area of ​​40 square meters. m. The residential building must be located at a distance of at least 15 m from the two above-mentioned buildings.

Additionally, you need to take care of the following:


Even if there is no place on your personal plot that fully satisfies all these conditions, try to get as close to the ideal as possible. Minor discrepancies are not critical.

Prices for various types of timber

Step-by-step instructions for creating a rabbitry for beginners

At first glance, it seems that such a structure is very difficult to build on your own, but this is just an illusion. Even for a delitant it is quite possible to make a rabbitry on your own, spending from several hours to several days on it.

If you decide to build a rabbitry with your own hands, the algorithm of actions should be as follows.

Step 1. Using the above tips, choose a place for your future rabbitry, decide on its size, layout, and material for construction.

Step 2. Build the cage frame according to the dimensions in the drawing. It can be wooden or metal. If several cells stand side by side, the frame should be solid.

Step 3. Using a carpenter's square and level, attach the shelf and upper frame to the frame;

Step 4. The bottom and lid are assembled on a frame made of wooden beams or cut separately from thick plywood. In the latter case, it is necessary to cut holes for the legs at the corners.

Step 5. The bottom and lid are attached to the frame.

Step 6. A mesh is nailed to the door. Attach it to the frame with furniture dowels.

We nail the frame, which will later contain the mesh.

Shchag 7. Cover the sides of the cage with mesh or boards. The mesh is cut with metal scissors and placed on the screws with a screwdriver.

Prices for popular models of screwdrivers

Screwdrivers

Watching a video of the manufacturing process will also help with construction.

Video - Do-it-yourself rabbit cage from professionals

This video shows in detail all stages of construction, gives useful tips for beginners.

As you can see from the article, making a rabbitry with your own hands is quite possible even for a beginner. You just need to strictly follow the advice, and everything will work out.

Raising rabbits is a very profitable and not particularly difficult activity. They do not need special care or unusual conditions of detention, which is why you can have a couple of eared animals on your summer cottage.

Raises rabbits a large number of beginning farmers. And first of all, what is worth getting are cages for domestic rabbits. They are not only available for purchase, but you can easily make cages for rabbits with your own hands.

These eared animals do not require special conditions. It is for this reason that you don’t have to buy cages: you can build them yourself. Pros of homemade houses:

Advantages of factory cages:

  1. Perfect design taking into account necessary conditions for the life of domestic rabbits
  2. The structure contains drinking bowls, trays, feeders and nests.
  3. They are constantly in the process of improvement, the designs are becoming more complex: when purchasing a factory cage, a farmer can be absolutely sure that this equipment is modern.

But purchasing ready-made cells enough expensive pleasure , whereas homemade cells for rabbits - budget-friendly.

Types of rabbit cages

If you seriously want to raise rabbits, you need to build not one room, but several. To provide housing for rabbits, you need build a whole complex. It is installed both outdoors and in a barn - it depends on natural conditions region.

You can develop designs for rabbit cages yourself, or you can also find them on the Internet or in a magazine.

Cages for keeping males. Males need to be housed in individual houses. This should be done in order to avoid fights, competition for food, and unplanned mating. The size of the cage should not interfere with the free movement of the rabbit. If males live in crowded conditions, they will soon become lazy and obese. Such consequences can affect reproductive function: rabbits will not produce offspring.

Cells for keeping female rabbits with cubs. Such cages should be spacious. They are lined up in one tier and consist of two compartments - the main one and the uterine one. In order to prevent the baby rabbits from freezing in winter, it is necessary to insulate the uterine compartment.

Cages for raising baby rabbits. These cages will house rabbits that have reached the age of 2-3 months and have not gained the required weight when fed with a female rabbit. To give the female the opportunity to have new offspring, the grown-up rabbits are placed in a separate cage and fattened until they reach a suitable weight.

Raising rabbits is a profitable and uncomplicated activity. These animals do not require special care and exceptional living conditions, so 2-3 long-eared fluffies can be placed in a summer cottage or even in an apartment.

Many novice farmers are involved in breeding rabbits. And the first thing you should purchase for a rabbit farm is cages.

Rabbits are animals that do not require special conditions content. That’s why you don’t have to buy houses for them: you can make them yourself.

Advantages of handmade houses:

  • during construction, all the features of the premises, its location and conditions of maintenance are taken into account;
  • the costs of setting up a rabbit farm are significantly reduced;
  • self-production cells will help avoid defects, which are often allowed at the factory.

An example of a homemade house in the photo.

Advantages of factory cages:

  • ideal design, which provides optimal conditions for the life of animals;
  • the structure is equipped with nests, drinking bowls, feeders, trays;
  • Factory products are constantly being improved, their designs are becoming more complex: by purchasing a ready-made cage, a farmer can be sure that he will become the owner of modern equipment.

Factory houses are shown in the photo.

Advice! Buying ready-made cages will cost a considerable amount, while making rabbit housing yourself is a very budget-friendly undertaking.

Cell types

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

  • for fattening rabbits;
  • for keeping female rabbits with cubs;
  • for males.

To provide housing for rabbits, you need to build an entire “residential complex”. It can be installed both outdoors and in a barn: it all depends on the natural conditions of a particular region. You can develop drawings for creating cells yourself or find ready-made ones in specialized magazines and on the Internet.

Cages for males

Males are housed in separate houses. This avoids fights, competition 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 can affect reproductive function: rabbits will stop producing offspring.

Houses for rabbits with rabbits should be spacious enough. They are located in one tier and consist of two compartments: the main and uterine. To prevent the babies from freezing in winter, the uterine compartment must be thoroughly insulated.

Rabbits at the age of 2–3 months are placed in such houses if they were unable to gain the required weight while living with their mother. To give the female the opportunity to give birth to new rabbits, the grown-up babies are placed in a separate room and fattened to the desired weight.

Types of cells

Now there are a lot of modifications, but the most popular design for keeping rabbits is still a two-section cage.

You can make a house for adult animals with your own hands. 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 beams house frame. It should be rectangular; its dimensions are equal to the length and width of the future product.
  2. Place the house on its legs. To do this, take 4 beams: 2 of them should 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 beams, the back - by shorter ones (a difference of 10–15 is enough cm). Screw them to rectangular base so that it rises 30 cm above the floor. These will be the legs.
  3. Attach galvanized mesh to the rectangular floor base so that it covers the middle part of the room. Leave a space of 35–40 cm long on each side for nesting compartments. Cover the floor in the nests with plywood suitable size so that it slightly grabs the mesh.
  4. Install the side and back walls of plywood and complete the frame of the house. To do this, secure 1 long beam at the very top between the front side beams.
  5. Separate the nesting compartments from the rest of the room with slats. Install dividers between these slats and the back wall: plywood sheets with holes cut in them. The holes are needed to allow rabbits to move freely between the nesting and feeding compartments. Attach a roof to each nest.
  6. Divide the room into 2 sections with a cross beam. Make feeders out of plywood and screw them on opposite sides of the dividing strip.
  7. To ensure that the bottom holds well, turn the structure over and secure the mesh with nails and slats.
  8. Make a bunker for feeders from 4 sheets of plywood, which should be slightly higher in height smaller house. The hopper should look like a "V" and expand towards the top. Attach it between the feeders so that after pouring the food from this funnel can be easily fed into the feeders.
  9. Closer to the back wall, make a manger for rougher food: hay and grass. Their width should be 30 cm. To make it convenient for rabbits to pull out blades of grass from there, make walls of wire rods on both sides.
  10. Attach a 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 pull out to add food. For convenience, attach a wooden or metal handle to it.
  11. Attach doors made from slats to the front wall. Stretch the mesh between the slats. The nesting compartments can be left without external holes, or they can have solid wooden doors.

Drawings for making such cells are easy to find.

Houses for three-month-old rabbits

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

Stages of work:

  1. The frame of the house is made in the same way as the frame of double cages for adult animals. However, there is no need to divide the room into two sections. The cage will consist of nesting and feeding compartments. In this case, the nesting compartment should be 1.5 times smaller than the aft compartment.
  2. Cover the floor of the nesting compartment with wood planks and separate it from the feeding compartment with a plywood wall with a hole for the movement of animals. Outer wall nests need to be made of plywood.
  3. Gender and facade part the aft compartment is made of mesh. In the front part you need to attach a door made of slats.
  4. Place a feeder along the entire length of the feed compartment. It should be positioned in such a way that part of it is in the cage, and part is outside (for the convenience of laying hay). It is made of mesh so that it is convenient for animals to pull out the grass. It is better to raise the feeder 3-4 cm above the floor so that the food is not contaminated with waste from the baby rabbits.
Advice! Up to 12 animals can be kept in such a cage at the same time.

There are ready-made drawings for making such cells.

Two-tier (three-tier) shed

Two-tier and three-tier structures are made according to the same scheme as two-section houses for adult rabbits. But in this case, several cells are located above each other in tiers.

Stages of making a two-tier shed:

  1. Make 3 rectangular frames. They will become the floor and roof of future cells.
  2. Secure them onto long beams. Connect the first rectangle to the beams so that legs 30 cm high remain below. Fix the next rectangle at a height of 50 cm above the previous one, the third at a height of 10 cm above the second.
  3. Attach a galvanized mesh to the first and third rectangles, which will serve as the floor for the aft compartment. Equip both houses in the same way as a regular two-section cell.
  4. The second rectangle will serve as both a roof for the lower house and a pallet 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 poured through the mesh.

In this way, you can make not only a two-tier, but also a three-tier shed. If you make several of these structures, you will have a real rabbit farm.

What a multi-tiered structure for keeping rabbits might look like can be seen in the photo.

House for a rabbit with a nest

To make a house for a rabbit with a nest with your own hands, you need to take into account some of the features of this structure. The house for the rabbit is built separately from other buildings. It would be good if it was portable so that animals could be moved from the street to the barn.

Stages of work:

  1. Put together a frame for the house, make the back wall and sides from plywood. This structure should have two compartments: the main and the uterine.
  2. For each of them, make a separate door: to the compartment for the rabbit - from a mesh, to the queen cell - from plywood or thin boards.
  3. To prevent the baby rabbits from freezing, insulate the queen cell. It is advisable to make it a double floor, walls and roof, in the space between which you need to lay insulation: polystyrene foam, straw or any other material. If winters are very cold, then a “warm floor” system is suitable: a heating pad is placed between two floor levels. The wire from the unit is routed outside so that the animals do not gnaw it.
  4. The roof is covered with water-repellent material.

The photo shows what a house for a rabbit with a baby should look like.

Do you need a house with a walk?

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

You can make a walking area with your own hands. Behind the cage you need to equip a large enclosure. Its frame is made of wooden slats, and the walls are covered with a dense mesh. It is better to place the aviary on sunny side: Rabbits spend most of their lives in dark cages, and they simply need the sun.

Advice! If your farm is safe enough for rabbits to graze on grass, then run houses can be made without legs. Then the animals will be able to eat pasture. And when the grass in the enclosure runs out, the rabbit’s home can simply be moved to another place. If on a farm there is a possibility that mice, cats or martens will get into the enclosure, then the enclosure will be equipped on stilts.

What is the advantage of cages with walking? The thing is, rabbits need space to run around. If they have the opportunity to be in the fresh air and periodically stretch their paws, they will get sick less, gain weight faster and reproduce more actively. In addition, the fur of such animals will be much fluffier and shiny than that of their sedentary relatives.

A house with a walk can be like in the photo.

Place for a house

The choice of location for the house depends on the climatic conditions of the region. If winter frosts are very rare in your region, then rabbit houses can be safely placed outside. However, it is worth choosing a place where there are no drafts and excessive humidity: rabbits are susceptible to colds.

Advice! You can keep rabbits in indoors, however perfect option– combined content: in summer, rabbit houses are displayed on Fresh air, and in winter they go back to the barn or house.

If you are installing shad cages, it is advisable to arrange them in two rows and turn the facades towards each other. An adult must pass freely between the rows.

Rabbits do not like intense lighting, but if the houses are located in a barn, then the room should be equipped with several lamps. They should illuminate the rabbit's home for 8-10 hours a day.

Materials

To make cells with your own hands, it is recommended to use the following materials:

  • wood (beams, slats, plywood);
  • galvanized mesh with small size cells (it depends on the size of the rabbits);
  • plastic for finishing work;
  • slate or tiles for the roof if the cage will be located outside.
Advice! All wooden parts of the product must be well sanded, and the edges of the galvanized mesh must be tightly nailed to the surface. Rabbits are delicate creatures that can easily be injured by poorly processed parts of their home.

For arrangement rabbit cells It is not recommended to use metal. Under the rays of the sun, this material heats up greatly, and in the cold season it freezes. In such a home, rabbits will feel uncomfortable, begin to get sick and stop breeding.

Tools

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

  • hammer;
  • roulette;
  • wood hacksaw;
  • plane;
  • scissors for cutting mesh;
  • pliers;
  • nails, screws, self-tapping screws, corners;
  • screwdriver and screwdriver;
  • sandpaper.

Cage dimensions

The size of rabbit cages depends on the size of the animals. A single cage for a male rabbit should have a width of at least 0.6 m and a length of 0.8–1.1 m. If the rabbits are large, then the size of the section should be increased. One rabbit weighing more than 5 kg requires a room with a length of 1.3 to 1.5 m.

The size of the room for young animals depends on the number of rabbits. They can be placed in groups of 5–8, and with compact planting - 12 individuals per house. The width of the cells in this case should be 1 m, the height should be from 0.35 to 0.6 m, and the length should be 2–3 m.

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

Having studied these simple recommendations, you can easily equip your rabbit farm. If you make houses for animals yourself, the enterprise will cost a small amount. And rabbits bring considerable income: after all, not only the tender meat of these animals is valued, but also their wool and manure.