You can not only buy cages for breeding rabbits, but you can also make them yourself. The main thing is that the “home” for furry animals is as comfortable as possible, then the animals will grow quickly and gain weight well. Cages for domestic rabbits come in a wide variety, to suit every taste and budget.

What should the design be?

There are a huge variety of cells available for sale. The design can be either single-tiered or consisting of two or more tiers. Here are the basic requirements for the design of any dwelling for rabbits:

Cages consisting of several tiers have another name - “sheds”. Sheds intended for breeding, keeping young animals and adult animals have minor differences in design. But the general principle remains unchanged: the space is divided into zones using cells separated from each other by partitions. The number of tiers depends on the number of rabbits. Additional insulation is placed on the bottom. All wooden elements and accessories must be made from the strongest types of wood so that animals do not chew through them.

When choosing cells industrial production You should not buy European houses, you should give preference to domestic ones, since other breeds of rabbits are bred in Europe, and housing for animals is made according to different standards. It is better to buy simple housing designed for Russian livestock farmers, or to construct cages yourself, for example, using the Zolotukhin method.

The size of the cage for rabbits is calculated depending on the breed and number of livestock.

Types of cells

It happens that a person has long decided to breed rabbits, but cannot choose a place to keep them. A novice rabbit breeder can easily become confused by the abundance of different types of cages. As a rule, in Russian farms the following varieties are used:

• Cages intended for breeding females;
• Premises for raising young animals until they reach sexual maturity;
• “houses” for adults;
• Premises equipped with an enclosure with the possibility of walking;

Each species has its own loyal supporters. Also, completely special cages are made for animals belonging to the Giant and Californian breeds. Depending on who exactly the home is intended for, the cells have different size and various internal organization. You can make a cage of any kind yourself using drawings and diagrams from the Internet. Also good ideas for beginner rabbit breeders, you can learn from the old Soviet magazines “Homestead Farming”.

Author's cell designs are also very popular. Among them, it should be noted cages made according to the Mikhailov method and housing for animals “according to Zolotukhin”. These cages for rabbits are much more convenient and compact than store-bought ones.

Cells designed by N. I. Zolotukhin

Cages developed by N.I. Zolotukhin are very popular among domestic farmers. Here are their main distinguishing features:

• The animal housing consists of three tiers;
• There are 6 rabbits living in one cage;
• The floor is made of wood or slate, there is no mesh on the floor, and there is also no tray;
• The mother liquor can be removed and moved from place to place.

Animal houses made according to this model are compact, inexpensive, and can be easily made with your own hands from scrap materials. They are also very easy to clean, which makes caring for your animals much easier. Such “houses” would be appropriate both on a small farm and on a farmstead with a large livestock. Making cells using the Zolotukhin method at home will not take much time if you have basic carpenter and carpenter skills.

Cells designed by N. I. Zolotukhin

Sheds for rabbits

Translated from English, the word “shed” means barn. A shed, in essence, is a structure of two to three tiers of cages installed under one common canopy. Here are the main features of the shads:

• Base made of metal or durable wood;
• Mesh cells;
• Dimensions 60x3 m;
• Automatic supply of food and liquid for animals.

One shed is designed for 500 individuals, but if the rabbit breeder builds it with his own hands, the dimensions may be different, it all depends on the number of livestock. Shad provides good protection from wind and sun; in cages of this type it is easy to maintain the required temperature and humidity. This is a truly universal home, suitable for both young animals and adults.

Important! If the shad is located on the street, the canopy must be especially strong so that street dust does not get into the houses.

Aviaries

An aviary is, in fact, not even a cage, but just a place fenced with a chain-link mesh. But, despite its many advantages, the enclosure also has a serious drawback: in enclosure conditions, animals can quickly become infected with dangerous infections from each other. However, many farmers consider an enclosure to be the most convenient home for furry animals. In order to make an enclosure, it is not necessary to search the Internet for drawings and diagrams; it is enough to drive pegs around the perimeter of the area and cover the area where the animals are kept with a strong mesh with small cells. But still, sheds for rabbits are better than enclosures, especially in regions with cold climates.

Awnings

Many rabbit breeders successfully keep their livestock under a shed. The canopy allows you to keep animals on fresh air, but at the same time the rabbits will be reliably protected from rain, wind and sun. The following requirements apply to the canopy:

You should also provide in advance the possibility of ventilation and protection from drafts, since rabbits catch cold easily, and a draft can cause mass death of livestock. The design of the canopy should be the simplest, but reliable. You shouldn’t look for industrial-made canopies on sale, since making them yourself will cost much less.

Bunk cages

If the livestock is small, cages consisting of two tiers are well suited for keeping animals. Below are their main features:

To make it easy to remove droppings, you can create an additional gap between the two “floors”. A litter tray is placed in this gap. If the house for rabbits will be located in a garage or shed, it is enough to cover it with a chain-link mesh. If the cage will be placed on the street, it must have solid walls. The outside of the tree can be treated with a composition that is resistant to moisture and mold. Structures consisting of two tiers are suitable for keeping rabbits of any breed, including giants. The main thing is to clean the premises regularly, otherwise the animals will often get sick and may die.

On a note! Two-tier dwellings are also suitable for keeping nutria.

Cages for rabbits with queen cell

During the calving period, females require increased attention. At this time, female rabbits can be aggressive, so they should be kept separately. For this purpose, special cells with queen cells are used. The design of such a house is by no means original and represents a kind of “nest” for a mother and newborn children. The little rabbit should feel as comfortable as possible. They differ in the following features:

• The room is equipped with a separate area for giving birth and feeding the cubs;
• Sawdust is suitable as insulation. The main thing is that they are out of the reach of animals;
• If the cell is spacious enough, the queen cell is placed inside;
• If the cage is crowded, a cobblestone base is attached to the front wall, which is then covered with mesh.

In regions with cold weather, an additional heating source can be installed under the floor. The main thing is to follow the rules fire safety. If the female is kept outdoors, the cage must have a canopy. Inside, complete absence is desirable metal parts and accessories.

If a farmer needs a cage for a female rabbit with a queen cell, the size of the home depends on the “dimensions” of a particular female. The main thing is that the rabbit should feel spacious and not cramped.

Cells with queen cell

Materials for making cells

To make a home for rabbits with your own hands, you can use almost any material. Which material to choose depends on financial opportunities farmer Plastic will be the cheapest, metal and wood will be more expensive. At the moment, domestic farmers prefer the following options:

• Wood combined with chain-link mesh;
• Polycarbonate, which is also used for greenhouses and greenhouses;
• Metal;
• Plastic.

If a metal mesh is used in the design, it must be secured using slats made of wood or plastic.

Important! All parts made of wood that are inside the cage must be free of sharp corners and jagged edges so that the animals cannot injure themselves. Do not use flammable materials, such as certain types of plastic.

Wood or mesh is usually used for the floor. Wood retains heat well, and mesh floors are easy to clean. Metal is not used to make the floor, otherwise the animals will be cold. If animals are kept outdoors, wooden walls can be galvanized for insulation and as protection from moisture.

How to choose a grid

Rabbit netting is one of the main expenses of a new farmer. Choosing a mesh for making a “house” is not easy. Here are the basic requirements that must be met:

• The strength of the material from which the mesh is made;
• Small cell size;
• The mesh must be securely fastened;
• It is advisable that metal fittings are not used for fastening.

Important! Chain-linking is not used to make a roof, because even the smallest cells will let precipitation in.

The mesh is used not only for finishing walls and fencing enclosures, but also for making floors. Thanks to the mesh floor, droppings will easily fall through the cells, making cleaning much easier.

It is better to buy cage mesh in specialized stores for livestock breeders and farmers.

Features of cell location

Rabbits are quite vulnerable animals, so their health and development largely depends on where the cage is located. Here are the basic requirements for the place where animals are kept:

If all the above requirements are taken into account, the animals will grow well and gain weight quickly. Also, cages and enclosures should not be located in close proximity to where dogs are kept, since rabbits are shy animals, and dogs have a pronounced hunting instinct. If the dog suddenly breaks free from the chain, he will certainly want to feast on rabbit meat, so you should not deliberately provoke the dog by placing animals near him.

For those who are just starting to breed furry rodents, it is best to use industrial cages. More experienced farmers can easily construct simple houses on their own, using available materials and drawings.

Many novice farmers wonder where to start raising rabbits. None special costs this activity will not require. First of all, it is necessary to arrange a place of residence for eared animals, prepare cages, drinking bowls, and feeders. All this can be easily done with your own hands. The main thing is to choose suitable design and size for the cage, prepare drawings, necessary tools and building materials.

First of all, you need to decide on the sizes. The most common are double designs with two separate sections. There are other types of cages: single-section, group for young rabbits, three sections or for a rabbit with babies. There are also original designs: from farmer Zolotukhin, from breeder Tsvetkov. Based on what will be built, materials are selected.

First of all, you need to decide on the type of cell, and then purchase the material.

Necessary tools for construction:

• hacksaw;
• hammer;
• corner;
• pliers;
• plane;
• screwdriver.

Any design requires a frame, walls, floor, ceiling and door. Most often, wood and metal mesh are used to construct cages. Each cell of such a grid should be no more than 2*2 cm and at least 16*47 mm in diameter (depending on the age and weight of the rabbits).

The minimum set of materials includes:

• large sheets of plywood;
• slate;
• screws and nails;
• bars;
• slats;
• durable galvanized mesh (with small cells).

To make the door, curtains and latches, as well as feeders and drinking bowls are additionally purchased.

The wood must be well sanded and sanded, and the ends of the mesh must be securely fastened. Be sure to remove all sharp edges so that the animal does not get hurt. It is better to cover all protruding wooden parts inside the cage with tin. Rabbits love to chew on wood to wear down their teeth. Therefore, you need to put twigs in their feeder more often. The walls and roof can be made of plywood and mesh, and thick blocks of wood are chosen for the main frame.

Attention. If the cage is located in an open space, on the street, then without good roofing materials not enough. But metal roof It's not worth doing. In the summer, the sun will become very hot, which will lead to heatstroke in rabbits.

Most often, rabbit cages are made of wood and mesh.

The frame is made of thick bars, the length of which depends on the location of the cage. If it is installed outdoors, then the length of the frame legs should not be less than 80-100 cm. For a cage standing indoors, 35-40 cm in length is sufficient.

Sizes and types of cells

First of all, you need to find or do it yourself, correct drawing. It is important to remember that one cage is not enough to breed rabbits. You need to build three or four at once.

The average dimensions of a standard cage are:

• length 120-140 cm;
• width 70-80 cm;
• height 40-50 cm.

For young rabbits, a length of about 90 cm is sufficient, and other parameters can remain the same. It is customary to allocate at least 0.7 square meters per adult animal. m. area, for young animals - 0.2 sq. m. m.

There can be several types of cells:

• for young animals;
• for adult rabbits;
• for a female rabbit with offspring;
• for giant rabbits;
• solid wire;
• cells from Zolotukhin;
• cells from Tsvetkov;
• Rabbitax.

It is customary to keep female rabbits and babies together, and a separate house is built for older rabbits.

A standard two-story house for adult rabbits is not difficult to build.

In the drawing it will look like this:

Drawing of a two-tier cage for rabbits.

Cage for young animals

Grown-up rabbits, weaned from their mother, are kept together in groups of 10-20 individuals. When manufacturing cells, they are guided by minimum sizes: total area 300×100 cm and ceiling height 50-60 cm. It is advisable to make the floor in such a house from thin wooden slats, covering them on the side with a metal mesh (1.5 mm thick and cell diameter 15 * 40 mm). You can install a completely mesh floor, but make a separate warm room for the rabbits. In winter, it is carefully insulated with hay and straw.

Important: One rabbit should have at least 0.2-0.3 square meters. m. area.

Some farmers do not make separate housing for young animals, but place them in cages intended for adult animals. In this case, it is calculated how many rabbits can be placed in one cage in order to provide them with comfortable conditions.

For adult rabbits

For medium-sized adult animals, cages with a depth of about 70 cm, a height of 60 cm and a length of at least a meter are suitable. A block design is used here, and each block, in turn, is divided by a grid into two cells. During the mating period, the partition should be removed, combining the two sections into one.

For adult rabbits, you can make a block of cages in 2 or 3 tiers.

You can make a two-tier and three-tier cage. This will be a little more complicated, but it will save space on the site.

Any cage should be equipped separate place for sleeping, eating or walking. To do this, the cage is separated by a plywood partition with a hole (20x20 cm) located at a height of 15 cm from the floor. The sleeping compartment must have a solid wooden door, and the place for eating and walking is mesh. The resting place does not need to be made large. Ideal sizes, approximately 30x60x50 cm.

House for a female rabbit with offspring

You can often hear the opinion that a rabbit with babies needs a separate queen cell only for winter period, and in the summer an ordinary cage is enough. But you need to remember that in an open room, fenced only with a net, the female will be nervous and worried. This can have a negative impact on the health of the offspring. The queen house must have a closed, warm place for the nest and a large space for walking, with a mesh front wall.

This is one of the simplest and most functional options for a house for a female with offspring:

The photo shows a two-tier cage for rabbits with hanging nesting compartments.

The frame is made from strong bars, and the back wall and two side walls are made from plywood. The cage is immediately divided into two sections: a large one for walking and a small one for the nest. For each of them, separate doors are made (mesh and solid wood). The walls, floor and ceiling in the queen cell should be double, according to the sandwich principle. You can lay foam or straw between them. The roof is covered with slate.

House for giant rabbits

Cages for these large animals must be significantly larger than usual. Adults can grow up to 60 cm in length and reach a weight of 7.5 kg.

There are many giant breeds:

• butterfly;
• German Risen;
• grey;
• Belgian;
• ram;
• white;
• Viennese blue.

The minimum dimensions of a house for one rabbit should be as follows:

• height 55-65 cm;
• length 0.9-1.5 m;
• width 70-75 cm.

If possible, it is better to increase the parameters of the home.

For young rabbits, a special group cage is built, 40-50 cm high and about 1.2 square meters in area. m. Considering the considerable weight of the animals, the floor is well strengthened. It is also made from galvanized mesh, only thicker. To prevent such a floor from sagging, a sheathing is made under it from bars located at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.

It is recommended to keep giant rabbits in spacious cages with a solid floor.

Some rabbit breeders install a solid wooden floor in their cages and install plastic trays underneath. But cleaning such a cage will have to be done at least twice a day.

All wire cage

This is the most a budget option rabbit housing, which can be installed both outdoors and indoors. These lightweight and durable cages take up little space and are easy to clean and maintain. To make them, you will need two types of mesh: a larger one for the walls and ceiling (diameter 2.5*5 cm) and a smaller one for the floor (1.5*5 cm). The frame is built from durable timber, with legs 50-70 cm long. In winter, such a structure is placed in an insulated shed, and in summer it is taken outside.

Cages for rabbits from Zolotukhin

The famous breeder N.I. Zolotukhin developed his own, original, simple and inexpensive design of housing for rabbits. There is no need for daily cleaning in the cages, and the animals in them feel comfortable and get sick less.

Zolotukhin's cell is a three-story structure with a sloping plywood floor. The mesh is laid on the floor only on small space against the back wall, without a tray. The second tier is shifted relative to the first by the width of this grid. The third one is located in the same way. The front wall (common to all three floors) forms a slope. Each compartment is equipped with a tilting feeder.

This is what Zolotukhin’s three-tier cage looks like from behind.

To build a cage you will need: wood, straight slate sheets, metal mesh, polycarbonate and tin. A wooden frame, partitions and doors of the queen cell are pre-fabricated. Mesh is used for cage doors and the back of the floor. The floor itself is made of slate, and the back wall is made of polycarbonate. All wooden parts located inside the cage are covered with tin.

Cage dimensions:

• height 150 cm;
• width 200cm;
• depth about 70-80 cm;
• floor slope 6-8 cm;
• mesh width in front of the back wall is 15-20 cm;
• door size 40*40 cm.

Each floor is divided by a partition into two sections, and between them there is space for a hay barn.

Cells from Tsvetkov

Experienced farmer A. A. Tsvetkov proposed the idea of ​​a two-story mini-farm for rabbits, consisting of 4 separate sections. Distinctive feature Such cages are: two gravity feeders, two mounted queen cells, original ventilation and manure removal systems.

The frame is built from coniferous timber and must be painted with white nitro paint. To make a hay barn, moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 8 mm is suitable. The inside of the hay barn is lined with metal mesh, which also acts as a door in each section.

The photo shows rabbit cages made according to the drawings of farmer Tsvetkov.

All wooden parts sheathe sheet metal, the cone for collecting manure is covered with slate mastic. For the roof you can use slate or roofing felt. The water in the drinking bowls is heated using a boiler.

Rabbitax cells

Rabbitax cells come in different designs and modifications. The simplest ones are small two-section options. There are also environmental models based on air flow redirection technology.

There are even real farms for Rabbits rabbits, in which more than 25 individuals live and breed at the same time. You can find a huge number of varieties of such cells on sale. You can make Rabbitax yourself. You can take the drawings of rabbit breeder I. N. Mikhailov as a basis.

Rules for making a cage

In order for the rabbits to be comfortable and comfortable in the new house, during construction you need to follow a few simple rules:

• all wooden protruding parts inside the cage are covered with tin;
• It is better to use slate for roofing;
• Antiseptics, varnishes and impregnations cannot be used;
• for the floor, take a mesh with cells with a diameter of 1 * 2.5 cm to 2.5 * 2.5;
• the frame is built from durable wooden beams (at least 5*5 cm);
• The back wall of the cage is made of plywood.

The floor in rabbit cages is made of wooden slats or mesh.

How to build a rabbit hutch

When a drawing has been selected, materials and tools have been prepared, construction can begin. First you need to assemble a frame from timber and lay a mesh floor. In outdoor conditions, the floor will have to be insulated and there will be removable trays underneath (for cleaning).

Next, install the back wall made of plywood. It should be lower than the front one. It is also advisable to make the side walls of plywood. In a double cage, a hay barn is set up in the middle. And the front wall can be made of mesh, with a door. If the cage will always be located outside, then it is worth taking care of an insulated compartment for sleeping. Sloping roof covered with slate.

What do we place inside the cage?

The internal contents of the cell may vary. It depends on who will live in it. So, for a female rabbit with babies, it is necessary to arrange special queen cells and nesting compartments. When keeping young animals in groups, warm nesting rooms will also be needed. Often special indoor enclosures for walking are set up for them. Each cage must have bunkers, drinking bowls, feeders, and hay barns.

It is advisable to place the feeder and drinker outside the cage so that the rabbit cannot chew them.

Choosing a place to install the cage

Before you begin construction, it is important to decide on the placement of the cage. This should be a comfortable place, protected from draft winds. You should not install a rabbit house on the south side, because in summer the animals will suffer from the heat. It is necessary to strictly observe the size of the cage, depending on the breed and number of rabbits. For ease of cleaning, the cages have a removable roof.

If the animals live on the street all year round, then it is better to make the floor from wood in the form of a retractable tray. And then stuff the sheathing of slats on top. Feeders and drinkers can be removable. The walls and ceiling are insulated with foam plastic, and a heated floor is installed in the uterine compartment.

We offer video instructions for viewing that will help you build cages for rabbits with your own hands.

You can build cages for rabbits with your own hands from available materials: unnecessary boards, plywood, chipboard, slate, bricks, metal cutting, tin, etc. The design of the cages also varies, but it is better to choose one that will not take you a lot of time to make and will be convenient for feeding rabbits, inspecting them and regular cleaning.

Types of cages for rabbits and possible materials for DIY work

Not all types of cages can be made with your own hands, but many of them can definitely be made if you know the sizes, have drawings and basic skills. So, what types of houses for the eared tribe exist?

By size and height:

• simple one tier,
• bunk,
• three-tiered,
• multi-tiered.

For which rabbits:

• for young animals,
• females,
• decorative,
• giants and dwarfs, etc.

What materials can it be made from:

• tree,
• metal (iron, etc.),
• metal profile, etc.

Options can be both summer and winter. There are types for keeping outdoors or in an apartment. They can be monolithic or portable, especially if the rabbits are dwarf and kept at home. The houses can also be fattening houses. There are also industrial buildings, but we will not talk about them.

Some options for homemade rabbit houses in the photo

Wooden with mesh
Combined wood and mesh
From metal profiles and wood using sect
Made of wood

Drawings with dimensions of some types of cells

2 tiers
Mikhailov's cage
Simple scheme
Zolotukhin cell

General step-by-step instructions for making it at home

To start rabbit farming, you don’t need any special investments: you can easily make cheap cages for rabbits, drinkers and feeders yourself, hay and branches can be prepared in the summer, root crops and vegetables can be taken from your own garden. The main expenses will be required only for concentrated feed.

Each cage should contain rabbits of the same sex, approximately the same age, weight and temperament

It is recommended to place adult rabbits and female rabbits with offspring in one- or two-section cages. Standard sizes correct cells for rabbits: length about 100-120 cm, height 50 cm, width about 70 cm. It is better to keep young animals in a group cage, the size of which corresponds to the number of rabbits. For example, for ten little rabbits, a house with the same height and width as indicated above, but up to 170 cm in length, is suitable. It should be remembered that rabbits of the same sex, approximately the same age, weight and temperament should live in each cage.

Even novice rabbit breeders will find it easy to figure out how to build a rabbit cage consisting of two sections.

Step-by-step production of cages for rabbits:

When keeping rabbits outdoors, the cages should be installed on bars so that they rise seventy centimeters above the ground. This will protect the lop-eared ones from rodents and pets, and it will be much more convenient to maintain the houses. By constructing a cage from scrap materials, you get an original house for your pets for almost free.

Other options for rabbit houses

If the proposed tips do not adequately describe the picture of the upcoming work, you should pay attention to the most popular types of cages for keeping and breeding rabbits. They are used by experienced farmers.

Family block - three-section cage

Making a three-section cage for rabbits may seem a little more complicated, the drawings of which are presented in the tab with photographs. But in such family blocks it is very convenient to breed rabbits: the breeding rabbit lives in the central compartment of the cage, and the females live on the sides. Wooden partitions Between the compartments, the cages have manholes with plywood latches, designed to make it easy to place females for mating with a male and return them back to their compartments.

It is very convenient to raise rabbits in such family blocks

The frame can be made from bars, and the side walls, back, nest compartments with doors and partitions can be made from wide lining. A metal mesh is used for the front wall. In nesting compartments, it is advisable to provide an attic - free space between the ceiling and common roof, where female rabbits can rest from their offspring. An additional convenience of the design is the thoughtful arrangement of feeders and drinkers - the food and water in them are not contaminated, and they can be filled from the outside.

Mikhailov's mini-farms - an easy way to raise little rabbits

One of the most effective ways of breeding rabbits is Mikhailov’s mini-farms, which provide intensive breeding of animals with minimal care from the rabbit breeder. The thoughtful design of Mikhailov's cages provides for automatic cleaning and provision of food for rabbits, heating of water in drinking bowls to the required temperature (which is especially important in winter), and heating of the queen cell to increase the survival rate of newborn rabbits.

Not every rabbit breeder can make Mikhailov cages with his own hands. But if you wish, you can collect complex design according to a scheme that you can easily find on the Internet.

Correct houses according to Zolotukhin’s method

The famous rabbit breeder Nikolai Ivanovich Zolotukhin has been successfully breeding rabbits for several decades; such impressive experience helped him develop his own concept of keeping rabbits at home.

Their design is quite simple, and their production requires materials that are found in almost everyone’s household.

Features of Zolotukhin cells:

• the floor in the cages is made solid of slate or boards;
• there are no pallets;
• a narrow strip of mesh flooring is provided only along the rear walls of the cages;
• the rear walls are made at an angle so that the waste of rabbits from the upper tier does not fall on the rabbits of the lower tier;
• there are no special queen cells - the female rabbit arranges the nest herself before giving birth;
• There are grain feeders attached to the doors, which can easily be turned outward for filling.

After watching the video in the tab to the article, you will understand how to make cages for rabbits of the same type as Nikolai Ivanovich Zolotukhin. Moreover, their design is quite simple, and their production requires materials that are found in almost everyone’s household.

How to make your own cages for dwarf rabbits

If you decide to have rabbits at home as pets, the issue with cages will be resolved differently. In pet stores you can now find a variety of cages for decorative rabbits, but you don’t have to spend money on buying them - making a cage for a small pet rabbit will take very little time.

A cage for a dwarf rabbit is made from two side walls 70x70 cm and back wall 55 cm high, 100 cm long. The back wall must be secured so that there is a 15 cm gap under the cage. Nail meter-long slats to the bottom of the cage and secure a metal mesh over them. You also need to nail a mesh onto the front door. Make a mesh lid with hinges and a handle. Place a tray under the cage - the cage for the dwarf rabbit is ready! Material updated 03/17/2017

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 closest 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 closed room, equipped with lighting, ventilation and heating systems, and less often with 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 rooms 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 the rabbits will dig under the walls and escape.

According to a number of farmers, pit farming is the best option, since it is as close as possible to natural conditions residence 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 best result they need to 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.

1. There is often an opinion that rabbits in nature live in burrows, and therefore they can supposedly be kept indoors without a light source. This is the wrong approach. These animals actually dig holes, but they usually spend daylight hours on the surface, where they feed. Lack of lighting inhibits reproductive function, reduces immunity, and disrupts the synthesis of vital vitamins in the rabbit’s body. As a result, animals weaken, waste away, lose their appetite and their resistance to disease decreases.

   

2. Direct sunlight is no less harmful. Their prolonged exposure leads to hypothermia. Getting on the mucous membranes and eyes, the bright sun leads to their inflammation. In other words, rabbitries should be lit, but direct sunlight should be avoided. When kept outdoors, it is necessary to make a canopy over the cages or consider other options for creating round-the-clock shading. Indoor rabbitries must be illuminated so that the daylight hours range from 16 to 18 hours, depending on the time of year.

   

3. The optimal temperature for adult rabbits is from 10 to 20 degrees. If the cage is colder, they will grow slower and gain less weight. If it is warmer, animals can get heatstroke. Therefore, you need to take care of the possibility of heating in winter and creating shade in summer. Ventilation system necessary if the cages will be kept indoors.

   

Types and sizes of cells

From the description of 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, 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.

A two-section cage is a wooden box 1.4 - 2 m long, 0.5 to 0.7 m high and 0.5-0.7 m wide. The top, bottom, side and rear walls are made solid. It is best to use structures made of sanded, unpainted boards knocked down without cracks for this purpose, 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

Enclosures for young animals 3-6 months old, also called group cages. 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 the rabbits large breeds 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. Its typical dimensions are 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 cage for rabbits

Tools and materials

To build a rabbitry you don’t need anything particularly rare or expensive. As for the tools, a regular construction kit is sufficient. 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 stuffed 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 with an area of ​​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 tips above, choose a place for the 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.

Installing the cover

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.

Rabbit breeders rarely buy ready-made factory cages. In the manufacture of the latter, today much attention is paid to the aesthetic side of premises for rabbits: such products are beautiful and original, but they are expensive and do not always meet maintenance standards. It is much more economical to make housing for rabbits from available materials with your own hands. This is within the capabilities of many animal breeders.

Outdoor cages

The external cage system for keeping rabbits is considered the most profitable and most appropriate to their physiology.

Cells can be produced from any building materials:

• brick;
• building blocks;
• boards and timber from any wood;
• metal mesh and die cutting;
• slate and roofing felt.

Beautiful and original designs for keeping rabbits

Classic double design

Double cage with permanent queen cell

The manger for roughage is hung outside, and the feeder and drinking bowl are placed inside. Sometimes a hole is constructed into a paddock surrounded by a metal mesh.

Option 1: with a permanent queen cell

The most common design for breeding rabbits at home is a cage for two rabbits, developed by scientists from the Institute of Fur and Rabbit Breeding almost 70 years ago.

Main dimensions:

• length 200 cm;
• width 65 cm;
• height of the facade wall 55 cm;
• rear wall height 40 cm.

The structure is installed on wooden supports at a height of 80 cm, this is the optimal size for convenient handling of animals. For breeding large breeds, it is permissible to increase the width and height by 5-10 cm, and the length by 50 cm.

The nesting department is set up permanently. Primary requirements:

• plank or plywood floor;
• front length 40 cm;
• the width of the queen cell is equal to the width of the cell;
• manhole 20 cm high and 17 cm wide;
• the presence of an external door for monitoring the offspring.

The cage is separated by a hay manger made of two frames covered with a mesh with a mesh size of 35x35 mm. Mesh doors are installed on both sides of the aft compartments. Feeders and drinking bowls are mounted and removable.

Option 2: insert queen cells

The difference between cells with an inserted queen cell is that it is used as needed. The dimensions of the portable nest compartment are 40x30x20 cm, it is made of plywood. When installing it, the queen rabbit appears extra bed rest at the top of the insert drawer.

The absence of a permanent nesting compartment allows you to slightly reduce the size of the house for rabbits:

• length 142 cm;
• width 70 cm;
• height of the front and back walls: 79 and 56 cm.

A design of this type is called Klenovo-Chegodaevsky. When the cages are not occupied by adult rabbits, they can contain young animals of 3-4 heads per place.

Insert queen cell

Need for building materials

The consumption of building materials for one double cage is:

• board, timber - 0.2 cubic meters. m;
• metal mesh for the floor with a cell 18x18 mm - 1.3 sq. m;
• mesh for walls with a cell of 35x35 mm - 0.6 sq. m.

Exterior view of a double cage

Group cages for young animals

The area requirement or planting density of young animals, sorted by age and sex, is 0.25 square meters. m per head, optimal joint keeping is up to 10 rabbits. Based on these figures, simple group dwellings are built. They can stretch up to 7 meters in length; groups are separated only by partitions in a common long cage.

The structure has a shelter 70 cm wide and a mesh run 1 meter wide. Single-tier structures are grouped into blocks for ease of maintenance.

In the south, housing for rabbits is installed with a facade facing west to avoid heat strokes in animals.

Roof and additional tiers

The roof of the cages is made of boards with a front overlap of 25-30 cm and a rear overlap of up to 20 cm.

Insulating roof covering can be anything: from profile, slate, roofing felt or other materials. But it is better to cover structures for keeping rabbits natural materials, for example, reed or straw mats.

tiers

If you build a plank roof without a slope, and install another cage similar to the first one on top of it, you will get a two-tier structure. This optimal solution if there is not enough territory to arrange cages on one floor, but on the condition that a metal or plastic tray for collecting feces is installed under the bottom of the top one.

Three-tier and multi-tiered structures. But in this case, difficulties may arise with servicing the upper cells.

Two-tier cages under a canopy

8 Basic Steps to Making a Cage

A detailed guide to making a house for rabbits, with all the variety of options for structures and methods of their construction, is based on one diagram.

Diagram of a classic double cage

Step-by-step instructions for making a cage:

1. 1. A drawing is drawn up or a standard version of the cell is taken.
2. 2. A place for the rabbitry is determined, on which, according to the dimensions in the plan, supports from wooden (brick, stone, block, metal) pillars are installed.
3. 3. The reference points are connected (connected) to each other wooden beams in a single plane at the same mark.
4. 4. On a flat, large table set strictly horizontally, a strong frame frame for the floor of the future cage is assembled (from timber with a cross-section of at least 50x50 mm).
5. 5. A mesh for the floor is attached to the frame or boards are filled in the case of solid floors for the queen cell.
6. 6. The frame frames of the side and rear walls are assembled alternately with simultaneous strengthening on them metal mesh, required quantity doors to the aft and uterine compartments; if necessary, continuous lining of the rear walls is performed.
7. 7. The roofing board is assembled from boards.
8. 8. Starting with the floor frame, all manufactured parts of the floor, walls and roof are assembled into a single structure, which is fixed on supports.

Cage frame

You should not nail or add anything to a cage already installed on supports unless necessary: ​​everything must be taken into account before installing the structure on supports. Otherwise, it will become unreliable and short-lived.

Using this plan, you can build homemade rabbit houses of any type from various materials.

Non-standard solutions and ideas for making cells

Rabbit breeding is considered a fast-paying and highly profitable business with skillful organization of a rabbit farm, even on a small plot and with insignificant start-up investments. A novice rabbit breeder can use new models and original ideas in technologies for arranging housing for animals, despite the fact that they solve only local problems.

Zolotukhin method

Professional rabbit breeders do not find anything particularly revolutionary in Zolotukhin’s method, but there are still original ideas. The main postulates of an experienced rabbit breeder, based on practice and long-term observation of animals:

• the floor should be solid, not mesh, and designed with a slope towards the drainage of feces, which will prevent pododermatitis in rabbits;
• only at the back wall there should be a small section of mesh floor;
• shifting the 2nd tier a short distance towards the feces drainage will ensure the normal sanitary condition of the lower row;
• the displacement of the 3rd tier relative to the second will ensure cleanliness in the second and so on.

Cell design according to Mikhailov

Academician Mikhailov’s method called “accelerated rabbit breeding” is aimed at creating the most comfortable and ideal conditions in terms of sanitation for raising rabbits. This goal is inherent in the design of the rabbit house, which is quite complex for self-made.

The use of the Mikhailov system gives good results. But the price of cells of this design is too high, and the payback period for investments is quite long.

Housing for rabbits according to Mikhailov

The cheapest options

These include designs fast production and durable, made entirely of metal mesh. But keeping animals outdoors in mesh houses in the fresh air is impossible in the Russian climate. Therefore, when using such cages, a room is required, and this may not be affordable for the rabbit breeder.

Create conditions for raising these animals that are identical to their natural natural habitat, It's hard enough. But developments in this direction are already underway.