Universal cages for rabbits with your own hands. Cages for rabbits: drawings with dimensions and descriptions. General manufacturing rules

27.06.2021

Breeding rabbits requires patience and knowledge of their physiology. Without this, it will not be possible to achieve results. AT winter time rabbits feel better in a heated room specially designated for them, which is called a rabbitry. For home breeding a small one will do.

What should be rabbitry

In order for rabbits to feel normal, not get sick, grow well and multiply quickly, they need to create a certain atmosphere. They are demanding on the conditions of detention, under poor conditions they often get sick. To prevent this from happening, they need the following conditions:

The optimum temperature is 14-16°C. The temperature in the rabbitry is determined in a place remote from heaters, walls, windows and doors. Both overheating and hypothermia have a negative effect. When the temperature drops, more feed is required, which is disadvantageous. But a smooth rise or fall in temperature is not as detrimental as sudden changes. From all this it follows that it is necessary to build an insulated rabbitry, with the possibility of heating and air conditioning. The most justified are rabbitries built according to, with mineral wool insulation (thickness is calculated depending on the region). No less attention should be paid to the insulation of the floor and ceiling. Roofing material can be without insulation, it must provide protection from moisture. In this case, it is necessary to take care of the insulation of the ceiling. The cheapest way is to pour a layer of expanded clay on the ceiling, apply a layer of clay mixed with straw on top, and then you can even throw on dried leaves on the dried clay - for additional thermal insulation.
Rabbits are demanding on air humidity - it is necessary to maintain 60-75%.
Drafts have a negative effect on the health of rabbits. This is another argument in favor of frame buildings - with proper construction, there should be no drafts. However, the rabbitry must be ventilated because they need fresh air, and the gases that are released from the urine and feces of rabbits must also be removed. But the speed of air movement should not be more than 0.3 m / s. Usually they make an inlet, taken with a movable grate at floor level in one corner of the rabbitry and an exhaust pipe under the ceiling in the other. A damper can be placed in the exhaust pipe. With the help of a movable grate and gate, you can adjust the speed of air movement in the rabbitry depending on weather conditions. If natural ventilation is not enough, fans are placed in the exhaust or supply pipe with the ability to control the speed of rotation of the blades (there must be several modes).
The second factor that affects the state of the atmosphere in the rabbitry is the regularity of harvesting and the design of the cages. About cells - a little lower, and here - about cleaning. It should be regular - at least 2-3 times a week. The main indicator is the presence or absence of a strong odor.
In order to release less ammonia, it is necessary to organize the collection of feces so that the urine is separated from the feces. If the collection goes to the trays under the cages, a slope and a chute are made in them, along which the urine is drained into a separate container. If waste is collected through gutters into a pit (with large numbers of rabbits), ditches should be made so that urine seeps into a lower, meshed gutter. This is a rather difficult task, since one part is separated from the other with a mesh, and it often clogs. To keep everything in working condition, you have to clean it often.
Building a rabbitry is a serious scale

The rate of weight gain and the density of the fur are also affected by the illumination of the rabbitry and the duration of daylight hours. Rabbits are most active at dusk and at night. Bright lighting is undesirable for them. A sufficient level of illumination is 50-70 lux for adults, 25-30 lux for fattening young animals. At the same time, the duration of daylight hours is 16-18 hours, so in winter the backlight is obligatory, but dim. To make it more comfortable when servicing the rabbitry, install several additional bulbs above the cages, but turn them on to the second switch (or to the second key). Another option is to install a brightness control (dimmer). It is installed instead of a conventional switch, allows you to change the illumination by turning the control knob.

Rabbit cages

The easiest way to keep rabbits is in cages under a canopy in the open air. But this option is available in regions with more or less mild winters. Often this type of content is practiced at the beginning of the "career" of the rabbit breeder, but gradually they come to the conclusion that the rabbitry is necessary. It’s just that during the winter the livestock often decreases greatly, the feed consumption increases much, and the weight gain is very small. It turns out that it is more profitable to build a rabbitry and heat it.

Dimensions and design of rabbit cages

The size of the cages for rabbits depends on the breed. The larger the rabbits, the more space they need. On average, the height of the cage is 500-700 mm, the roof can be sloping back, then the height at the back is 50-100 mm less. The depth of the cage is 50-70 cm. It is more difficult with the width - cages of different sizes are made for males and females. In cages for rabbits, it is desirable to fence off the mother liquor - a closed, small-sized volume in which the rabbit will make a nest. Without taking into account the queen cell, the length of the cage for males and females is the same - 500-800 cm.

There are several options for the device of the mother liquor:

In spacious cells, a cube of boards of a suitable size is placed, in which a hole is made for passage.
Immediately, during construction, a part of the cell for the mother liquor is fenced off.
Wide removable doors are made on the sides of the cage. Before the rabbit should have offspring, the doors are removed, the queen cell is hung up (reliable fastening is necessary).

The optimal size of the mother liquor: depth 80 cm, width 60 cm, height 40 cm (or as it turns out according to the dimensions of your cell). It is desirable to make a shelf inside the cage or above the mother liquor. On it, the rabbit will hide from the annoying baby. In this case, she will not accidentally trample them, as happens if there is no shelf.

Hung to the cage queen cell for a rabbit

A hole is made from the queen cell into the main cell. It should not start at the level with the floor, there should be a threshold of at least 5 cm. In the early days, it will keep the babies inside the mother liquor.

How to make a floor

Regardless of the type of keeping of rabbits, the cage must be dry. Therefore, a solid floor is made very rarely, it is better - slotted, with large gaps or from a metal mesh with a small cell. If the floor is made solid (from a piece of moisture-resistant plywood or OSB), then it is made inclined towards the back wall (you can also towards the front, but this is less convenient). A grate or net is nailed to the back of the floor, through which urine is poured out, excrement falls out.

It is better to make the floor in a rabbit cage double - the first level is made of wooden planks or a metal grate

It is much better to make a double floor - the first is slatted, the second is solid. For a slatted floor, wooden planks 20-25 mm wide are taken, stuffed with a gap of 15 mm. All wastes, both liquid and solid, normally fall through such gaps. Instead of planks, you can use a rigid mesh with thick wire and small cells.

The floor is mesh made of galvanized wire - also showed itself well

The lower level of the floor - the pallet - is often made of galvanized iron, preferably from a single piece. At the same time, a slope is formed (usually in the center of the cell or between two neighboring ones), and in the center - a gutter. The height of the pallet part is 25-35 mm. Less is inconvenient, more is not necessary.

To make the metal last longer, it can be treated with drying oil. If it is necessary to splice pieces, make the connection so that everything drains, and it is advisable to coat it with bituminous mastic so that sewage does not flow onto the floor of the rabbitry.

Cages for rabbits - queen cells from the sides. The lower level of the floor is made of galvanized steel, a chute is molded for urine drainage and easy cleaning.

At the same time, the lower tier of the floor must be movable - so that it can be pulled out and washed / cleaned. For this, corners are stuffed, on which a sheet of metal rides, like on a sled.

It is not necessary to make the lower tier of the floor for each cell. It can be common to two or three located nearby. If these are cages for rabbits, you usually get a common tray for two cages - on the sides of the queen cells. If cells of young animals for fattening or males are located in a row, three cells can be combined.

Still sometimes flat slate is used as the lower floor. But in this case, you can organize a drain only back or forward and only into the gutter that runs along the cage - the sheet cannot be bent in any way.

doors

Doors are made mainly with mesh. A frame is knocked down from the bar, on which the mesh is pulled. Twist nails or self-tapping screws so that their tips do not stick out inside the cage. It is better to stuff the mesh so that it is “flush” from the side of the cage. So there is less chance that rabbits will gnaw through the door. Those who are more friendly with welding weld the frame from a small corner, pull the eraser onto a steel wire 3-4 mm in diameter, and this wire is welded to the door.

The size of the door is more convenient than a large one - it will be more convenient for you to serve the cage. Constipation - ordinary hooks or latches, they also make a piece of bar in the old fashioned way, which spins on a nail nailed into its middle. But this kind of constipation is very unreliable.

One of the most simple options constipation for rabbit cages

If carpentry is not your forte, to make the door stiffer, you can stuff a bar obliquely. He will not let the door warp (as in the photo above). Please note that the bar is stuffed on the outside - so the rabbits cannot gnaw it.

Roof

You can cover rabbit cages with any inexpensive material. But at the same time, we must remember that overheating and hypothermia are fatal for rabbits. Therefore, simply throwing a piece of metal or any material based on it will not work. It is better to use a material with low thermal conductivity. For example, you can stuff plywood (moisture resistant, building), OSB and any other similar material.

If the cells will stand on the street, without a canopy, something needs to be laid on the sheet material to protect them from precipitation. In more northern areas, or when installing the cage in the shade, roofing felt or more modern waterproofing material can be laid. It can not be welded, but glued to bituminous mastic.

Another option is to lay slate, better - wave. Moreover, it is better to raise it above the cage by 15-25 cm. This will create an air gap, it will not be hot in the cage. And the resulting gap can be used for drying / drying grass. Dried in the shade, it retains more nutrients.

Sennik, drinkers, feeders

For rabbits, not so much equipment is needed - hay, feeders for bulk small feed, drinkers. The design of the drinkers should be such that it can be easily removed - they must be washed, the water changed. For these purposes, some kind of trays are usually adapted, under which they make a “seat” from a strip of metal, fixed on the door (the most convenient option) or on the wall, close to the door.

There is one very good version of a drinker from the category of “cheap and cheerful”. A piece of sewer pipe with a diameter of 100 mm is used as a "cup holder". Cutting height - 80-100 mm. A cut-off 2-liter plastic bottle is inserted inside this ring. The bottle is cut flush with the “glass holder”, only a strip 2-3 cm wide and 5-7 cm long remains so that the glass can be easily pulled out.

Senniki are made either between two cages, by beveling adjacent walls in the shape of the letter V. This method is more convenient when building cages for rabbits (there are several photos above). The second option for the cages of males and young animals - one of the walls (or part of the wall) is made lattice, a piece of plywood, OSB, a shield knocked down from planks, etc. are attached to it on hinges. Fix it in the desired position with a hook, rope, wire.

In principle, if there is not enough space on the side, such a sennik can also be made in front, on the door. It’s just that on the door, in addition to the drinking bowl, they often nail / make another feeder.

Feeding troughs are made from what they can. Someone has plastic or metal trays attached, someone knocks them out of wood, they even try to make them out of drywall. The option seemed interesting - an attached piece of a profile for drywall of a large section (pictured below).

You can make a tree feeder, but the edges must be beaten with tin.

If you have some tin work skills, you can make a feeder from galvanized sheet.

To get rid of the dusty part of the feed, several small holes are made in the bottom of the feeder.

What materials to make the frame and walls

The frame for the cages in the rabbitry is made from a wooden beam or from a supporting (wall) galvanized profile for drywall; welded frames from a metal pipe are quite rare. They are the most reliable, but also the heaviest. More suitable for permanent installation in a rabbitry.

The lightest cells are obtained from the profile, but the choice of materials is very limited - heavy ones cannot be used. When using a beam, there are no questions about the weight of the material, but there is a problem - rabbits gnaw on wood. Therefore, they try to make cells so that there are fewer protruding corners - they cannot gnaw on even surfaces.

As you saw in the photo, the walls of rabbit cages are made of different materials- plywood, OSB, wooden boards and planks. Often used by anyone who has. The most problematic places are upholstered with tin or a mesh is pulled on top - this also does not make it possible to gnaw on wood. There are cells that are almost entirely made of mesh. In them, young animals for fattening feel good.

Photo report on the manufacture of a cage in a rabbitry from a galvanized profile

This option is suitable for those regions where wood is expensive or for those who have a lot of remnants of the profile after construction / repair. In the manufacture of cages from the dimensions, they are adjusted to the existing molding - small deviations in one direction or another are permissible, but the rabbits should be spacious in the cage.

This cage was built for a female with rabbits up to 20 days old. It consists of two departments. The main part is 55 * 75 * 55 cm, the mother liquor is 35 * 55 * 30 cm. A reinforced profile goes to the racks, the usual work on the crossbars - as usual with drywall - pieces are fixed with self-tapping screws with a screw (fleas).

The floor in the main part is made of a bar 2 cm thick, 5 cm wide. The planks are attached to the profile with self-tapping screws. It is necessary to screw in the screws so that they are easy to unscrew - if (or rather, when) the bar is gnawed, it will be easy to replace it with a new one.

In the mother liquor, the floor is solid, without cracks. If in winter you are not sure that it will be warm enough in your rabbitry, it is better to make a double floor in this part, and lay the gap with insulation - at least expanded clay. In this case, even with a sharp cold snap, the kids will not freeze - their mother usually warms them from above. If it is warm from below, they will not get sick.

The height of the mother liquor is 20 cm below the main cell. From the inside, in a cage, it turns out a shelf on which the rabbit will escape from the annoying baby.

So that the outer joints of plywood do not gnaw, we close them with perforated metal corners. You just need to look for those that are thicker. We cut the edges of the corners at 45 ° so that they do not bulge or stick out.

Photo of cages for rabbits for installation in the rabbitry and on the street

In three tiers, cages in rabbitry are rarely located - the lower ones are difficult to maintain

Wire walls, pipe frame. Only the back wall is deaf - so that there are no drafts

Animal business is perhaps the most profitable business practiced by many residents of rural settlements. Most often involved, for example, rabbits. In order for this occupation to bring a certain income, special attention should be paid to the place where the pets will live. Therefore, we recommend that you learn how to make a cage for rabbits with your own hands. Step-by-step instruction provides important nuances, which cannot be dispensed with in the process of making enclosures for pets.

Read in the article

Do-it-yourself types of cages for rabbits: photo examples and description

In order to make rabbit cages correctly, it is important to choose the right materials for this.

In general, all enclosures differ in the type of construction. Let's get to know them better.

Cage for a domestic rabbit with a mother liquor. This is a tall building, which is divided into two parts. One serves for feeding, the other for resting animals. Separates, there is a manhole for convenience.
Nursery of Mikhailov and Zolotukhin. The features of this design are precisely the multi-tiered, as well as the absence of a mesh pallet. There is a movable feeder that makes it easier to pour.
An aviary with a fence for walking animals. It is a wooden frame structure. Usually performed on legs. There is enough space for walking. Such cells can be installed simply on. Such an active development of rabbits makes them healthy and hardy.

When arranging cells, it is important to understand that they must be strong with no holes. This will protect pets from predators entering them and.

Rules for choosing a place to install a cage for rabbits: nuances for beginners

In order for the animals to feel good, the choice of the location of the enclosures must be made with the utmost responsibility. This applies not only to open outdoor conditions, but also when placing fences indoors.

Pets are allowed to live outside, subject to certain requirements. How healthy and reproductive the family will be depends on them. For example, when arranging outdoors, it should be borne in mind that the humidity of the air should not exceed 75%. Otherwise, the animals will begin to wither and die.
It is not allowed to install cages in places of strong drafts. This negatively affects the offspring, and will also cause diseases of the ears and eyes. This requirement is important to comply with even when arranging a house for eared animals inside.
You can not create too tight enclosures. For example, temperatures above 23ºС contribute to the active reproduction of bacteria inside cells in biological waste. After that, mass infection of rabbit families begins.
The temperature of the stay of animals should be observed when installing the dwelling in the room. The lower limit should be 10ºС, no less. If this condition is not met, it is necessary to turn on, it is also allowed to insulate wooden cages for rabbits with foam plastic.
It is not recommended to leave the cells on the ground and under the open sun for a long time. Animals do not take long stays in such conditions very well. Again, this affects their health.
The content of rabbits should be combined: in warm weather outside, and when it's cold - indoors.

Don't forget about cell lighting. If they are located indoors, then several must be equipped. In the dark, animals see poorly, often malnourished.

How to make a cage for a decorative rabbit with your own hands

Many simply do not dare to create a large farm, but prefer to take care of miniature animals. To organize the home of decorative pets, you need to consider some step-by-step recommendations.

It is worth using durable material for the manufacture of the structure. It is better not to use plastic fences in cages, as pets can damage the walls and escape.
Natural sawdust is suitable as a filler and bedding. Do not put torn newspaper or pieces of carpet. They contain harmful substances that cause poisoning in animals.
The floor must be flat, otherwise the pets will fall between the twigs, since there are no pads on their paws.
As a pallet, you must use a shallow trough, it is useful for waste and toilet for rabbits.

It is ideal to use natural wood and metal when creating cages for capricious animals. It is forbidden to use varnish and paint for processing. Even the slightest waterproofing can affect the health of miniature beauties.

Drawing with the dimensions of a homemade cage for rabbits

When you have read all the rules and stocked up necessary inventory, you can begin to develop a drawing (project), which will become the basis for manufacturing. Let's, first of all, deal with the size of cages for rabbits, made by hand. Usually, parameters of 100 × 60 cm are sufficient. If necessary, you can make a larger frame, for example, if you plan to breed families of animals. If the space is catastrophically small, you can make two or three-tier cages for rabbits with various entertainment options: descents, manholes, and so on.

For an example, you can study the drawing below. This is best option keeping rabbits at home.

Instructions for making cages for decorative rabbits with a photo

Having decided on the dimensions, you can get to work. To make the whole process as clear as possible, follow each photo step.

Illustration	Action Description
	We prepare the entire list of tools. We will need metal scissors, a paint knife, a pencil, a tape measure, and. We use wood as a base.
	We assemble a wooden frame according to the accepted dimensions, connect it or with screws. In the middle we place several crossbars at the same distance.
	We fix the mesh on top of the base, cut off the excess with scissors for metal. We fix the edges with a stapler.
	We make walls from plywood, fasten a bar to their lower edge and use it to fasten it to the workpiece.
	We attach bars to the sides of the cage that will hold the back wall.
	We mount the bars along the ends of the side walls in full length, twist them with self-tapping screws from the inside. They will have a roof.
	We install the front mesh wall, after attaching the mesh to the bars. The bars should be outside, as rodents will spoil the wood over time. We will use two identical side sections. In the middle we leave a place under the door.
	We fasten hinges and a latch to the outside of the door.

If necessary, we fasten the legs to the aviary and cover it with material so that it is convenient for dwarf rabbits to move around.

On a note! If the cage will be located on the street, and precipitation is possible inside, it is necessary to make a roof from slate sheets installed at a slope.

How to make cages for a rabbit in two tiers with your own hands

Bunk cages for rabbits are usually considered a summer option. However, they are often used when animals are kept indoors. Such structures are easier to repair due to their low weight and the possibility of transportation.

We prepare drawings on our own

In order to create a two-story cage, you need to run correct drawing. It is cheaper to do it yourself, based on the parameters of the place where the aviary will be located. It is advisable to install low structures so that it is convenient to feed the pets. The recommended height of cages with the second tier should be no more than 1.5 m.

At the same time, the height of the first floor of such structures should be about 70 cm together with the legs.

Instructions for making a dwelling for rabbits

Let's stock up on the necessary material, and, based on the details of the drawing, we will begin the production of a cell in two tiers.

It will take 8 long and the same number of short bars of wood. We immediately prepare the racks, determine their height according to the drawing above.
All bars form a single frame, which is connected from several parts by.
Do not forget to leave the distance between the tiers. A gap of 10-15 cm will be enough.
We assemble the upper cell in the same way. You can be guided by the construction technique from the previous section.
Leave a gap in the middle to install a V-shaped feeder. They are fixed with self-tapping screws to the end bars of each cage on one tier.
We cut the back wall to the size of the frame and fix it with screws. You can also use a similar sheet of plywood as the bottom.
Doors are more convenient to do with the method of opening upwards. This will make it easier to clean inside the cage.

At the end of the construction of two identical cells, they are joined together. To withstand the gap, racks are made, which are interconnected with long self-tapping screws and overlapping planks on the back side.

On a note! In order to facilitate the process of assembling the rabbit frame, you can use old window frames. However, instead of glasses, it is still necessary to sew in a mesh. This is done in order to summer time the animals did not die from the heat.

Mesh Rabbit Cage: An Elementary Algorithm

Structures made of steel mesh are quite convenient and practical. It is advisable to keep a large number of families in them. In order to build them correctly, you need to know the exact dimensions of the compartments, which will be enough to create new offspring and their further development.

Dimensions on drawings

The size of the cells, as well as the size of the rods, may differ depending on the type of structure. According to the standards, it is recommended to make the walls and the top using a mesh with 2 mm rods. As for the floor, it is rational to use a canvas with a wire size of 3 to 4 mm. The cell size should be 20×20 mm². This will prevent possible limb injuries in animals.

Step by step instructions in the video

The mechanism of work is rather complicated, since it is necessary to clearly understand what size of the part needs to be cut off, and where to leave some margin. In order not to get confused in the process self-manufacturing, we recommend watching a video on how to create cages for rabbits with your own hands.

No. 24. You can place cages on racks, previously placed on the steps

Mikhailov's rabbit cages: do it yourself

A large cage for a rabbit makes it possible for animals to develop quickly and actively, in a family of which there are about 8-10 individuals. So the animals grow comfortably and get sick less.

Possible drawings and diagrams of Mikhailov cells

Drawers for collecting manure are best covered

Pay attention to what is the design feature. Check out the dimensions. By appearance the cell is significantly different from ordinary buildings. Often, in one building, four separate compartments with feeders are equipped.

A cone-shaped bottom is made at the bottom of the mini-farm. It is designed for convenient cleaning of the cage from feces. Inside the structure there is a feeder, a compartment for water and a nest for rabbits.

Stand Assembly

How to make a stand for a cage for rabbits according to Mikhailov? All novice farmers have to return to this issue again and again. For beginners, it is very important to follow some tips.

The basis of the farm must be assembled from durable materials. It is desirable that it be metal or solid wood bars.
It is better to equip a sewer compartment from plywood sheets. It is done at an angle. The design must support the weight of the farm with pets well.
Additionally, the cage is reinforced with stainless material if the racks are made of metal.
In mini-farms, automatic drinking bowls and feeders should be equipped.

Such a structure is convenient for breeding young animals of different breeds. Animals are protected from cold and falls. The design provides a lot of free space.

Walking and nesting area: production features

How to make a cage for rabbits with the arrangement of a walking room is one of important issues, which is worth solving when creating Mikhailov's mini-farm. It is ideal to make this zone as a stern area, to equip a bunker container for food and a canister drinker.

Equipping two mini-farms side by side, you can make a single roof of tiles

Flooring is best done from slats. Its cross section should be 20 × 45 mm. It is better to additionally upholster them with metal strips. The floor is made at an angle of 45º. This approach will provide convenient collection of feces.

How the upper tier and roof are mounted

Homemade cages for rabbits are designed for keeping 25 individuals. The optimal area is 1.4 m². This is enough for the full development of families. The internal volume provides for the presence of several compartments, the side and front walls should be made of mesh with medium-sized sections. The back of the frame is made in a closed way. To do this, it is better to use a solid sheet of plywood. The roof surface is covered with corrugated slate, having previously laid a sheet as a ceiling. The farm is being built with a lean-to.

Rules for the design of the lower tier

The lower compartment is mounted on a rack, the tier is divided into sections, one of the long sides remains closed. The department must be present: walking room and nesting. The front side is opposite to that installed in the upper tier. Between all compartments, it is necessary to equip manholes with light dampers, which must be made hanging for ease of movement of rabbits.

What are the best cages to buy for rabbits: an overview of popular options

When breeding domestic rodents, there is not always enough time to build farms for them on your own. Therefore, we recommend paying attention to the factory options for the cells shown in the table below.

Illustration	cell name	Peculiarities	Average price as of June 2019, rub.
	Cage for rabbits (KRB-1)	welded mesh; two compartments; metal carcass; moisture resistant plywood; hopper feeder 3 kg.	12390
	Cage for fattening rabbits (KR-VP-O-4Ya)	8 nipple drinkers; 10 liter canister; 8 feeders; the presence of silicone hoses; manure collection tray.	20890
	Cage for rabbits with queen cells and fattening KRV-PO-Ya2	intended for the premises; removable mother liquor; dimensions 150×150×60 cm; has an open design.	16990
	Bunk cage for rabbits (KRB-2Ya-2.0)	galvanized metal; metal carcass; there are senniks; 4 nipple drinkers; 4 bunker feeders.	22890
	Cage for rabbits, two-section, fattening	galvanized construction; queen cells are absent; suitable for outdoor content; 2 individuals are fed.	18000

In this publication, the HouseChief editors told their readers about how to build a cage for rabbits in various ways. If you still have questions, ask them in the comment form. Be sure to rate the article and share your opinion.

The owners of fluffy, charming rabbits are asked, first of all, by the question - in what conditions should their pets live.

How to choose a place to install a cage

Let us first dwell on the backyard keeping of eared animals. There are two options:

open content (outdoors);
placement of cages indoors (for example, in a barn).

To select the location of the cells, you must follow the rules.

Air humidity should not exceed 60-75% (therefore, the cells are installed in a dry, elevated place, remote from water bodies).
Insofar as rabbits categorically do not perceive direct sunlight, then the cells should ideally be located among trees that give shade, or protected by an artificial fence that scatters direct sunlight.
Drafts are a common cause of illness in rabbits. Therefore, air movement exceeding 30 m/s is undesirable. However, cage ventilation is one of the rules that must be strictly observed. Otherwise, the fumes of the secretions will damage the health of your pets.

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

If animals are kept indoors, then it must be:

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

Ideally, the animal cage should have a full-wall south-facing window.

It is also desirable to arrange cells in open space in accordance with the cardinal points - facing east.

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

The classic version of the cage for keeping rabbits is a design of the following sizes:

50 * 70 * 30 cm - for young animals;
50*100*30 cm - for rabbits.

The entire space of the cage is divided into a walking room and a deaf corner, where rabbits of all ages find refuge in moments of "danger" and bad weather. The length of the paddock can vary, but is usually up to 50 cm long and wide. The rabbits' favorite shelter is a box 25 cm long and 50 cm wide. It is sheathed tightly, and only a removable door is attached to the front side. The manhole is located in the wall adjacent to the walking room, and is usually 17 * 17 cm.

The specificity of the structure of the rabbit cage is that a mesh or slatted floor is usually equipped for the free passage of waste into the tray under the floor.

The height of the front side of the cage is usually 55 cm, and the back wall is 30 cm. That is, the cage assumes a sloping roof, which, in the case of a “tiered” placement of cages, will also be a pallet for higher cages, and therefore it is usually upholstered with galvanized iron.

Materials for making cells

When choosing materials for the manufacture of cages, it is better to give preference to high-quality and ecological wood. For the construction of the frame, wooden beams are suitable. Board or plywood is well suited for wall cladding. Chipboard is unacceptable because it takes on water, swells and crumbles.

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

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

Dimensions and drawings of a cage for rabbits

The sizes of cages for rabbits are directly dependent on:

rabbit breeds;
the chosen scheme of keeping (mini-farms, cells of the "battery" type, according to Zolotukhin
etc.);
normative indicators of the required space (for example, for rabbits - 0.5-0.7 sq.m.,
males will need - 0.17 sq.m., and young animals - 0.12 sq.m.).

In practice, houses of two connected cells measuring 100 * 55 cm are often used. In these cages, the uterine compartments are adjacent to the outer walls of the cage and communicate with the aft compartments with manholes 17 * 17 cm. There are doors on the front side of the house: two solid ones in the nesting compartments, and two mesh ones in the walking spaces. Between them there are mangers and drinking bowls. Feeders are usually attached to the front side of the mesh doors.

Solid wire cage

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

The main advantage of these cells is the simplicity and accessibility of cleaning and disinfection. To do this, all you need is a good brush and a propane torch, which will help you easily get rid of unnecessary microorganisms and accumulations of rabbit fluff.

Solid wire cages take up much less space, which is also their advantage when running a farm.

Difficulties in building cells

The main problem in making a cage with your own hands is the lack of high-quality and detailed drawings, or the unjustified high cost of licensed options (for example, drawings from Rabbitaks).

The second difficulty that the home master faces is the non-standard size of the building materials used. And as a result, the need to purchase materials on order. Added to this is the lack of experience in making cells, and the cost of materials is exorbitantly high.

Novice craftsmen make similar mistakes when building cages:

saving material leads to tightness, which adversely affects the health and reproduction of rabbits;
the uterine or nesting compartment must be stationary (bunches scare the rabbit and can cause a crush of rabbits).

In order to reduce stress during the jigging of young animals, you can use a cage with a stationary shelter for rabbits, in which a hole measuring 12 * 12 cm will not allow the rabbit to constantly be with the rabbits. And the moment of separating the rabbits will no longer be so stressful.

N.I. cells are very popular. Zolotukhin. Their main the difference is the absence of pallets, i.e. flat slate solid floor, and the presence of a grid only on the back of the cells to a width of 15-20 cm. The staggered location of one cell above another helps to get rid of waste from the "upper floors" to the "lower". characteristic feature is also the absence of nesting branches. The rabbit is given the opportunity to build a queen cell from hay on her own. The feeders in the doors are mounted on rotating nails, thanks to their hinged design, they are easy to clean.

On our website there is an article dedicated to which you will find all the practical tips and recommendations from the author, in addition, you can get acquainted with the drawings and dimensions of the cells.

Cells from Tsvetkov

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

Rabbitax for beginner rabbit breeders

Cells from the company Rabbitaks are distinguished by a peculiar decor and environmental friendliness of execution ( a system of redirection of air flows characteristic only for them). They are mainly intended for large farms. But there are acceptable options, for example, a cage of two compartments. For a novice master, the drawings are still complicated. And the main disadvantage is the high cost of manufacture.

Author's designs

I would like to note the cages for Mikhailov's rabbits. The main advantage of mini-farms is their compactness (the ability to keep 25 individuals on an area of 25 sq.m., taking into account the distance between the houses of 70 cm). The undoubted advantage is also the automation of waste collection in a sealed container. A significant drawback of Mikhailov's cells can be called expensive materials for construction and the undoubted professionalism of the performer.

The design of E. Ovdienko attracts attention. Its characteristic difference is the special gates that close the four-tiered structure, containing 24 cells, from wind and weather vagaries.

DIY cage for decorative rabbits

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

Of all the above cages for rabbits, a novice master will be able to choose the best option for himself, combining ease of execution, ease of maintenance and acceptable cost.

If you decide to start a decorative rabbit, we recommend that you read the same, and is no less important.

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

For the growth and rapid reproduction of rabbits, it is necessary to provide them with comfortable conditions. It is important to know how to properly build and equip a house for maintenance.

Having enough necessary information and minimal experience in construction, building a rabbitry with your own hands is not difficult.

How to choose a seat

When choosing a site for the construction of a rabbitry, factors are taken into account:

Distance from residential and commercial buildings by 15 m or more.
Flat surface. It is preferable to choose a hill with a slight slope or a flat surface. The soil should be dense enough to quickly absorb water.
The presence of protection from drafts, winds (trees, shrubs, fences), otherwise consider installing an additional barrier.
No noise.

When choosing a place for rabbitry in a hole, the following is important:

groundwater flow rate: it must be below 1.5 m from the surface;
lack of accumulation of rain and flood waters;
the presence of shade, barriers to sunlight;
soil quality: it is desirable to choose clay soils in which rabbits cannot dig long holes; sandy or rocky soils are absolutely not suitable;
Smooth surface.

Common designs of rabbitries and their features

Most breeders prefer closed structures equipped with:

ventilation;
heating;
artificial light.

Sections for separate living of animals are installed in rows in the room. In each section, devices for food and water are equipped.

Depending on the number of animals, rabbitries are divided into types:

single;
from 2 sections;
single-tier;
multi-tiered.

Some breeders near the exit from the house equip a walking area, limit it on all sides with a high mesh fence.

Tiered mini-farms

Mini-farms are a single structure, consisting of several sections located in several rows one above the other. They can be placed directly outdoors or inside a farm building.

, as they allow growing the largest number of individuals on a minimum area. For the northern regions, mini-farms are also suitable, but for the winter they are transferred inside the building.

Features that are taken into account when building a mini-farm:

the bottom row must be raised 1 m above the ground (installed on legs): this allows you to keep warm;
airing of the 2 upper tiers occurs naturally;
on the lower tier, where air movement is less, artificial supply and exhaust ventilation is required.

Organizing a rabbitry in a pit - the most economical profitable option The main thing is to choose the right place.

Main stages of construction:

Digging a hole of the right size. For example, a pit 2x2 m is required. Its depth should not be less than 1.5 m, otherwise the rabbits will be able to dig a hole to the surface of the earth and escape.
Carrying out ventilation. A pipe with a diameter of about 15 cm is discharged through the roof.
Floor organization. The bottom is covered with sand, then a mesh or slats are laid. The top layer is drainage (for example, dry straw), which must be changed as it gets dirty.
Protection of walls from destruction. 3 walls are lined with bricks or covered with durable material, such as slate. The 4th wall is partially left open so that the rabbits can make a hole in it.
Pit lighting. Conduct electricity or move the roof to allow light to enter.

Sometimes rabbits do not dig a hole (loss of instinct after a year of living in other conditions), in which case the owner himself should start digging it with a shovel. A hole is dug at a height of 15-20 centimeters from the floor, its width should be enough to accommodate 2-3 rabbits.

All-weather version with insulated compartments

Comfortable conditions in winter period provides additional insulation of compartments. The most affordable insulation is foam, this material crumbles easily. Styrofoam is laid on the outside of the back and side walls so that rabbits cannot reach it and gut it.

In the pit, the walls are insulated with straw, which is laid between the slate and the soil.

Basic principles to follow when creating a rabbitry

Rabbit housing must meet the following requirements:

Suitable temperature setting. In winter, the temperature should not fall below 0 0C. At +14…+16 0С animals actively develop and multiply. The minimum temperature in the mother liquor is +10 0С.
Moderate lighting for 16-18 hours. The lack of light when rabbits are kept indoors leads to a slowdown in reproductive functions, development and weight gain, and a decrease in the animal's immunity. With prolonged exposure to direct sunlight, pets develop hypothermia, mucous membranes and eyes become inflamed. When kept outdoors, the rabbitry is placed in the shade or a special canopy is arranged above it from the sun.
Air ventilation. A special system of air inflow and outflow is necessary when closed or, on the lower tier of the mini-farm.
Strength. The structure must be strong, this must be taken into account during construction.
The presence of nests. In the mother liquor, it is necessary to make a container for nesting or a separate nest with an exit.

In cages, the rear and outer walls on the sides are made of opaque material. Intersectional partitions, front walls and a door are installed from a grid. A metal or wooden mesh is laid on the floor, leaving room for a tray to collect feces and food residues.

From the outside, a drinking bowl and a feeder are attached to each section.

Size selection

What to consider when calculating the size of the rabbitry:

and her living with rabbits until they are 20 days old. It must make a separate nest with dimensions of 40x40x30 cm.
A young animal needs a minimum of about 0.1-0.2 m2 of space, comfortable living - 0.5 m2.
The compartment for the active male should not be less than 1 m2.

Minimum dimensions of a standard 2-section cage:

length - 1.4m;
width and height - 0.5 m each.

The values given are for normal rabbit breeds. For large individuals, larger sections are needed.

Tools and materials

In the manufacture of rabbitry, a standard set of tools is used:

drill;
hacksaw for metal or wood (depending on building materials);
drill;
welding machine, if the frame is supposed to be assembled from metal corners.

Construction materials:

wooden bars or metal corners - for the construction of the frame;
stainless metal mesh or wooden slats - for the floor;
thick boards - for side and rear walls;
fine mesh - for intersection partitions, front walls and doors.
roofing material or slate, boards - for roofing;
corners, fasteners - for fastening knots.

An example of rabbitry drawings with dimensions

The place between the sections is called a sennik, green fodder is laid there.

Original ideas in the implementation of the rabbitry

An experienced rabbit breeder Zolotukhin offers a number of interesting ideas:

Combined floor. It consists of 2 parts: the front is a slightly inclined surface of flat slate, the back is a mesh surface. As a result, waste products will slide along the slate onto the grate, and through it fall into a special tray. This solution greatly simplifies the process of cleaning the floor, increases the comfort of living.
Rotary feeders. Advantages - the ability to turn in the right direction.
Automatic water and feed supply.

Warming

In regions with cold winters, it is necessary to provide for additional heating of the rabbitry.

There are several options:

At the bottom of the compartment, a “pocket” is made of plywood, into which an electric heating pad is installed. Periodic switching on of the heater in the minimum mode is provided by a transformer.
Heating and simultaneous lighting provide infrared lamps.
Heat guns of 1.5 kW will come in handy; in severe frosts, it is enough to turn them on at night.
You can install batteries, heat to which is supplied from a residential building.

Feeders and drinkers

Rabbits are active, so the feeders and drinkers should be correctly positioned on the outside of the cages and make them closed.

The design of the feeders may be different. For dry food, options made from wood materials are suitable, but stainless steel feeders are also suitable.

Experienced rabbit breeders prefer bunker-type feeders, the contents of which are enough for the animal for a day.

You can make a convenient drinker yourself.

Assembly order:

Make a through hole (diameter 2-3 mm) with an awl or nail in the neck of a plastic bottle with a capacity of 0.5 liters.
Pour water into the bottle, screw on the cap.
Take an oblong container (a jar of sprats, yogurt), put the bottle in it with the neck down.
Fasten the structure to the front wall with pliers and wire.

A wide range of quality drinkers is offered for sale, they come in 2 types : nipple and cup.

To prevent poisoning and disease of rabbits, the water in the drinkers should always be clean. Feeders should also be washed regularly.

Nuances in the manufacture of rabbitry

Important tips when organizing a rabbitry:

When erecting a frame, one should not save on self-tapping screws and corners; fasteners ensure the stability of the structure.
Plywood, OSB are not suitable for rabbitry walls, animals quickly gnaw through such materials. Otherwise, they should be covered with metal sheets.
The inner surface of the rabbitry must be safe: nails, sharp objects and cutting edges should not stick out, animals can get hurt about them.

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

How to make a rabbitry:

No. p / p	Step	A photo
1	Collect the floor. Assembly order: frame made of wooden bars; fixing the flooring from a metal grate or wooden slats. Under the floor there should be a metal tray, which is removed, cleaned of urine, droppings, food residues
2	To obtain the rear and side walls, sheathe with thick wood or metal sheet. For observation of animals, lattice windows can be inserted into the side walls
3	Organize sections. Install and fix internal partitions
4	Make a feeder out of stainless steel and wood
5	Install a front wall of wooden slats or metal mesh, equip a drinking bowl and a feeder
6	To make a door measuring 25x40 cm in the form of a wooden frame, inside of which a mesh is stretched. Fasten the door on 2 hinges, close it with a latch
7	Build a sloping roof (for water drainage) with a canopy about 25 cm wide

Conclusion

Having decided on the independent construction of a house for rabbits, you must first find out what conditions these animals require for rapid development and reproduction.

Under unfavorable conditions, growth slows down, individuals stop reproducing, become weak.

Among various domestic animals, rabbits occupy a special place. Their content is quite profitable: the owner receives meat and fur, while giving very little. For a good profit from rabbits, you will need to follow some maintenance standards. And although a lot depends on nutrition and care, but first of all you need to think about the cells.

If for cows, chickens or goats it is enough to have a simple barn, then for rabbits it is worth taking care of special conditions. The optimal solution in terms of price - quality - make your own rabbit hutch. It is not only cheaper, so you can take into account all the features of the breed being bred and the location. What material is suitable for this and what points should be taken into account, we will talk about this in the article and present photos and drawings of some cages for rabbits.

Where to place cells

When choosing a place for breeding domestic rabbits and placing their cage, it is important to avoid wind and drafts.

But it does not matter at all whether the cage is outdoors or indoors.

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

With normal breeding, one cell will not be enough. You will need a room for pregnant rabbits, their cubs and males, and this is a whole residential complex.

Dimensions - the dimensions of the finished rabbit cages largely depend on the breed of pets, but there are minimum values \u200b\u200bthat are calculated based on the data given in the table.

Technological elements of a rabbit farm	Maximum number of rabbit heads per unit area	Norm of area per 1 rabbit head, sq.m.	Dimensions, m
Technological elements of a rabbit farm	Maximum number of rabbit heads per unit area	Norm of area per 1 rabbit head, sq.m.	Length	Width
For rabbits of the main herd
Two-section rabbit cage nesting branch	1	0,5-0,65 0,18	0,6-0,7	0,9 0,36
Group cages for keeping rabbits in sheds (sheds)
For young animals	6	0,1	0,9	0,672
For replacement youngsters: females males		0,15 0,605		0,672 0,672
Individual cages for keeping rabbits in sheds (sheds)
For young animals	1	0,13-0,16	0,29-0,36	0,45
For replacement youngsters	1-2	0,22-0,32	0,48-0,72	0,45

The height of the cages for both domestic rabbits and rabbits kept on industrial rabbit farms is taken to be at least 45 centimeters.

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

In the manufacture of cages for keeping rabbits, a galvanized metal mesh is used, the mesh size of which is 24x24-50 mm, the floors are 16x48 mm.

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

Photo of wooden cages for raising rabbits

Cell materials

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

Some tips for choosing and preparing material:

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

Making a rabbit cage and its dimensions

The optimal size of the cage - dwelling for adults is 1500x700x700 mm. If you make the floor out of mesh or wooden slats, then caring for rabbits will be more convenient. Waste products will be automatically removed from the cells. The street version is assembled with a two-level floor, where the bottom layer is made of boards.

The roof of the rabbit hutch is made from the same material as the walls. But if you plan to keep it outside, then you need to take care of protection from precipitation. Can be covered with slate or other similar non-metallic material. If the roof is made of metal, then in sunny weather it will heat up and it will become very hot inside.

Finished cells are advised to be placed at a short distance from the floor or ground. This will provide protection against rodents and make the care of domestic rabbits convenient. Rabbit feeding equipment must not be contaminated. Some have solved this issue by making retractable or hanging feeders.

A little more about the size of the rabbitry. The front wall of the cage should be about 10-15 cm higher than the back. The entire area of the finished dwelling is divided into several sections, which are interconnected by small manholes. A hinged lid will help bring a little convenience in care.

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

The section in which the maintenance of males is planned should be large enough. This will allow the animals to move freely and not become lazy, otherwise they will be unable to give birth.
For rabbits, a separate spacious cage is allocated. This section can accommodate up to four pieces. It is important to take into account - at first, the rabbits are kept next to their mother for fattening.
Make one free cage in which it will be possible to feed the rabbits. Some babies do not gain enough weight during their time with their mother.
The hole in the nesting compartment should be raised by about ten centimeters. In order not to gnaw it, you can beat the edges with steel. But do it carefully, without leaving nicks.
The front wall should be equipped with two doors - one for the main compartment, the second for the nest. And if the first option can be mesh, then the last one is necessarily solid.
Outdoor cages for domestic rabbits can be provided with a walking hole. To do this, a hole is made in the back walls into a special paddock, fenced with a net. This will give the rabbits a chance to frolic and enjoy the fresh grass.

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

Drawings and photos of cages for rabbits

Photo of a wooden cage for raising rabbits on a home plot with dimensions

Cage for three adult rabbits (for home keeping). Consists of two levels. The lower level has double doors that open wide for easy access to the cage. The upper level consists of two separate compartments connected by an entrance. One of the compartments of the cage is designed for sleeping rabbits. The other compartment is covered with a mesh and this area can also be opened for easy access (great for cleaning out the cage and for caring for and feeding rabbits). The design of this cage is quite simple, and you can make it yourself for keeping rabbits in the garden.