ideas for dream rabbit barn?

Hi folks! I've been AWOL a while - had our first (human) baby a few months ago and it's true what they say about how much time these little things take!

Anyway, we scaled back to core rabbit numbers for a while, and now that we feel it's time to start re-building the herd, my husband agrees that it would be super nice to upgrade our rabbit facilities (nothing like being tasked with carrying water 2x a day during winter into our goofy little jerry-rigged current set-up to persuade him that an upgrade would be heavenly).

So what are some good ideas for structures that would be good for a four season climate (it gets well into the 90s and up daily for several months, and below freezing every night for the opposite season, again for months), and relatively easy to clean and maintain? We have some space available, so I don't want to bother with stacking cages, we can do just a single layer over dirt (it's dry up here in northern NV, mud will NOT be an issue). And I want to set up a Grumpy-style heated water system to avoid ever having to deal with frozen water again.

What do folks think about a carport conversion? Such as shown on this website: http://www.whatthebuckrabbitry.com/carp ... bitry.html Though we'd probably want to wall down most or all of the way for the harsh winters.

Alternatively, these three-sided shelters are very, very common for larger livestock around here. I'd envision one with a fenced in front to prevent raccoon attacks, and then plastic or tarps to drop down in winter. http://www.highdesertbarns.com/econshltr.htm

Or will we be happiest just splurging on a proper metal building or shed? I kind of feel like most people err on over-enclosing their rabbitries, and that lots of air is good. Until it gets freakin' cold out there, which it does much of the year here, and all the water freezes.

Finally, once we've decided on the outer structure, any details about efficient layout that we might not have thought of? A few long rows versus filling up a more square-shaped footprint? What about ideas for storage space - how about nice, rodent-proof feed storage, grooming/evaluation tables, etc? Oh, and what about insulation of said new building? Would that fancy radiant barrier insulation under the roof be helpful for cutting down the amazing power of the sun here?

Please, weigh in - and help me design my new dream rabbitry!

First of all, congratulations on the new family member!

As rabbits are much more heat susceptible than cold, I would focus on a setup that would let them stay cool. There are people here at RT who live in Canada and raise rabbits outdoors. I am not sure how you could cool a metal building with Nevada heat.

I have my cages in rows facing each other. Feed/clean one, turn around, rinse and repeat. It works well for me. I built a wooden show/supply table that stores most of my miscellaneous stuff, and my feed is kept in garbage cans. My hay bales rest on a pallet and are covered with a tarp.

One thing I strongly suggest is a ceiling fan and overhead light. Mine have made a huge difference, the fan in keeping temps cool, and the light for ease of nighttime kit checks.

Thanks, Marinea!

Yes, having to balance the extreme heat of Nevada summers with the months of freezing nights during Nevada fall, winter, and spring is making planning difficult. I wish we only had to worry about one or the other. At least with the low humidity, misters work very well. I have one set up in my half-*ss barn now, and it makes all the difference on 95+ degree days.

Any other ideas from folks who have put thought into this?