One thing I didn't think too much about when I made our colony plan was cleaning. Our rabbits are currently in hanging cages so not counting the flies, maintenance is very easy. If I build a colony on the ground (no solid floor, just buried wire), what would cleaning consist of? I figure it will be more than hanging cages. But I also figure that they will be able to regulate their temperature better so day-to-day maintenance to keep them from over heating will be less. ...so maybe it will balance out and a colony won't be more work?
Outdoor colony maintenance??
- Thread starter MamaDani
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
In my colony/grow out pens, they have potty corners. I keep straw on those spots and much it out once a week, adding new straw when I feel it's needed 
I put StalosanF in those cornes (or you could wash it with water and vinegar if you think it's getting bad) and use a horse grooming brush (well, it's not a very big pen, a broom works too) to sweap the berries and such on the ground. I do ythatwhen I think it's necessary, not too often.
I put StalosanF in those cornes (or you could wash it with water and vinegar if you think it's getting bad) and use a horse grooming brush (well, it's not a very big pen, a broom works too) to sweap the berries and such on the ground. I do ythatwhen I think it's necessary, not too often.
Cottie
Well-known member
How large is the colony? If it's big enough, in grass, you don't really need to clean - but big enough is pretty big.
My largest colony is 13' x 7' Like Zab I clean out the potty corners when I need to the rest gets done once a year in the spring.
I have two other pens about he same size on concrete, these pens need a lot more straw because of the concrete floor, I do the potty corners when I need to, the rest gets done about every three months.
My other large pen is my rabbit shedm but I keep rabbits loose on the floor in there as well as in cages, I try and clean this out once a week.
So I think the answer to your question is: It depends.
I have two other pens about he same size on concrete, these pens need a lot more straw because of the concrete floor, I do the potty corners when I need to, the rest gets done about every three months.
My other large pen is my rabbit shedm but I keep rabbits loose on the floor in there as well as in cages, I try and clean this out once a week.
So I think the answer to your question is: It depends.
Mine is kind of a cross between a big cage and a colony, it's 5'x10' and it's on concrete patio slabs. Every two weeks I clean the straw out and throw it to the chickens. Then I put a fresh bale of straw in and spread it out. Every other week I clean out the corners and any spots I see that get soiled. This seems to work out well for them and gives the chickens a regular addition of straw in their run which helps keep them off the mud.
WildWolf
Well-known member
I have a "colony" (right now it only has 1 doe, instead of 3 does... long story) that has hutches with an open door, and ramp leading down to the run, which is about 10'x25'. I just laid the wire right on top of the ground- no burrying/digging necessary- and I made a "digging pot" in one place (kind of like a kid's sandbox, except made of wood and clay dirt). I just pile leaves in the potty corner, and replace the leaves when they get too icky (maybe... once every month) and I have bins under the potty corners in the hutches. So far, I haven't had a problem with mud. However, I'm not too picky about how clean they are since I let them dig in their digging pot.
Mine is 10x10 with a concrete floor. They pee in the corners so I put metal trays with agricultural lime and peat moss or wood chips and clean them more often. I sweep up bunny berries once a week.
My old colony had 5 rabbits (2 NZ, 1 mini lop, 1ND and a Dutch) was 15 x 20 and originally was grass but that only lasted one year - then it became a dry lot in the summer and a stinking, soupy, muddy mess in winter, spring and fall
We started laying patio stones and after 3 years it was fully paved and I could sweep and put extra bedding in the pee corners.
My old colony had 5 rabbits (2 NZ, 1 mini lop, 1ND and a Dutch) was 15 x 20 and originally was grass but that only lasted one year - then it became a dry lot in the summer and a stinking, soupy, muddy mess in winter, spring and fall
We started laying patio stones and after 3 years it was fully paved and I could sweep and put extra bedding in the pee corners.
Mine poop/pee along the fenceline, so that area may end up soggy and gross. Which means a lot of shoveling out the nasty stuff and adding fresh, clean dirt. It may not even be cost effective if you can't dig a hole for the new dirt and dump the soiled stuff into another hole.
Other than that, there shouldn't be much else to deal with. They may dig to keep cool, you'll have to fill those in or who knows if the tunnels will cave, flood, cause other issues.
Will this area have a solid roof over all of it? If not, you will have a muddy mess in no time, which leads to ill rabbits. Water should not run off into the area at all.
Other than that, there shouldn't be much else to deal with. They may dig to keep cool, you'll have to fill those in or who knows if the tunnels will cave, flood, cause other issues.
Will this area have a solid roof over all of it? If not, you will have a muddy mess in no time, which leads to ill rabbits. Water should not run off into the area at all.
skysthelimit
Well-known member
Ok, so I was considering pouring concrete in the 8x12 space. It appears that it is officially a growout colony space, I'm not going to move it, so I might as well get serious.
Since it's only been there for a 8 weeks, I haven't done anything but top off straw.
Since it's only been there for a 8 weeks, I haven't done anything but top off straw.
Hey Truckinguy, I haven't seen any pics of your colony since you were finishing it up. Any chance of some pics??[/quote]
I'll see if I can, I"m in the process of adding an addition to the colony but due to long hours at work and projects piling up around the house I haven't had a chance to get it done. Like everything else, I"m working on it!
I'll see if I can, I"m in the process of adding an addition to the colony but due to long hours at work and projects piling up around the house I haven't had a chance to get it done. Like everything else, I"m working on it!
