New Colony/Outdoor Cage

Well, this is about 3/4 finished, I just need to finish the roof and put on a door. The bottom is concrete slabs and between the cracks between the slabs and the cracked slabs themselves it should allow any water or urine to drain away. It is 5'x10' right now but I will add another 5'x10' section on beside it when I can. I'm hoping to put two does and a buck in here with a couple of hidey hole nesting rooms in there and maybe a couple of clay pipes or stacked blocks for them to play on and hide under. I'm planning to get some hay, cover the floor with it and change it out as necessary. The open side is facing east so it is protected from the prevailing North and West winds. It's also sheltered by the feed shed beside it and the bushes behind it

The open side will have welded wire 1"x1" 14 gauge on both side to prevent varmints from reaching in and grabbing the rabbits. The roof will be an opaque corrugated roof to let more light in. I'm taking some of my cages apart for the welded wire and it pains me to take my good cages apart but I won't have rabbits in cages for the next while so I won't need them for now. Everything is screwed together with deck screws so I can take it apart and replace things if necessary. I"m using materials scrounged from around here from other projects and all this has cost me so far is one sheet of chipboard and the deck screws.

I've had to make some difficult decisions regarding the rabbits and all but three of them will go in the freezer including my buddy Adam who was my very first buck. I just don't have the facilities for the rabbits at the moment as they all have to come out of the garage to get my pickup truck in before the snow flies. Someday, if I ever get my homestead acreage with a barn I will build up the herd again but until then I'll have to work with what I have.

Any suggestions would be welcome. I've had rabbits for 4 1/2 years but I'm new to housing them outside. The feed shed is right beside them and the chicken coops are on the other side of that so feeding them shouldn't be a problem. They'll have to get used to drinking from bowls instead of the bottles. If this doesn't work out I'll put the remaining three rabbits in the freezer and start again at another time.

give them a kitty litter box, but with a drain bottom, for the urine - if it works, it can make getting the bunny berries out, easier and you will have less clean up. If you have some of the clear panels, to use in the front, if needed and hidey holes that they can stuff with hay or straw - If needed. Rabbits should be fine, do not know about the three you have, if they do not work, I would not give up, though!

Turning out nice. Piper has some good advise regarding the litter boxes and the water bottles.

You have to do what you have to do. Preparing for the future. There's honor in knowing what you can and can not do.

Look forward to seeing the finished project.

Karen

Looks good. You might want to put a low barrier inside the door, to minimize the risk of escape while you are feeding and watering them. A piece of heavy wire shelving works well for this.

I suggest a nest tunnel along the back wall, with openings at each end and a divider in the middle. The lid should be hinged or removable so you can check kits. I don't know if it will be helpful or not, but here is the link to a picture of my colony. You can see the white wire panel across the doorway. My nest tunnels are side by side, but I think two back to back along the solid wall would work better for you. The rabbits love to lounge on top of the boxes.
pictures-of-nest-tunnels-in-colony-t2903.html

You may require a tarp or something like that for extra protection from the weather during the most severe part of the winter. That bubble wrap foil insulation works very well for that kind of thing too.

It's nice to see you back here, Truckinguy! It's been awhile.

Piper, the litter box may be a good idea once I find the corner they prefer to do their business in.

Maggie, the low barrier on the door sounds smart, wouldn't want them to make a break for it when I'm trying to get in. I"ve seen the pics of your setup and I"ll definitely use that as an idea for my nests. This setup is to avoid getting rid of all my rabbits so it's kind of taking shape as I have ideas and time. I"m not swearing off rabbits altogether but at this time they have to take a back seat to other priorities. I'm not looking forward to the day coming up soon when I have to put some of my favorite rabbits on the bus to camp.

I have a couple of tarps I can rig up for the front of the cage when the weather gets extra nasty so that will help.

Thanks, Maggie, I haven't been on here often lately, just up to my ears in work and trying to get some projects done before winter. My chickens have been doing well, I've hatched out two batches from my incubator and two hens hatched out some of their own this summer. I sent one batch of roosters off to camp a few weeks ago and have 13 waiting for the big day. Work is slowing down for the winter now so hopefully I'll get more projects completed and have some more time to spend here!<br /><br />__________ Sun Oct 14, 2012 4:30 pm __________<br /><br />Well, it's finally done. I had to cheap out on the roof, instead of opaque corrugated panels which would have cost me $100 I went with two sheets of chipboard and tar paper. There is 1x1 14 gauge wire on the inside and outside of the 2x4's so no raccoons can reach in through the wire and grab a bunny. I just have to get a bale of straw, build a nesting box setup and get a tarp for the front. Total cost, 3 sheets of chipboard, a couple boxes of screws and washers, 2 hinges and a latch. Everything else was lying around from other projects.

The picture of my backyard shows the two chicken coops on the right, the feed and supply shed in the middle and the rabbit palace on the left. They don't look too pretty at the moment, I'll have to finish the staining in the spring, but everything is straight and square and snugly built. This gets all my animals and supplies outside close to each other which will make chores easier and will now allow me to clean out the garage, set it up for automotive only and get my truck in there before the snow flies.

This has been a long time coming, I wanted to do it last year but too many projects reared their ugly head. It's a big relief to get it done. Now I just hope that the rabbits that I decide to put in there can make the transition from an indoor cage to an outside enclosure and from water bottle to water dish. If not, they will go in the freezer with the rest of them and I'll start fresh in the spring with new rabbits.

You are "North of Toronto" - can you go ahead and put their cages out there now, so they can start transitioning, and they can get used to the night tempertures, they should already be starting on thier winter coats. If they were in thier cages, all you 'might' lack is a tarp, for blowing rain.
- It would also get you out there, kinda like a trial run, which could be good to do, while the weather is still good.
- looks nice, wish it was in my backyard!

Looks good, Truckinguy!

You might put some raised enclosed areas for the rabbits to retreat to in the event that you are not home to put up tarps if the weather turns nasty- that way they can get off the wet floor if a lot of rain blows in.

You also have plenty of vertical space to hang a couple of your cages for bucks or other rabbits that you want to keep separate from the others for some reason.

I think your rabbits will be very happy in their new "palace"! Make sure to take some pics when they move in!

That is one nice colony pen. I like that you have room to put buck pens in if you want to be able to separate them at all.

MSD had a great suggestion of adding some raised enclosures that they can get out of the weather in.

Looks great, Truckinguy! I do think that a nest tunnel along the back wall would be a good idea. There could be a divider in the centre and openings at each end so each doe could have her own space. A hinged lid will give you access for kit checks.

I think your set-up should work very well.

Really turned out well! Congratulations on the finished project. Hoping your rabbits settle well in their new outdoor enclosure.

Karen

Thanks, I wish I could put a couple of cages in there temporarily so they could get used to being out there but they won't fit through the door, Lol! My cages are 24" wide and the door is less than that. I have a line on some straw so I'll put that in there and they'll just have to get used to it.

I will put a nesting tunnel in there and a couple of raised areas for the buns to get up off the floor if they want. At some point, likely in the spring, I will be adding an 8-10 foot section on the left side to make it bigger so they will have more room to play. I"m doing this on the cheap and trying to get a succession of projects done before the snow show up so I"m a bit stressed!

Thanks for the input and suggestions!

Oooh! I just noticed the solar lights! Nice touch!

Truckinguy":htx96mv5 said:

I wish I could put a couple of cages in there temporarily so they could get used to being out there

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I doubt they will have much trouble acclimating. They will have the straw, the shelters, and each other to snuggle with.

I love solar lights. If you look at the picture with the chicken coops in it you will see two solar panels mounted on them. They are made by Noma and I bought them at Canadian Tire but they should be available at most building supply stores. Each panel comes with one LED light on a long wire and a second light can be bought separately. The lower panel has two lights attached to it, one for the inside of each coop. The upper one has two lights attached to it, one hanging outside between the coops and one in the feed shed. Between those and the ground solar lights there is plenty of light for me to do the chores at night. I"m extremely pleased with them, they give pretty good light and have worked flawlessly through the winter. I have to buy one more solar panel and two lights for the rabbit enclosure.<br /><br />__________ Tue Nov 06, 2012 7:05 pm __________<br /><br />Well, the residents are finally in their new digs! Fred is the buck, he's 4 years old and he's from my very first litter from Adam and Scarlett who were my first rabbits (some of you may be familiar with some of my rabbit history from HT). He's a full New Zealand, a big stocky guy with Steel fur (brown with black tips). The two does are Morgan, 3/4 black New Zealand and her as yet un-named daughter who is the first fawn colored NZ I've seen. Fred is also her father so we're kind of keeping it all in the family here, lol!

I"m going temporarily with a water bottle but will be putting a heavy crock in there as soon as I get one as it's getting cold out now and water bottles are useless outside in the winter. The wooden box to the right of the water bottle is protecting a j-feeder and seems to be working well so far. I put three cage nestboxes in with them for now to have something to hide in. I should add that Fred immediately mounted Morgan as soon as I put her in there so I'll be expecting little ones in about a month! I have a solar panel with two solar lights inside so it's brightly lit after dark and should give them a little more playing time during the dark days of winter.

These rabbits are all cage raised and really seem to be enjoying the large space to run around in and have discovered the joys of eating and digging in the straw. They were very skittish for the first day as they got used to their new home and the new sounds outside but Fred and Morgan have come to be petted today although still a little hesitant.

Sunday I sent two rabbits to freezer camp and have four left in the garage. They will be going to camp this week and the entire house and garage will be animal free for the first time in 4 1/2 years. I'm sure going to miss the easy chores in the attached garage in the winter but I think the buns will be happier outside.

Thus begins another chapter in Truckinguy's Homesteading Journey...

Lookin' good! I'm so jealous...

Hi truckinguy love you pen nice job .. I see at the start you have cement blocks down in the pen. Did you put any dirt down over them or just hay ? the cement isnt hard on bunny feet ? im working on getting some rabbits & will be using 10x10 dog kennels that have some blocks in them & some dirt over wire any advice is welcome. thanks

Denimangle, I have concrete patio slabs on the bottom so they won't dig out. I put a small square bale of hay in there which easily covers the floor with a few inches of hay so they are on hay all the time. I am hoping that their feet will contact the floor every so often and when they try to dig so it will keep their toenails trimmed down.

I didn't use wire because I think it will eventually rust and I don't want the buns digging down and hurting themselves on any broken rusty wire. Concrete will last forever. Hope that helps.

Truckinguy, that looks amazing! I want one!!! :razz:

truckenguy thats just why we put the concrete blocks down for the dogs nails I may have to just go with more blocks. I have a mill close by for chips so im in good shape there

Truckinguy":28sk0l5e said:

I"m going temporarily with a water bottle but will be putting a heavy crock in there as soon as I get one as it's getting cold out now and water bottles are useless outside in the winter.

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You can get black rubber pans in various sizes. They work great in winter... if they freeze solid all you have to do is turn them over and step on them to break up the ice. Any good feed store should carry them this time of year. I just bought a new one for the buns for winter. It cost about $9 with sales tax.

I know this is an old thread, but your setup is totally inspirational. Thanks so much for sharing it and the pics.