hay feeding ricks

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ridgerunner1965

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when i built my cages i put hay ricks in them. but i built them out of 1"x1" mesh wire.i thought that would allow them to rustle the hay out but they dont seem to be able to get it out.do i need to cut some holes in the ricks to let them pull it out better?
 
Cutting holes would probably leave sharp edges that will cut their faces. Odds are you will have to redo the hay racks if they can't get the hay out. Mine are built out of 1.5x1.5" spaced 14" aquare metal shelving panels bent in a curve with one end left open so they can also pull it out of there. The smaller mini rex climb in them occasionally but I haven't found any dangers from this. Only one buck would pee in his hay so he got hay on the floor until he grew out of it. When it was subzero temps several of the mini rex made themselves nests in the hay racks to keep warm.
 
I think the 1x2 size would be better-- the animals have to be able to move their faces to help pull the stuff out. the 1x1 may not give them enough wiggle room to effectively grab and separate what they have from the rest. They will want to move their heads up and down as opposed to side to side.
 
I made the opening in mine a bit too small for the rabbit to get its snout into but I notice mine just digs some out with her forefeet when she wants some. I'll have to go back in and enlarge the feeding hole.
 
I fashion my hay-racks from left over cage wire from cutting a door opening to the cage.
The wire is 1" X 2" I bend the bottom to make a tray to hold the hay.
The sides are bent at right angles with a hook on either side of the top and bottom.
The Hay-rack is hung on the outside of the cage, the top is open to allow
stuffing the rack with a handful of grass-hay. I NEVER toss hay onto the cage floor!
That is only asking for trouble as urine and or manure soiled hay can/will bring
about the influx of possible disease spread.
I will try to add a picture.
Ottersatin. http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c216/ ... CF0091.jpg
 
I have one rack so far. It is bent like Ottersatin's from 1" x 1/2" wire. It attaches to the outside like his, and, since the sides of the cage itself are 1" x 2", the rabbits seem to have little trouble getting the hay out. When it start to get sparse, they dig at it to bring more up to the front.

Shay is making more for me. It's working great! And it will allow me to keep the rabbit manure mostly separate from the waste hay.
 
I need to make some like that but on the INSIDE...to keep the rain off...I keep over thinking it, just ought to do it!
 
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