After doing some serious thinking and posting on HT and getting more input, I've decided to go with the old rabbitry shelter for my new colony!
Here is a picture:
The structure is 35' long by 10' wide and over 8' tall (with a couple feet higher inside at the peak of the roof).
In the picture you can see some of the cage rows I used to have hanging in there. All of that will be cleaned out and the colony will go in there.
Here is my first design plan:
This allows me to have 2 separate colonies going at the same time. That way I can raise the large meat rabbits for my big dogs and smaller rabbits (probably mini-Rex) for my small dogs.
I might make the large meat rabbit side bigger since they would likely need more room than the minis.
The feeding area is fenced off but has a door attached that will be left open ... until I want to corral the kits buns for culling. That way I don't have to chase the rabbits all over the space!
On advice from HT I plan to stack hay bales in the middle (near the feeding station) for the does to burrow into and under. That should help keep them from digging out.
I plan to lay down fencing (or leftover rabbit cage wire) along the inside to keep them from digging out and anyone else from digging in. I will fence around the building with 2" x 4" welded wire fencing. Will most likely go with 6' high fencing to discourage rabbits from trying to jump out and might even put 4' high wire on top of that so the entire building is fenced in. I will make sure to fence off the top of the ends of the building so no birds can fly in (we have owls and hawks around here).
When you look at the top picture you are looking due north. I will cover the west end of the building with tarps to block the wind. The barn (behind the rabbitry building) protects it from the northern winds. I will also stack some hay bales around the outside of the south end of the building for more wind blockage. If it gets really bad I can always hang more tarps along that side to cut the wind.
During the summer I will be planting bushes (raspberries) along the south and west side of the building to provide shade and some nibbles for the rabbits. I'm also thinking about putting up long planters about half way up the south side of the building and putting in some type of vines. They can grow down and help with shade, make the building look a little better and provide more food for the rabbits.
So - any input, comments, suggestions???
Here is a picture:
The structure is 35' long by 10' wide and over 8' tall (with a couple feet higher inside at the peak of the roof).
In the picture you can see some of the cage rows I used to have hanging in there. All of that will be cleaned out and the colony will go in there.
Here is my first design plan:
This allows me to have 2 separate colonies going at the same time. That way I can raise the large meat rabbits for my big dogs and smaller rabbits (probably mini-Rex) for my small dogs.
I might make the large meat rabbit side bigger since they would likely need more room than the minis.
The feeding area is fenced off but has a door attached that will be left open ... until I want to corral the kits buns for culling. That way I don't have to chase the rabbits all over the space!
On advice from HT I plan to stack hay bales in the middle (near the feeding station) for the does to burrow into and under. That should help keep them from digging out.
I plan to lay down fencing (or leftover rabbit cage wire) along the inside to keep them from digging out and anyone else from digging in. I will fence around the building with 2" x 4" welded wire fencing. Will most likely go with 6' high fencing to discourage rabbits from trying to jump out and might even put 4' high wire on top of that so the entire building is fenced in. I will make sure to fence off the top of the ends of the building so no birds can fly in (we have owls and hawks around here).
When you look at the top picture you are looking due north. I will cover the west end of the building with tarps to block the wind. The barn (behind the rabbitry building) protects it from the northern winds. I will also stack some hay bales around the outside of the south end of the building for more wind blockage. If it gets really bad I can always hang more tarps along that side to cut the wind.
During the summer I will be planting bushes (raspberries) along the south and west side of the building to provide shade and some nibbles for the rabbits. I'm also thinking about putting up long planters about half way up the south side of the building and putting in some type of vines. They can grow down and help with shade, make the building look a little better and provide more food for the rabbits.
So - any input, comments, suggestions???
