Hayrack Feeder

[grumpy]

Beekeeper,

Try an Arrow T-50 hand stapler. 3/8's or 5/16'ths should do fine.
I like the 1X2 WW. It gives them enough room to work the hay
without pulling out huge bunches.

LOL. I like that title: The Rabbit-Keeper.

Marinea,

Glad I can help out. Don't know if you know or remember
the little trick about keeping the nest-box in one place.

Does are wretched little hussies about moving their nest-box around.
Take a pair of small nails and drive them in on each side
of the bottom about 1/2" from the front.

Then cut the nail-heads off. When you slip the box into
place, the nails go through the floor-wire and the box CAN'T
be moved.

Grumpy.

 

[Marinea]

Thanks for the tip on the nesting box, Grumpy.

Very timely tip- as today we built one, along with one of your hayracks. We modified it a bit, using T-111 scraps we had already for the back in place of the cardboard. This allowed us to really secure it together well. It is already in place in our grow out cage, now we're just waiting for babies.

 

[fuzzy9]

I like these! I like that the hay doesn't fall out the bottom on the outside of the cage. The only exit for hay is in the cage. Great job grumpy!

 

[bobqdevon]

Does are wretched little hussies about moving their nest-box around.
Take a pair of small nails and drive them in on each side
of the bottom about 1/2" from the front.

Then cut the nail-heads off. When you slip the box into
place, the nails go through the floor-wire and the box CAN'T
be moved.

Grumpy.

A side note, I use the scraps from my 2 x 4 welded wire. I cut some "sticks" of wire out about 3" long, then I take a 3" piece, bend one end into a loop around the back corners of my nestboxes, then pass the wire through the cage and make hooks to hold it securely to the front of the cage.

The girls don't mind, plus it keeps the nestboxes in the front of the cage, where I can peek in and check on them without having to disturb everyone.

 

[grumpy]

I disturb my does every day, at least once.
Sometimes twice when the weather's warm
checking on the youngsters.

Anything to keep the box secure is good.
What isn't good is an old cranky doe moving
stuff around simply because she can.

She'll move that box and pinch a little one
that's out on the wire every so often.
Or, move it just enough to catch a youngster
between the box and the side.
grumpy.

 

[TerriG]

Grumpy,
How much space do you leave at the top for filling? How much at the bottom? I am going to build something like this, thanks for your great idea!

 

[grumpy]

Grumpy,
How much space do you leave at the top for filling? How much at the bottom? I am going to build something like this, thanks for your great idea!

TerriG:
The measurements are given with the pictures. The racks are super cheap
to make and much more efficient in saving hay. The rabbits "still" waste it,
but not nearly as bad as having loose hay in front of them.

 

[TerriG]

I read over it 3 times before posting my question and somehow missed the dimensions. Sorry to bother you.

 

[Comet007]

In his initial post it says 3" deep at the top and 1" deep at the bottom. Our store-bought hay racks are a little bit deeper than that, so I think personal preference and available space could dictate how deep you make them!

 

[Beekeeper10]

Grumpy, your hay racks are the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[grumpy]

In his initial post it says 3" deep at the top and 1" deep at the bottom. Our store-bought hay racks are a little bit deeper than that, so I think personal preference and available space could dictate how deep you make them!

3" opening at the top and 1" at the bottom. The rack is seven inches tall overall and ten inches wide. You shove the hay down into the rack and it compresses against the cage wire. The rabbits have to clip small pieces in lieu of pulling long strands out.

Looking at the profile....the larger top is 3" and it narrows to 1" at the bottom.

I built smaller ones for my buck cages....they didn't need racks that big.

grumpy.

 

[LBMBarbalooski]

I am going to show this to my husband.....one more wood project for him to add to his list of things to make. Life is never dull.