hello, New to meat rabbits

[bigmike77]

Hello all, just found your site and looking around there is some great advice on this site.

We are new to raising rabbits and will be asking for a lot of help, but i like to think we will be taking this adventure 2gether so here is what we got so far.<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 06, 2013 3:15 pm __________<br /><br />

 

[WildWolf]

Welcome!
Looks like you have plenty of cages... how are you going to set them up? We'd all be happy to answer questions!

 

[bigmike77]

testing the site out, pic's work.

one of the bigger cages. I have four of them

manufacture of the big ones

manufacture of the 10 small ones

my daughter playing with a small cage

<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 06, 2013 3:22 pm __________<br /><br />this is were we are thinking of putting them for the 1st part of the season.

all cleaned up

 

[AmysMacdog]

Welcome BigMike77 :welcomewagon:
You look all set on cages and I like the bunny building! Have you decided which breed your getting into?

 

[Marinea]

Welcome BigMike 77! Looks like you got a great start going. Can't wait to see it all set up.

(You wouldn't happen to be in Virginia, would you? There's a Dryden not far down the road from me)

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Welcome to the forum!!! Looks like you are gonna have a ROCKIN' setup there!!!!

 

[bigmike77]

Welcome BigMike77 :welcomewagon:
You look all set on cages and I like the bunny building! Have you decided which breed your getting into?

Yes, Nw and Californians

I am going to start with just NW's. One buck and two doe's

__________ Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:34 pm __________

Welcome BigMike 77! Looks like you got a great start going. Can't wait to see it all set up.

(You wouldn't happen to be in Virginia, would you? There's a Dryden not far down the road from me)

Nope Michigan! I have family in Richmond!

__________ Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:46 pm __________

Welcome to the forum!!! Looks like you are gonna have a ROCKIN' setup there!!!!

Thanks, We are trying to take a new approach to the food we take in. My wife's family lives in the UP, her grandparents are in there late 80's but are as active as a 60 year old. It's the food they eat! they grow there own food and can everything. Then they hunt deer, have rabbits and chickens as well. we are on our way.

__________ Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:51 pm __________

Welcome!
Looks like you have plenty of cages... how are you going to set them up? We'd all be happy to answer questions!

I would like to hang them and have a worm bin to catch the urine and poop from the rabbits. I saw a few different set-ups on youtube. I will post pic's as i go along.<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:53 pm __________<br /><br />So Question, Can I keep my buck in his own cage close to the doe's in there own cages or should he be on the other side of the rabbit house? I will take more pic's 2night of the what we are calling the rabbit house, and the cages on the ground were I thing they will hang from. Will get them pic's up later to get your ideas.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi Big Mike!

:welcome: to RabbitTalk!

Boy, you don't mess around, do you? My mouth is watering over all those empty cages!

For some ideas on hanging the cages, take a look here:

gallery/album.php?album_id=8

 

[bigmike77]

thanks mammasheepdog, I got them on craigslist for $180.00. I cant touch that even if i tried to build them myself. I got a supper good deal with them, I had to drive half way across michigan to get them but it was worth it. I dig the 1st pic. I like how he used a log metal pipe through the top, great idea! thanks for the heads up!!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I got them on craigslist for $180.00.

Whu-u-ut?!?!?!? :fainting:

:weep: Why can I not find a deal like that? I could have driven from CA to Michigan, and still saved money! :sourgrapes:<br /><br />__________ Thu Jun 06, 2013 2:26 pm __________<br /><br />Ahem!

:congratulations: on that steal of a deal, even if I am twenty shades of green right now. :roll:

I dig the 1st pic. I like how he used a log metal pipe through the top, great idea! thanks for the heads up!!

You're welcome.

That's probably Grumpy's barn. The pipe is excellent support, the only downside being that you cannot easily pull just one cage out for cleaning or quarantine purposes... but most of us have a separate area for quarantine in any case.

 

[Miss M]

:welcomewagon:

Welcome to RabbitTalk, Bigmike! You have found a most unique and awesome rabbit site here!

That looks like a great place for a bunnybarn! I have only two concerns:

The plywood floors. That will get pretty messy eventually, even with worm bins, I'm sure. You might want to just pull up the plywood and have a dirt floor instead.

Security. The lattice looks like it has some age on it, so it may be brittle. If you have predators about like dogs, raccoons, etc., you may need to reinforce the walls with wire fence material. Also, is there no door? It will need a door. I also recommend a lock on the door. We have had members on here who have had rabbits stolen.

Welcome to the wonderful world of meat rabbits! :bouncy:

 

[Ivory]

Also, is there no door? It will need a door. I also recommend a lock on the door.

That looks like a door to me, being held up by the 2 x 4.

Great start.

 

[bigmike77]

to address Miss M and Ivory, the pic of the door being propped up by a 2x4 is really a wall, there is no door yet. I agree I am going to need to re-enforce the bottom of the rabbit house to keep predators out. I am going to have to hang a simple door. Also I removed the plywood floor when we cleaned it out a few weekends ago.
here is a pic looking into the rabbit house were a door needs to be hung

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Thanks, We are trying to take a new approach to the food we take in. My wife's family lives in the UP, her grandparents are in there late 80's but are as active as a 60 year old. It's the food they eat! they grow there own food and can everything. Then they hunt deer, have rabbits and chickens as well. we are on our way.

Oh hey, didn't notice before, HI THERE FELLOW MICHIGANDER!!!

I love venison...this year I'm waiting to hear back from the elk lottery, to see if I can get an elk license. One elk is like two or three whitetails!!!! :dinner:

 

[bigmike77]

Thanks, We are trying to take a new approach to the food we take in. My wife's family lives in the UP, her grandparents are in there late 80's but are as active as a 60 year old. It's the food they eat! they grow there own food and can everything. Then they hunt deer, have rabbits and chickens as well. we are on our way.

Oh hey, didn't notice before, HI THERE FELLOW MICHIGANDER!!!

I love venison...this year I'm waiting to hear back from the elk lottery, to see if I can get an elk license. One elk is like two or three whitetails!!!! :dinner:

Hello as well! Were on the western part do you live? We have property on lake Michigan near silver lake. Both brothers went to GVSU! :bunnyhop:<br /><br />__________ Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:02 am __________<br /><br />Sorry I didn't get a chance last night to snap some pic's of the rabbit house. We got home too late and after dinner I was too tired. Will have more of the project up probabley Sunday afternoon.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I vaguely know where silver lake is. I am in Muskegon, about 200 yards from Lake Michigan, and about five minutes from Muskegon Lake.

 

[bigmike77]

I vaguely know where silver lake is. I am in Muskegon, about 200 yards from Lake Michigan, and about five minutes from Muskegon Lake.

My mother grew up in muskegon. I grew up fishing on wolf lake. LOL Silver lake is about 40 north from u. south of ludington. Small world.

 

[Miss M]

That looks like a door to me, being held up by the 2 x 4.

Oh, I was actually looking at the far end, at the space to the left.

to address Miss M and Ivory, the pic of the door being propped up by a 2x4 is really a wall, there is no door yet. I agree I am going to need to re-enforce the bottom of the rabbit house to keep predators out. I am going to have to hang a simple door. Also I removed the plywood floor when we cleaned it out a few weekends ago.

Okay, sounds great, and I'm sorry if I came on a little strong. That building does look like it's got good, sturdy bones. Just needs a little TLC to make it an excellent bunnybarn! WAY cheaper than building a rabbitry from scratch! You really scored with that structure, and any of us on here would have been beside ourselves to be that close to rabbit-ready before even doing anything.

In winter, you'll probably need to wrap much of it with visqueen or something to protect your rabbits from the wind. I have to do that even all the way down here. :roll:

 

[bigmike77]

no problem ms.m, I did not at any point think you came off strong. Thanks for the input! i need it!!!

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I vaguely know where silver lake is. I am in Muskegon, about 200 yards from Lake Michigan, and about five minutes from Muskegon Lake.

My mother grew up in muskegon. I grew up fishing on wolf lake. LOL Silver lake is about 40 north from u. south of ludington. Small world.

Oh that's not far at all! I grew up in Muskegon...moved around a few times, but eventually moved back...and had to move back in with my dad while going back to college. Actually I think the college I go to is off the same road I'd take to get to Wolf Lake...very small world indeed!!! Always awesome to meet fellow Michiganders here on RT!!!!