Housing Questions to Avoid Future Headaches

[MamaSheepdog]

Nice rabbits! Congrats to your daughter on her success competing!

How cool that you have gotten some practical experience before building your shed.

A top row of cages up high may seem cool and space saving, but only the tall person (me) can reliably assist with it.

I have a step stool in the bunnybarn which helps a lot. On the other hand, having only one tier makes cleaning a breeze, because you don't have to worry about dropping boards. If I had enough linear space, I would have only one tier for that reason.

 

[toastedoat37]

Nice looking rabbits. What you said about feeders not requiring you to open the cages to feed. Its a good idea to open the cages each time you feed your does and bucks just to give them a pet. Its best that your breeding stock like you and that you pet them every day.<br /><br />__________ Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:38 am __________<br /><br />Ive been building outdoor hutches ,using to much wood for my liking because its windy and rainy here so much,Ive been thinking of using FRP board (fiberglass renforced poly) for inside the back wall of the hutches, water proof and easy to clean. Just a thought, i havent priced it yet, and so far all my material have been free.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Toasted is right about petting them- not only to keep them friendly, but also to check their condition. Their spine should feel like rounded bumps, if you can't feel the backbone, they are too fat, if it is spiky, they are too thin. Daily handling prevents their weight from becoming a big problem since you will catch it quickly.

I have J-feeders also, but I pet mine when I feed hay and greens. I have Rex, so it is hard to resist touching them anyway! :lol:

 

[Lapin]

I've had a few rabbits for the last two year and recently decided to expand. I built and double stack 10'X6'X24" frame for 8 30"X24" cages. Thought trail and error I've found a few products that make rabbit care quicker and more efficient for me. I built the cages from scratch.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Nice ! setup and ideas Lapin !

We had the three high stacks... i needed a stepstool for the top... and had to crawl on the floor for the bottom. We pulled all the units outside, and took them apart. DH built a stand and we put the stacks, now only two high back in. I can reach top and bottom cages easily. Ja... the trays Are a pain... we use wood pellets in the trays... they soak up moisture nicely... and are Way cheaper than shavings... plus a small amount of pellets goes a Long way.

( do not but Horse stall pellets... those will cost , perhaps, 3x what regular wood pellets do)

 

[OrovilleTim]

That's some great tips/examples, Lapin!<br /><br />__________ Sat Jun 23, 2012 7:00 pm __________<br /><br />That's some great tips/examples, Lapin!

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Oh man, I love the look of that pro-B feeder...I have a really bad pellet-scratcher, I've kinda wanted to give those a try. Someone also told me they are safer somehow...though they didn't say why.

 

[Lapin]

Someone also told me they are safer somehow...though they didn't say why.

They safer because they don't pertrode into the cage so the rabbits don't get hung up or cut.

 

[skysthelimit]

Oh man, I love the look of that pro-B feeder...I have a really bad pellet-scratcher, I've kinda wanted to give those a try. Someone also told me they are safer somehow...though they didn't say why.

I am always worried that mine are going to cut their faces on the sides of the regular feeders, or scrap nose hair off. It sounds funny, but I was drying out a feeder and put my hand inside to feel if it was dry, and inch long gash on my left ring finger.

 

[grumpy]

Lapin:

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your floor wire is in upside down. You've got the one-inch side "up" it should be "down". the half/inch wire makes a smoother surface for the rabbits.

Plus, you need to add more J-clips. There's a seven-inch gap between the corner J-clip and the next one. One about every 2-3 inches around the bottom. Heavy J-clips hold better and last longer.

grumpy

 

[Dan N TN]

I like your set up and how you attached the cages to the frames at the top. I would suggest that you get a piece of tin roofing and put it on a slope under you cages and run it into a tote or wheel barrel. I don't have to worry about the smell any more because mine are in the goat barn but, the urine STINKS to high heavens so if you don't want to empty it every day I would dig a hole with post hole diggers and put in a section of 4 inch PVC pipe and toss in a generous helping of rocks. Set a rubber maid tote on top of the hole, angle so that it drains to the buried pipe side and drill a few small drain holes so that the dropping can't fall through but, the water and urine will drain on down. I was going to do this before I moved mine.