Is this cage big enough

[preciousgurl63]

I have a few little question. I have a hutch or cage whatever you want to say it is that I did house a doe MR and her litter in which was plenty big enough for her. Well I am getting out of raising MR's and now trying to get into meat rabbits. I haven't yet picked out the breed I want but I do know it is going to be a meat breed. My question is this cage big enough to house one in? This cage most likely will be the doe's cage since it already has a box hooked on. The box is plenty big enough because it can fit a californian in it. Next question is what meat breed might be able to be raised in this cage. measurments are 40in long 26in wide and 23in tall. Here are some pics

 

[Dood]

It is big enough and could house any breed in the 8 to 12 pound range.

It will not be big enough to house the mom and kits much past 5 or 6 weeks, depending on the size of the litter, so grow out cages will also be needed.

You may need to enlarge the entrance hole to the box as a 10 pound doe engorged with milk might not appreciate squeezing herself through it and you increase the chance of mastitis if her teats are repeatedly scrapped on the edge. Remember you don't want the kits to be able to crawl out either so don't cut it closer to the floor but along the top and sides.

 

[preciousgurl63]

Ok thanks. And yes I already have cages for kits to grow out in. And I know I will have to enlarge the entrance hole and plan on doing that before getting any rabbits.

 

[Zass]

I used one of those cages for a while. It has a lot of head room. You can take advantage of that my putting in something for the doe to jump up on on. They aren't very well made though. Mine only lasted about a year.

I took the front off and store my hay there (inside a building) now.

 

[preciousgurl63]

Thanks. I will make a shelf or something for the doe. Mine has lasted for about 12yrs now. Its slowly pulling apart but I end up fixing it and then its all brand new again

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Ditto on the shelf. All my doe pens have shelves 12" up off the floor. They love to get up there to get away from the kits. I know that about the time the kits are large enough to jump up there with her, it's time to start planning on getting them weaned and out of there.

And, since I raise New Zealands, may I suggest that they are an excellent meat breed! :lol:

 

[preciousgurl63]

Thank definitely going to do the shelf then. And I know NZ are excellent meat breed but I don't know if that cage is big enough for a doe.

 

[Zass]

It's the wire on the bottom that may bow under the weight of a large rabbit and her litter.
I think putting a 10 lb SF doe in one was too much for it, and contributed to my hutch's early demise.

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Our doe pens are 48 long, 24 deep, and 24 high with a 12" x 24" shelf down on one end. Only time they seem crowded is just before weaning a litter of 10 or more.

Ditto what Zass said - make sure your floor is sturdy. We have 14 gauge wire with added supports. You don't want that floor to sag and a full grown doe plus a litter could get to 20 pounds easy.

 

[Zass]

Our doe pens are 48 long, 24 deep, and 24 high with a 12" x 24" shelf down on one end. Only time they seem crowded is just before weaning a litter of 10 or more.

Ditto what Zass said - make sure your floor is sturdy. We have 14 gauge wire with added supports. You don't want that floor to sag and a full grown doe plus a litter could get to 20 pounds easy.

Your cages sound exactly like my favorite pens, all the way down to the 12X24 in shelf on one end.

The only difference is that I went with 18 inches of head space instead of 24, and although it will work for my medium sized rabbits, I believe 24 in would be better for the really big ones, like the SF.

 

[preciousgurl63]

Ok so once I get a shelf put in and cage all clean. Do you think a NZ doe could fit in this cage of should I go smaller in meat rabbit breed?