greeleyfarm
Member
As partly described in response to kyle's questions, here is a more full description of what I've got going:
I started out with two battery cages of dimensions roughly 11' wide x 2.5' deep x 2' high. The upper and lower cages are separated by corrugated plastic on a slight bias to allow the mess to run off the back and into the genius crap catcher which I have not yet built or even designed. One thing at a time....
My plan was to have two bucks on either extremity of the upper level with two open rooms in between so that they could interact with the whole colony. Then the middle two rooms would connect to the lower level via a purpose built wire creation and, on the bottom level, the does and the kits could run around and relax and I could also close off one of the three segments down there for kindling or any other time I might need to isolate a rabbit.
The first thing I did was cut holes in the connected "rooms" so that the buns could move laterally. While I had initially envisioned removing the interior wall entirely, in the end I only cut out space for a full grown rabbit to move through, thinking that leaving most of the connecting wall intact would keep the rest of the structure strong and prevent the floors from sagging. I left the wall by the buck's pens almost completely intact, but I opened a small segment where the kits can get in and out, but the adults can only get there head through.
Next I went to work on the ramp and landing. I used some of the material from the cage walls that had been cut away and some salvaged hardware cloth to build the ramp which goes down to the top (or roof) of the lower cage, makes a turn, then goes down to the floor of the lower cage, making one more turn. All through this process, I was binding the wire to the cage and bending it around, curling the edges away from tender bunny feet and making sure it was safe and secure to handle the weight of a fourteen pound rabbit, but I wasn't going to be sure until I tried it out.
The final touches would be extra levels or ramps and perches made out of salvaged plywood, especially for the bucks pens, so that they, too could get some extra square footage and some "environmental enrichment". This was a pretty simple process of measuring some wood at an angle inside his pen and drilling holes and binding it securely to the cage with wire on all four corners. I had originally thought of making these platforms and ramps so they could be quickly lifted and the muck rolled off, but... well, that didn't happen. And, frankly, it hasn't been a problem yet.
After about a month, the result is awesome. Oban (the buck) really seems to enjoy his perch and being able to poke his head into the colony for a nuzzle with the does and watching him with the kits is really sweet; Princess (a doe. Meat mutt) has taken to moving around where she likes, while Thyme (CA doe) and Snow White (NZ doe) mostly lounge around on the upper level.
The only issue I have had was when I introduced Princess and Thyme after Snow White and her kits were already in there, Princess was being some what aggressive towards the kits. Having read something on rabbittalk about reasons for a doe being irritable, I put her in with Oban and they got right to it and she mellowed immediately. I rebred Snow White right then, too, so in a couple weeks we will have the next adventure in colony living.
I haven't decided how to manage that, whether to isolate Princess and Snow White while they kindle, or to pen them together (one or two nest boxes), or just put in a nest box and let nature take its course. Seems like folks have a lot of different approaches here... I am open to suggestions.
I started out with two battery cages of dimensions roughly 11' wide x 2.5' deep x 2' high. The upper and lower cages are separated by corrugated plastic on a slight bias to allow the mess to run off the back and into the genius crap catcher which I have not yet built or even designed. One thing at a time....
My plan was to have two bucks on either extremity of the upper level with two open rooms in between so that they could interact with the whole colony. Then the middle two rooms would connect to the lower level via a purpose built wire creation and, on the bottom level, the does and the kits could run around and relax and I could also close off one of the three segments down there for kindling or any other time I might need to isolate a rabbit.
The first thing I did was cut holes in the connected "rooms" so that the buns could move laterally. While I had initially envisioned removing the interior wall entirely, in the end I only cut out space for a full grown rabbit to move through, thinking that leaving most of the connecting wall intact would keep the rest of the structure strong and prevent the floors from sagging. I left the wall by the buck's pens almost completely intact, but I opened a small segment where the kits can get in and out, but the adults can only get there head through.
Next I went to work on the ramp and landing. I used some of the material from the cage walls that had been cut away and some salvaged hardware cloth to build the ramp which goes down to the top (or roof) of the lower cage, makes a turn, then goes down to the floor of the lower cage, making one more turn. All through this process, I was binding the wire to the cage and bending it around, curling the edges away from tender bunny feet and making sure it was safe and secure to handle the weight of a fourteen pound rabbit, but I wasn't going to be sure until I tried it out.
The final touches would be extra levels or ramps and perches made out of salvaged plywood, especially for the bucks pens, so that they, too could get some extra square footage and some "environmental enrichment". This was a pretty simple process of measuring some wood at an angle inside his pen and drilling holes and binding it securely to the cage with wire on all four corners. I had originally thought of making these platforms and ramps so they could be quickly lifted and the muck rolled off, but... well, that didn't happen. And, frankly, it hasn't been a problem yet.
After about a month, the result is awesome. Oban (the buck) really seems to enjoy his perch and being able to poke his head into the colony for a nuzzle with the does and watching him with the kits is really sweet; Princess (a doe. Meat mutt) has taken to moving around where she likes, while Thyme (CA doe) and Snow White (NZ doe) mostly lounge around on the upper level.
The only issue I have had was when I introduced Princess and Thyme after Snow White and her kits were already in there, Princess was being some what aggressive towards the kits. Having read something on rabbittalk about reasons for a doe being irritable, I put her in with Oban and they got right to it and she mellowed immediately. I rebred Snow White right then, too, so in a couple weeks we will have the next adventure in colony living.
I haven't decided how to manage that, whether to isolate Princess and Snow White while they kindle, or to pen them together (one or two nest boxes), or just put in a nest box and let nature take its course. Seems like folks have a lot of different approaches here... I am open to suggestions.
Cultural prejudices, y'know 
