Homemade cages for rabbits. How to make a cage for rabbits with your own hands - types of structures, preparation for work and step-by-step construction technology

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Today, rabbits are bred in almost every corner of the world. If you also decide to get into this profitable business, then we recommend starting with organizing optimal conditions keeping animals, namely from rabbit cages.

A rabbitry and all the equipment necessary for it (feeders and drinkers) can be purchased or built independently. In this article we will talk about what kind of housing these animals should have, and what materials will be needed to make cages for rabbits with your own hands.

Necessary materials

First of all, you should decide on the size of future cells. The most common option is a double design, which has two separate sections.

There are other types of housing:

single-section;
group (for young animals);
with three sections;
with mother liquor.

Creating any structure for keeping rabbits involves step by step production frame, floor, walls, ceiling and door with subsequent assembly. In most cases, wood and metal mesh are used in construction. Therefore, for work you will need the following tools and materials:

The wood should first be sanded and thoroughly sanded, and the ends of the mesh should be securely fastened. All sharp edges must be removed, otherwise the animal may be injured. It makes sense to cover wooden surfaces inside the home with tin to make the enclosure more durable, since rabbits love to gnaw on everything that catches their eye. Thick wooden beams are usually used for the main frame, and the walls and ceiling are made of sheets of plywood and mesh. Note that if the rabbits’ home is located outdoors, then the length of the legs of the frame should not be less than 80 cm. For cages placed indoors, 30-centimeter legs will be enough.

If the enclosure will be located in the open air, then it is important to pay special attention to the construction of the roof of the home. Direct sunlight, precipitation and drafts negatively affect the well-being and health of animals. It is not recommended to make a roof out of metal - it gets very hot in the sun, which can lead to heatstroke in a rabbit. It is better to cover the top of the structure with slate.

Types of cells and their sizes

On a farm, to maintain a population of rabbits, various cages are required, intended for certain categories of animals:

adults;
young animals;
representatives of giant breeds;
females with offspring.

When planning the construction of a home for animals, as well as their resettlement, we start from the following figures: 0.7 m 2 of space is usually allocated for an adult rabbit, and 0.25 m 2 for young animals per individual.

For adults

Optimal cages for medium-sized rabbits should have a depth of 55-75 cm, a height of 45-60 cm and a length of at least 100 cm. Dimensions standard version: 120×75×45 cm (DHA). When keeping adult animals, it is advisable to use block structures divided into two compartments using a mesh. If mating is necessary, the partition is removed, combining the sections together.

In order to save space, cells are often arranged in blocks of 2-3 tiers.

Each room should have a designated area for sleeping, eating and walking. A small place for rest is required: approximately 30x60x50 cm. To zone the space, plywood partitions with holes located at a height of about 15 cm from the floor are usually used.

For young animals

Rabbits are separated from their mother at the age of 6-7 weeks and kept together in groups of 10-20 animals. When designing a home, the following dimensions are adhered to: 300 × 100 × 50 cm. The floor can be made either solid, mesh or slatted. The first option is safer from the point of view of the health of rabbits, because some individuals are susceptible to the development of pododermatitis, and the coating of slats or mesh contributes to the occurrence of the disease. However, houses with such a bottom are easier to keep clean, as they become dirty more slowly.

IN winter period the floor is insulated with a bedding of straw and hay.

On some farms special cells are not provided for young animals, and cubs separated from their mother are immediately placed in housing for adult animals. With this option, it is necessary to calculate how many heads can be placed in one room to make the animals comfortable.

For giant rabbits

The giants' owners will need significantly more building materials, after all adults can reach 70 cm in length and weigh more than 10 kg. Optimal sizes cages for rabbits of giant varieties: height not less than 65 cm, length - 150 cm, depth - 75 cm. If possible, it is better to increase the above parameters.

Young animals can be kept in group cages with an area of at least 1.2 m2. When constructing the structure, you should take into account the considerable weight of the giants and pay special attention to strengthening the floor, for example, making it from thicker galvanized mesh. To prevent sagging, a sheathing is made of bars under the floor, which are placed at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other. Experienced rabbit breeders recommend keeping giants in dwellings with a solid floor. However, cleaning in such rooms will have to be done much more often.

For a female with cubs

Some farmers believe that a special queen cell for a female with offspring is necessary exclusively in the cold season, while in summer it is enough ordinary cell. However, this opinion is wrong. In an open room, partitioned only with a mesh, the female rabbit feels unprotected, which can negatively affect the feeding process and the health of her offspring. Therefore, it is imperative to equip your home with a closed, insulated place for the nest, and also leave enough space for walking.

The frame is made of strong beams, the back and side walls are made of plywood. The space is immediately divided into two parts - a large one intended for walking and a small one for a nest. Each of them is closed with a separate door: mesh (large compartment) or solid wood (nesting part). All walls, floors and ceilings must be double, with a layer of foam or straw for additional heat and sound insulation. The roof is made of slate.

You can learn more about the design and construction of a queen cell from the article on our website.

The most common design options

There are many various options, from which each farmer chooses the most suitable one depending on available resources, free space and other parameters. The following designs are very popular among breeders:

solid wire;
Mikhailova;
Zolotukhina;
Tsvetkova.

Solid wire

This is the most a budget option home that can be placed in any convenient place. Such cages are lightweight and durable, they take up little space and are easy to care for on a daily basis.

For production, two types of galvanized mesh with cells of different sizes are required. The coarse mesh (2.5-5x5 cm) is attached to the walls and ceiling, and the fine mesh (1.5-2.5 cm) is attached to the floor. The frame is made of durable timber, with legs 50-70 cm high. In the warm season, the structure is installed outside (under a canopy); in cold weather, it is brought into an insulated shed.

You can see step-by-step instructions on how to quickly make a simple all-wire dwelling for rabbits in the following story:

Mikhailova

A distinctive feature of the design, made according to Mikhailov’s drawings, is the heating of the queen cell and drinkers, and the presence of a container for collecting waste. Cells of this type can be one- or two-level. House dimensions: width 240 cm, height 70 or 210 cm (depending on number of floors). The distance from the ground to the structure is 140 cm - this space is necessary to place a special inclined chute and waste collector.

An additional queen cell (size 35×40 cm) is sometimes attached to the back wall, and feeders (30×15 cm) are attached to the side walls.

The floor is made of slats, which are laid at small intervals. This allows waste to flow down the gutters into a special container. The walls are made of wood, the doors are made of mesh. For better air flow, the home is equipped ventilation pipe, covered with a visor.

Thanks to the waste collection system, Mikhailov’s design ensures constant cleanliness in the cages, which greatly facilitates the work of farmers.

Automatic heating technologies are most often used when breeding ornamental breeds, since the cost of such equipment for the house and its maintenance is too high.

Zolotukhina

N.I. Zolotukhin is known in rabbit breeding circles as the creator of a simple and inexpensive design for placing eared ears. The original layout of the home allows for less frequent cleaning, and the animals feel more comfortable.

Such houses are multi-story buildings with a sloping plywood ceiling. The floor is made of mesh, which is laid in a thin strip against the back wall. The second tier is shifted relative to the lower one by the width of the mesh strip. The third floor is located similarly. The front wall, common to all three tiers, is attached at an angle.

In the process of creating such a home, you need to follow step-by-step instructions. First of all, you should purchase wooden beams and boards, sheet slate, metal mesh, polycarbonate and metal sheet. The frame, partitions and doors of the queen cell are constructed from wood. The mesh is used for doors and the back of the floor. The rest of the bottom is made of slate. The back wall is made of polycarbonate. The wooden surfaces inside are sheathed with tin.

Standard dimensions of a cage for rabbits according to Zolotukhin’s drawings:

You can learn about the advantages of a home of this design from the following video:

Tsvetkova

Experienced rabbit breeder A. A. Tsvetkov proposed a new original idea for a cage, the main valuable features of which were:

gravity feeders;
mounted queen cells;
forced ventilation;
feces removal system.

The frame is constructed from coniferous timber, which is usually painted with white paint. The sennik is made of moisture-resistant plywood, at least 8 mm thick, and the inside is lined with metal mesh. All wooden parts sheathe sheet metal, the cone-shaped compartment for drainage and waste collection is covered with slate mastic. The roof is covered with slate or roofing felt.

To heat water in the cold season, the house is equipped with a special boiler.

General manufacturing rules

When creating a rabbit cage with your own hands, you must follow the following rules:

the frame is made from wooden beam thickness of at least 5x5 cm, walls and partitions - made of durable sheet plywood;
All wooden surfaces those inside should be covered with tin;
It is best to use slate to cover the roof;
when processing parts, do not use antiseptics, varnishes and impregnations with a strong odor;
To construct a floor with a mesh covering, use a mesh with cells measuring no more than 2.5x2.5 cm.

Experienced rabbit breeders often cover part of the mesh floor with a sheet of plywood, which helps the animals avoid pododermatitis.

Depending on the individual needs of the animals, the design of the building may vary. For example, a female with offspring needs a queen cell and a nesting compartment, and when keeping young animals in groups, one cannot do without insulated nesting rooms and covered spacious enclosures for walking.

After graduation construction work Each dwelling must be equipped properly: install a feeder and drinking bowl, prepare a hay barn and bunker device to provide the animals with the most favorable conditions.

Oklahoma farmer Carl Burns developed an unusual variety of multi-colored corn called Rainbow Corn. The grains on each cob are of different colors and shades: brown, pink, purple, blue, green, etc. This result was achieved through many years of selecting the most colored ordinary varieties and crossing them.

In Australia, scientists have begun experiments in cloning several varieties of grapes grown in cold regions. Climate warming, which is predicted for the next 50 years, will lead to their disappearance. Australian varieties have excellent characteristics for winemaking and are not susceptible to diseases common in Europe and America.

"Frost-resistant" varieties garden strawberries(usually simply “strawberry”) need shelter just as much as regular varieties (especially in those regions where there are snowless winters or frosts alternating with thaws). All strawberries have superficial roots. This means that without shelter they freeze to death. Sellers’ assurances that strawberries are “frost-resistant,” “winter-hardy,” “tolerates frosts down to −35 ℃,” etc. are deception. Gardeners must remember that no one has yet managed to change the root system of strawberries.

It is believed that some vegetables and fruits (cucumbers, stem celery, all varieties of cabbage, peppers, apples) have “negative calorie content,” that is, more calories are consumed during digestion than they contain. In fact, only 10-20% of the calories received from food are consumed in the digestive process.

Humus is rotted manure or bird droppings. It is prepared like this: the manure is piled up in a heap or pile, layered with sawdust, peat and garden soil. The pile is covered with film to stabilize temperature and humidity (this is necessary to increase the activity of microorganisms). The fertilizer “ripens” within 2-5 years, depending on external conditions and the composition of the feedstock. The output is a loose, homogeneous mass with a pleasant smell of fresh earth.

A new product from American developers is the Tertill robot, which weeds weeds in the garden. The device was invented under the leadership of John Downes (creator of the robot vacuum cleaner) and works autonomously in all weather conditions, moving over uneven surfaces on wheels. At the same time, it cuts off all plants below 3 cm with the built-in trimmer.

You need to collect medicinal flowers and inflorescences at the very beginning of the flowering period, when the contents useful substances they are as high as possible. Flowers are supposed to be picked by hand, tearing off the rough stalks. Dry the collected flowers and herbs, scattered in a thin layer, in a cool room at natural temperature without access to direct sunlight.

Tomatoes have no natural protection against late blight. If late blight attacks, any tomatoes (and potatoes too) die, no matter what is said in the description of the varieties (“variety resistant to late blight” is just a marketing ploy).

Raising rabbits requires patience and knowledge of their physiology. Without this, results will not be achieved. IN winter time Rabbits feel better in a heated room specially allocated for them, which is called a rabbitry. For home breeding small will do.

What should a rabbitry be like?

In order for rabbits to feel normal, not get sick, grow well and reproduce quickly, they need to create a certain atmosphere. They are demanding of living conditions and often get sick in poor conditions. To prevent this from happening, they need the following conditions:

The optimal temperature is 14-16°C. The temperature in the rabbitry is determined in a place remote from heating devices, walls, windows and doors. Both overheating and hypothermia have a negative effect. When the temperature drops, more feed is required, which is unprofitable. But a gradual rise or fall in temperature is not as destructive as sharp changes. From all this it follows that it is necessary to build an insulated rabbitry, with the possibility of heating and air conditioning. The most justified are rabbit hutches built using insulation mineral wool(thickness is calculated depending on the region). No less attention should be paid to the insulation of the floor and ceiling. The roofing material may not be insulated; it must provide protection from moisture. In this case, it is necessary to take care of the insulation of the ceiling. The cheapest way is to pour a layer of expanded clay onto the ceiling, apply a layer of clay mixed with straw on top, and then you can even throw fallen leaves onto the dried clay for additional thermal insulation.
Rabbits are demanding of air humidity - it must be maintained at 60-75%.
Drafts have a negative effect on the health of rabbits. This is another argument in favor of frame buildings - if constructed correctly, there should be no drafts. However, the rabbitry must have ventilation because they need fresh air and the gases that come from the rabbits' urine and feces must be removed. But the air speed should not be more than 0.3 m/s. Usually, an inlet opening is made, covered by a movable grille at floor level in one corner of the rabbitry, and an exhaust pipe under the ceiling in the other. You can install a damper in the exhaust pipe. Using a movable grille and a damper, you can regulate the speed of air movement in the rabbitry depending on weather conditions. If natural ventilation is not enough, fans are installed in the exhaust or supply pipes with the ability to regulate the speed of rotation of the blades (there should be several modes).
The second factor that affects the state of the atmosphere in a rabbitry is the regularity of cleaning and the design of the cages. About the cells - a little lower, and here - about cleaning. It should be regular - at least 2-3 times a week. The main indicator is the presence or absence of a strong odor.
In order for less ammonia to be released, it is necessary to organize the collection of stool so that urine is separated from feces. If the collection goes into trays under the cages, they have a slope and a trench through which the urine is drained into a separate container. If waste is collected through gutters into a pit (with large numbers of rabbits), the ditches must be made so that urine leaks into a lower gutter separated by a mesh. This is a rather difficult task, since one part is separated from the other using a mesh, and it often gets clogged. To keep everything in working order, you have to clean it often.
Construction of a rabbitry is a serious matter

The rate of weight gain and fur density are also affected by the illumination of the rabbitry and the duration daylight hours. Rabbits are most active at dusk and at night. Bright lighting is undesirable for them. A sufficient level of illumination is 50-70 lux for adults, 25-30 lux for fattening young animals. At the same time, the duration of daylight hours is 16-18 hours, so in winter lighting is required, but dim. To make the lighting more comfortable when servicing the rabbitry, install several additional light bulbs above the cages, but connect them to the second switch (or to the second key). Another option is to install a brightness control (dimmer). It is installed instead regular switch, allows you to change the illumination by turning the control knob.

Rabbit cages

The easiest way to keep rabbits is in cages under a canopy in the open air. But this option is available in regions with more or less mild winters. Often this type of keeping is practiced at the beginning of a rabbit breeder’s “career,” but gradually they come to the conclusion that a rabbitry is necessary. It’s just that during the winter the livestock often decreases greatly, feed consumption increases significantly, and the gain is very small. It turns out that it is more profitable to build a rabbitry and heat it.

Dimensions and design of rabbit cages

The size of rabbit cages depends on the breed. The larger the rabbits, the more space they require. On average, the height of the cage is 500-700 mm, the roof can be sloped back, then the height at the back is 50-100 mm less. The depth of the cage is 50-70 cm. The width is more difficult - cages are made for males and females different sizes. In cages for female rabbits, it is advisable to fence off the queen cell - a closed, small volume in which the female rabbit will build a nest. Without taking into account the queen cell, the length of the cage for males and females is the same - 500-800 cm.

There are several options for constructing a queen cell:

A cube of boards of a suitable size is placed in spacious cages, in which a hole is made for passage.
Immediately, during construction, part of the cell for the queen cell is fenced off.
There are wide removable doors on the sides of the cage. Before the female rabbit has offspring, the doors are removed and the queen cell is hung (reliable fastening is required).

The optimal dimensions of the queen cell are: depth 80 cm, width 60 cm, height 40 cm (or whatever the size of your cell is). It is advisable to make a shelf inside the cell or above the queen cell. On it the rabbit will hide from the annoying little ones. In this case, she will not accidentally trample them, as happens if there is no shelf.

Queen cell hung to the cage for a female rabbit

A hole is made from the queen cell into the main cell. It should not start level with the floor; there should be a threshold of at least 5 cm. In the first days, it will keep the babies inside the queen cell.

How to make a floor

Regardless of the type of keeping rabbits, the cage must be dry. Therefore, a solid floor is made very rarely; it is better to make a cracked one, with large gaps or from metal mesh with a small cell. If the floor is made solid (from a piece of moisture-resistant plywood or OSB), then it is made inclined towards the back wall (you can also towards the front, but this is less convenient). A grate or mesh is nailed into the back of the floor, through which urine pours out and excrement falls out.

It is better to make the floor in a cage for rabbits double - the first level is made of wooden slats or a metal grid

It is much better to make a double floor - the first is lattice, the second is solid. For a slatted floor take wooden planks 20-25 mm wide, stuff them with a gap of 15 mm. All waste, both liquid and solid, normally falls through such gaps. Instead of slats, you can use a rigid mesh with thick wire and small cells.

The mesh floor made of galvanized wire also performed well

The lower level of the floor - the pallet - is often made of galvanized iron, preferably from a single piece. In this case, a slope is formed (usually in the center of the cell or between two adjacent ones), and a gutter is formed in the center. The height of the pallet is 25-35 mm. Less is inconvenient, more is not necessary.

To make the metal last longer, it can be treated with drying oil. If it is necessary to splice pieces, make the connection so that everything flows down, and it is advisable to lubricate it bitumen mastic- so that sewage does not flow onto the floor of the rabbitry.

Cages for female rabbits are queen cells on the sides. The lower level of the floor is made of galvanized steel and has a trough for urine drainage and ease of cleaning.

At the same time, the lower tier of the floor must be movable so that it can be pulled out and washed/cleaned. To do this, corners are stuffed onto which a sheet of metal rides, like on a sled.

It is not necessary to make the lower tier of the floor for each cell. It can be common to two or three located nearby. If these are cages for rabbits, you usually end up with a common tray for two cages, with queen cells on each side. If cages of young animals for fattening or males are located in a row, three cages can be combined.

Sometimes they are also used as a lower floor. flat slate. But in this case, the drain can only be organized backwards or forwards and only into the gutter that runs along the cage - the sheet cannot be bent in any way.

Doors

Doors are usually made with mesh. A frame is made from a block onto which a mesh is stretched. Tighten the nails or screws so that their points do not stick out inside the cage. It is better to stuff the mesh so that it is flush on the side of the cage. This way there is less chance of rabbits chewing through the door. Those who are more comfortable with welding weld a frame from a small corner, stretch the eraser onto a steel wire 3-4 mm in diameter, and weld this wire to the door.

In terms of size, a larger door is more convenient - it will be more convenient for you to maintain the cage. Constipations are ordinary hooks or latches; they are also made in the old fashioned way with a piece of a block that spins on a nail driven into its middle. But this type of constipation is very unreliable.

One of the most simple options constipation for rabbit cages

If carpentry is not your thing, to make the door stiffer, you can fill the block diagonally. It will prevent the door from warping (as in the photo above). Please note that the bar is padded on the outside - this will prevent rabbits from chewing on it.

Roof

You can cover rabbit cages with any inexpensive material. But we must remember that overheating and hypothermia are destructive for rabbits. Therefore, simply throwing a piece of metal or any material based on it will not work. It is better to use a material with low thermal conductivity. For example, you can stuff plywood (moisture-resistant, construction), OSB and any other similar material.

If the cages will be placed on the street, without a canopy, on sheet material you need to lay down something to protect it from precipitation. In more northern areas or when installing the cage in the shade, you can lay roofing felt or more modern waterproofing material. It can not be fused, but glued to bitumen mastic.

Another option is to lay slate, preferably wave slate. Moreover, it is better to raise it above the cage by 15-25 cm. This will create air gap, it won't be hot in the cage. And the resulting gap can be used for drying/withering grass. Dried in the shade, it retains more nutrients.

Sennik, drinking bowls, feeders

For rabbits you don’t need much equipment - a hay barn, feeders for bulk small feed, drinking bowls. The design of the drinking bowls should be such that they can be easily removed - they need to be washed and the water changed. For these purposes, some kind of trays are usually adapted, under which a “seat” is made from a strip of metal, fixed to the door (the most convenient option) or on the wall, close to the door.

There is one very good option for a drinking bowl from the “cheap and cheerful” category. A piece of sewer pipe with a diameter of 100 mm is used as a “cup holder”. Trimming height - 80-100 mm. A trimmed 2-liter bottle is inserted inside this ring. plastic bottle. The bottle is cut flush with the “glass holder”, only a strip 2-3 cm wide and 5-7 cm long remains so that the glass can be easily pulled out.

Senniks are made either between two cages, bevelling adjacent walls in the shape of the letter V. This method is more convenient when building cages for rabbits (seen in several photos above). The second option for cages of males and young animals is to make one of the walls (or part of the wall) lattice-like, and attach a piece of plywood, OSB, a board made of planks, etc. to it on hinges. Fix it in the desired position using a hook, rope, or wire.

In principle, if there is not enough space on the side, such a canopy can be made in the front, on the door. It’s just that in addition to the drinking bowl, they often nail/make a feeder on the door.

Feeders are made by anyone using whatever they can. Some people have plastic or metal trays attached, others make them out of wood, they even try to make them out of drywall. An interesting option seemed to be an attached piece of a large-section plasterboard profile (pictured below).

You can make a feeder out of wood, but the edges must be covered with tin.

If you have some tinsmithing skills, you can make a feeder from galvanized sheet metal.

To get rid of the dusty part of the feed, several small holes are made in the bottom of the feeder.

What materials are the frame and walls made of?

The frame for cages in a rabbitry is made from wooden beams or from a load-bearing (wall) galvanized profile for plasterboard; welded frames from metal pipe. They are the most reliable, but also the heaviest. More suitable for permanent installation in a rabbitry.

The lightest cages are made from a profile, but the choice of materials is very limited - heavy ones cannot be used. When using timber, there are no questions about the weight of the material, but there is a problem - rabbits chew the wood. Therefore, they try to make cages so that there are fewer protruding corners - they cannot gnaw on smooth surfaces.

As you saw in the photo, the walls of rabbit cages are made from different materials- plywood, OSB, wooden boards and planks. They often use whoever has what. The most problematic areas are covered with tin or a mesh is pulled over the top - this also prevents the wood from being chewed. There are cages that are almost entirely made of mesh. Young animals for fattening feel good in them.

Photo report on the manufacture of a cage for a rabbitry from a galvanized profile

This option is suitable for those regions where wood is expensive or for those who have a lot of profile remains after construction/repair. When making cages, the dimensions are adjusted to the existing molding - small deviations in one direction or another are acceptable, but the rabbits should have room in the cage.

This cage was built for a female with rabbits up to 20 days old. It consists of two sections. The main part is 55*75*55 cm, the mother liquor is 35*55*30 cm. The racks have a reinforced profile, the crossbars are used for normal work - as usual with drywall - the pieces are fastened with self-tapping screws (fleas).

The floor in the main part is made of a block 2 cm thick and 5 cm wide. The planks are attached to the profile with self-tapping screws. The screws must be screwed in so that they can be easily unscrewed - if (or rather, when) the strip is chewed, it will be easy to replace with a new one.

In the queen cell the floor is solid, without cracks. If in winter you are not sure that your rabbitry will be warm enough, it is better to make a double floor in this part and fill the gap with insulation - even expanded clay. In this case, even with a sharp cold snap, the babies will not freeze - their mother usually warms them from above. If it is warm from below, they will not get sick.

The height of the queen cell is 20 cm lower than the main cell. From the inside, in the cage, there is a shelf on which the rabbit will escape from the annoying little ones.

To prevent the external joints of the plywood from being chewed, we cover them with perforated metal corners. You just need to look for the ones that are thicker. We cut the edges of the corners at 45° so that they do not ride up or stick out.

Photos of rabbit cages for installation in a rabbitry and outdoors

Cages in a rabbitry are rarely placed in three tiers - the lower ones are difficult to maintain

Wire walls, pipe frame. Only the back wall is blank - so that there are no drafts

Many novice farmers wonder where to start raising rabbits. None special costs this activity will not require. First of all, it is necessary to arrange a place of residence for eared animals, prepare cages, drinking bowls, and feeders. All this can be easily done with your own hands. The main thing is to choose the appropriate design and size for the cage, prepare drawings, necessary tools and building materials.

First of all, you need to decide on the sizes. The most common are double designs with two separate sections. There are other types of cages: single-section, group for young rabbits, three sections or for a rabbit with babies. There are also original designs: from farmer Zolotukhin, from breeder Tsvetkov. Based on what will be built, materials are selected.

First of all, you need to decide on the type of cell, and then purchase the material.

Necessary tools for construction:

hacksaw;
hammer;
corner;
pliers;
plane;
screwdriver.

Any design requires a frame, walls, floor, ceiling and door. Most often, wood and metal mesh are used to construct cages. Each cell of such a grid should be no more than 2*2 cm and at least 16*47 mm in diameter (depending on the age and weight of the rabbits).

The minimum set of materials includes:

large sheets of plywood;
slate;
screws and nails;
bars;
slats;
durable galvanized mesh (with small cells).

To make the door, curtains and latches, as well as feeders and drinking bowls are additionally purchased.

The wood must be well sanded and sanded, and the ends of the mesh must be securely fastened. Be sure to remove all sharp edges so that the animal does not get hurt. It is better to cover all protruding wooden parts inside the cage with tin. Rabbits love to chew on wood to wear down their teeth. Therefore, you need to put twigs in their feeder more often. The walls and roof can be made of plywood and mesh, and thick blocks of wood are chosen for the main frame.

Attention. If the cage is located in an open space, on the street, then you cannot do without good roofing materials. But metal roof It's not worth doing. In the summer, the sun will become very hot, which will lead to heatstroke in rabbits.

Most often, rabbit cages are made of wood and mesh.

The frame is made of thick bars, the length of which depends on the location of the cage. If it is installed outdoors, then the length of the frame legs should not be less than 80-100 cm. For a cage standing indoors, 35-40 cm in length is sufficient.

Sizes and types of cells

First of all, you need to find or do it yourself, correct drawing. It is important to remember that one cage is not enough to breed rabbits. You need to build three or four at once.

The average dimensions of a standard cage are:

length 120-140 cm;
width 70-80 cm;
height 40-50 cm.

For young rabbits, a length of about 90 cm is sufficient, and other parameters can remain the same. It is customary to allocate at least 0.7 square meters per adult animal. m. area, for young animals - 0.2 sq. m. m.

There can be several types of cells:

for young animals;
for adult rabbits;
for a female rabbit with offspring;
for giant rabbits;
solid wire;
cells from Zolotukhin;
cells from Tsvetkov;
Rabbitax.

It is customary to keep female rabbits and babies together, and a separate house is built for older rabbits.

A standard two-story house for adult rabbits is not difficult to build.

In the drawing it will look like this:

Drawing of a two-tier cage for rabbits.

Cage for young animals

Grown-up rabbits, weaned from their mother, are kept together in groups of 10-20 individuals. When manufacturing cages, the following minimum dimensions are used: total area 300×100 cm and ceiling height 50-60 cm. It is advisable to make the floor in such a house from thin wooden slats, covering them on the side with a metal mesh (1.5 mm thick and cell diameter 15 * 40 mm). You can install a completely mesh floor, but make a separate one for the rabbits warm room. In winter, it is carefully insulated with hay and straw.

Important: There should be at least 0.2-0.3 square meters per rabbit. m. area.

Some farmers do not make separate housing for young animals, but place them in cages intended for adult animals. At the same time, it is calculated how many rabbits can be placed in one cage to provide them with comfortable conditions.

For adult rabbits

For medium-sized adult animals, cages with a depth of about 70 cm, a height of 60 cm and a length of at least a meter are suitable. A block design is used here, and each block, in turn, is divided by a grid into two cells. During the mating period, the partition should be removed, combining the two sections into one.

For adult rabbits, you can make a block of cages in 2 or 3 tiers.

You can make a two-tier and three-tier cage. This will be a little more complicated, but it will save space on the site.

Any cage should have a separate place for sleeping, eating or walking. To do this, the cage is separated by a plywood partition with a hole (20x20 cm) located at a height of 15 cm from the floor. The sleeping compartment must have a solid wooden door, and the place for eating and walking is mesh. The resting place does not need to be made large. Ideal dimensions, approximately 30x60x50 cm.

House for a female rabbit with offspring

You can often hear the opinion that a rabbit with babies needs a separate queen cell only in winter, and in summer an ordinary cage is enough. But you need to remember that in an open room, fenced only with a net, the female will be nervous and worried. This can have a negative impact on the health of the offspring. The queen house must have a closed, warm place for the nest and a large space for walking, with a mesh front wall.

This is one of the simplest and most functional options for a house for a female with offspring:

The photo shows a two-tier cage for rabbits with hanging nesting compartments.

The frame is made from strong bars, and the back wall and two side walls are made from plywood. The cage is immediately divided into two sections: a large one for walking and a small one for the nest. For each of them, separate doors are made (mesh and solid wood). The walls, floor and ceiling in the queen cell should be double, according to the sandwich principle. You can lay foam or straw between them. The roof is covered with slate.

House for giant rabbits

Cages for these large animals must be significantly larger than normal ones. Adults can grow up to 60 cm in length and reach a weight of 7.5 kg.

There are many giant breeds:

butterfly;
German Risen;
grey;
Belgian;
ram;
white;
Viennese blue.

The minimum dimensions of a house for one rabbit should be as follows:

height 55-65 cm;
length 0.9-1.5 m;
width 70-75 cm.

If possible, it is better to increase the parameters of the home.

For young rabbits, a special group cage is built, 40-50 cm high and about 1.2 square meters in area. m. Considering the considerable weight of the animals, the floor is well strengthened. It is also made from galvanized mesh, only thicker. To prevent such a floor from sagging, a sheathing is made under it from bars located at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.

It is recommended to keep giant rabbits in spacious cages with a solid floor.

Some rabbit breeders install a solid wooden floor in their cages and install a plastic pallets. But cleaning such a cage will have to be done at least twice a day.

All wire cage

This is the most budget option for rabbit housing, which can be installed both outdoors and indoors. These lightweight and durable cages take up little space and are easy to clean and maintain. To make them, you will need two types of mesh: a larger one for the walls and ceiling (diameter 2.5*5 cm) and a smaller one for the floor (1.5*5 cm). The frame is built from durable timber, with legs 50-70 cm long. For the winter, such a structure is placed in an insulated shed, and in the summer it is taken outside.

Cages for rabbits from Zolotukhin

The famous breeder N.I. Zolotukhin developed his own original, simple and inexpensive design of housing for rabbits. There is no need for daily cleaning in the cages, and the animals in them feel comfortable and get sick less.

Zolotukhin's cell is a three-story structure with a sloping plywood floor. The mesh is laid on the floor only on small space against the back wall, without a tray. The second tier is shifted relative to the first by the width of this grid. The third one is located in the same way. The front wall (common to all three floors) forms a slope. Each compartment is equipped with a tilting feeder.

This is what Zolotukhin’s three-tier cage looks like from behind.

To build a cage you will need: wood, straight slate sheets, metal mesh, polycarbonate and tin. A wooden frame, partitions and doors of the queen cell are pre-fabricated. Mesh is used for cage doors and the back of the floor. The floor itself is made of slate, and the back wall is made of polycarbonate. All wooden parts located inside the cage are covered with tin.

Cage dimensions:

height 150 cm;
width 200cm;
depth about 70-80 cm;
floor slope 6-8 cm;
mesh width in front of the back wall is 15-20 cm;
door size 40*40 cm.

Each floor is divided by a partition into two sections, and between them there is space for a hay barn.

Cells from Tsvetkov

Experienced farmer A. A. Tsvetkov proposed the idea of a two-story mini-farm for rabbits, consisting of 4 separate sections. Distinctive feature Such cages are: two gravity feeders, two mounted queen cells, original ventilation and manure removal systems.

The frame is built from coniferous timber and must be painted with white nitro paint. To make a hay barn, moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 8 mm is suitable. The inside of the hay barn is lined with metal mesh, which also acts as a door in each section.

The photo shows rabbit cages made according to the drawings of farmer Tsvetkov.

All wooden parts are sheathed with sheet metal, the cone for collecting manure is covered with slate mastic. For the roof you can use slate or roofing felt. The water in the drinking bowls is heated using a boiler.

Rabbitax cells

Rabbitax cells come in different designs and modifications. The simplest ones are small two-section options. There are also environmental models based on air flow redirection technology.

There are even real farms for Rabbits rabbits, in which more than 25 individuals live and breed at the same time. You can find a huge number of varieties of such cells on sale. You can make Rabbitax yourself. You can take the drawings of rabbit breeder I. N. Mikhailov as a basis.

Rules for making a cage

In order for the rabbits to be comfortable and comfortable in the new house, during construction you need to follow a few simple rules:

all wooden protruding parts inside the cage are covered with tin;
It is better to use slate for roofing;
Antiseptics, varnishes and impregnations cannot be used;
for the floor, take a mesh with cells with a diameter of 1 * 2.5 cm to 2.5 * 2.5;
the frame is built from durable wooden beams (at least 5*5 cm);
The back wall of the cage is made of plywood.

The floor in rabbit cages is made of wooden slats or mesh.

How to build a rabbit hutch

When a drawing has been selected, materials and tools have been prepared, construction can begin. First you need to assemble a frame from timber and lay a mesh floor. In conditions street maintenance the floor will have to be insulated and there will be removable trays underneath (for cleaning).

Next, install the back wall made of plywood. It should be lower than the front one. It is also advisable to make the side walls of plywood. In a double cage, a hay barn is set up in the middle. And the front wall can be made of mesh, with a door. If the cage will always be located outside, then it is worth taking care of an insulated compartment for sleeping. The sloping roof is covered with slate.

What do we place inside the cage?

The internal contents of the cell may vary. It depends on who will live in it. So, for a female rabbit with babies, it is necessary to arrange special queen cells and nesting compartments. When keeping young animals in groups, warm nesting rooms will also be needed. Often special indoor enclosures for walking are set up for them. Each cage must have bunkers, drinking bowls, feeders, and hay barns.

It is advisable to place the feeder and drinker outside the cage so that the rabbit cannot chew them.

Choosing a place to install the cage

Before you begin construction, it is important to decide on the placement of the cage. This should be a comfortable place, protected from draft winds. You should not install a rabbit house on the south side, because in summer the animals will suffer from the heat. It is necessary to strictly observe the size of the cage, depending on the breed and number of rabbits. For ease of cleaning, the cages have a removable roof.

If the animals live on the street all year round, then it is better to make the floor from wood in the form of a retractable tray. And then fill the sheathing of slats on top. Feeders and drinkers can be removable. The walls and ceiling are insulated with foam plastic, and a heated floor is installed in the uterine compartment.

We offer you to watch video instructions that will help you build cages for rabbits with your own hands.

If for large animals it is enough to build a regular barn, then for breeding rabbits you need to take care of special conditions. The best solution In terms of price-quality ratio, it will be possible to make an animal house with your own hands. It's cheap and also allows you to take everything into account peculiarities breeding and location. In this article we will look at what material needs to be used for this purpose, what is worth considering, and we will analyze the drawings.

Selection of necessary materials

The material is selected based on the type of cell. Any structure has a frame, floor, walls, door and ceiling. For building rabbit hutches houses Metal mesh and wood are most often used. The cell of this mesh should have a diameter of no more than 2 by 2 cm and no less than 16 by 47 mm (this depends on the age and weight of the animal).

The materials for building the cage are:

plywood sheets;
bars;
slate;
nails and screws;
slats;
mesh with cells;
for door bolts and curtains;
drinking bowls and feeders.

The wood is sanded and sanded, and the ends of the mesh are securely fastened. Sharp edges must be removed to prevent injury to animals, and protruding wooden parts are covered with tin. Rabbits love it very much gnaw wood - this is how they grind their teeth. To do this, you need to put twigs in their feeder. The roof and walls are made of plywood and mesh, and the main frame will be wooden blocks. Their size will depend on the location of the structure: if the cage will be placed on the street, then the legs of the frame should be from 80 cm, and when installed indoors - 35-40 cm.

If the structure will stand in an open space, then roofing materials are required. Don't do it metal roof(for example, from a metal profile), because it will heat up in hot weather, which can lead to heat stroke in animals.

Standard design parameters

First of all, you need to decide on the size of the rabbit cage according to the drawings. Design drawings can be found on the Internet or made yourself. 2-seater designs with 2 separate sections are common. There are also other types: single-section, 3-section, group for young rabbits, for the mother house, author's designs from various farmers.

Standard dimensions of the structure: height - from 40 to 50 cm, length - from 120 to 140 cm and width - from 70 to 80 cm.

For young individuals, a length of about 90 cm is enough, and other parameters are similar to the previous design. For one adult rabbit allocate from 0.7 square meters. m of area, and for young individuals - 0.2 sq. m.

Types of do-it-yourself houses

The types of cages for rabbits are quite varied:

for adults;
for young animals;
for a rabbit with babies;
for giants;
solid wire;
from farmer Zolotukhin;
from farmer Tsvetkov;
Rabbitax.

Rabbits with their offspring are kept together, and separate housing is built for older individuals.

For adults

For medium-sized adults, you can build housing about 70 cm wide, 50 to 70 cm high and 140 cm long using block construction. Each block is divided by a grid into 2 sections. The partition is removed during the mating period, which allows 2 sections to be combined into 1.

A standard 2-story house for adult rabbits is not that difficult to build. The main thing is to draw up the drawings correctly. You can build a two-tier or three-tier cage. It will be more difficult, but it will allow save space in the territory.

Each cage must provide a separate place for the animal to sleep, walk and eat. The cage is divided by a plywood partition. The sleeping compartment should have a solid wooden door, and the place for walking and eating should have a mesh door. The resting place should be small. The ideal dimensions are 30 by 60 by 50 cm.

Separate for young animals

Rabbits that have been weaned from their mother are kept in groups. The cage is made according to the minimum dimensions: the total area of the structure is 300 by 100 cm, the ceiling height is 50-60 cm. It is better to make the floor from thin wooden slats, and also cover them with a metal mesh (thickness 1.5 mm, cell diameter 15 by 40 mm) . You can make the entire floor mesh, but additionally equip a warm separate room, which in winter is insulated with straw and hay.

There are farmers who do not make a separate house for the young animals, but simply house them in cages intended for adults. But at the same time, you need to calculate how many animals can be placed in one cage in order to provide them with comfortable accommodation.

For a female rabbit with offspring

IN open space, fenced only with a net, the female will be worried and nervous. And this will have a bad effect on the health of the offspring. In a house for a female rabbit with offspring, a mandatory condition is the presence of a closed and warm place for the nest, a space for walking with a front mesh wall.

Let's consider the simplest and functional option house for a female rabbit with offspring.

The frame is made from the bars. Back wall and two side ones are made of plywood. The cage is divided into 2 sections: for walking (large) and for nesting (small). Separate doors are made for each section (from mesh and solid wood). The walls, ceiling and floor should be made according to the sandwich principle (double). Straw or foam is laid between them. The roof is covered with slate.

For giant individuals

Designs for these individuals must be much larger than usual. Adult rabbits can grow up to 60 cm in length and reach 7.5 kg.

Minimum house sizes for one individual:

height from 55 cm;
width - 75 cm;
length - 0.9−1.5 m.

If possible, it is better to increase housing parameters.

For young individuals, a group cage is built, the height of which is 40-50 cm, and the area is about 1.2 square meters. m. They reinforce the floor quite well (they are made of thicker galvanized mesh), since the weight of the animal is rather large. To prevent the floor of the house from sagging, they make sheathing from timber at a distance of three to four centimeters from each other.

Some rabbit breeders put a solid wooden floor in their cages, and plastic trays are installed underneath it. It is necessary to clean such a cage at least twice a day.

All-wire housing

This cell is the most in a budget way making housing for rabbits. It can be installed outdoors and indoors. Such cages are durable and lightweight, take up little space, and are easy to clean and maintain. To make such housing, you will need 2 types of mesh: a large one for the ceiling and walls (2.5 by 5 cm in diameter), and a smaller one for the floor (1.5 by 5 cm in diameter). The frame of the house is made of timber (legs length 50-70 cm). In winter, the cage is placed in a warm barn, and in summer - outside.

From farmer Zolotukhin

Rabbit breeder Zolotukhin developed a simple, original and inexpensive design for rabbits. In such houses there is no need to clean every day; animals feel comfortable in them and are less susceptible to disease.

Zolotukhin's cell is a 3-story building, with a sloping plywood or slate floor. The mesh on the floor is laid only a short distance from the back wall and without a tray. The next tier is shifted compared to the first by the width of the grid. The third one is located in the same way. The front wall is common to all floors forming a slope. The compartments are equipped with tilting feeders.

For construction you will need: metal mesh, wood, tin, straight sheet slate or plywood, polycarbonate. A wooden frame, doors and partitions are made in advance. The mesh is used to make the cage door and the back of the floor, which is made of plywood or slate, and the back wall is made of polycarbonate. The protruding parts inside the cage are covered with tin.

height is 150 cm;
depth 70−80 cm;
width 200 cm;
the slope of the floor is 6−8 cm;
door 40 by 40 cm;
the mesh size in front of the back wall is from 15 to 20 cm.

The floors are divided into 2 sections by a partition, and a place is left between them for a hay barn.

From rabbit breeder Tsvetkov

Farmer Tsvetkov presented the idea of a 2-story mini-farm for rabbits. It consists of 4 separate sections. Features of these cages: 2 gravity feeders, 2 hanging queen cells, unusual ventilation and manure removal systems.

The frame is made of coniferous timber and painted white. The sennik is made of moisture-resistant plywood, 8 mm thick. The inside is lined with metal mesh, and it also serves as a door in each section.

Wooden parts must be sheathed with sheet metal, the cone for collecting manure must be covered with slate mastic. Ruberoid or slate is suitable for the roof. The water in the drinking bowls will be heated by a boiler.

Rabbitax Dormitory

Such cells can be of various modifications and designs. The simplest of them are 2-section. There are ecological models that are based on the principle of changing air flows.

There are real farms for Rabbits rabbits, where more than 25 animals live and breed together. Many types of such cells are sold. But you can also build them yourself. The basis is the drawings of the rabbit breeder Mikhailov.

Sometimes a drywall profile is used to build cages. This profile is used to either make a frame or use it as a feeder.

To summarize, we can say that it is not necessary to spend a lot of money on building a house for rabbits. After all, the construction is not very complicated. Every craftsman can create comfortable living conditions for animals.

Attention, TODAY only!

If desired, minimum costs With enough time and effort, you can build a cage for rabbits yourself. It is enough to choose the most suitable design, purchase materials, develop a diagram, or take a ready-made one from the Internet.

Do-it-yourself production of rabbit hutches is a profitable alternative to the expensive services of craftsmen, since the basis of the design can be improvised materials.

The first thing you should pay attention to when making nurseries is the design. The parameters and quality of the final construction will depend on the chosen design.

There are several types of rabbit hutches:

single-tier;
two-tier;
three-tier;
multi-tiered;
monolithic;
portable;
shads;
nurseries in Zolotukhin, Tsvetkov, Rabbitax.

Nurseries differ in materials (wood, plywood, metal profiles) and in the breed of pets. In the latter case, rabbitries are allocated for female rabbits and rabbits, for decorative breeds, dwarfs, etc.

Nurseries are designed for warm and cold seasons; for this purpose, special seals are installed in them, and the buildings are closed from precipitation.

How to make cages for rabbits with your own hands?

For rabbit breeding, it is enough to have a durable cage with insulation at home.

When building nurseries, the following rules and recommendations must be taken into account:

Place animals of the same species, gender, weight and characteristic habits in one cage.
Place individuals with offspring in buildings with two compartments and tiers.
Standard parameters for nurseries: length about 80-120 cm, height about 50 cm, width about 70-80 cm.
It is better to keep young animals together with everyone else in a group compartment.
The number of rabbits in one cage is calculated based on its size.

Location

It is worth deciding on the location of the rabbitry before moving on to the construction stage, since it is then difficult to move it. The place should be protected from drafts, wind, and sun.

It is especially important to choose the right place for construction if it will be located outdoors.

Important! If the nursery is located outside 24 hours a day, it is important to take care of roofing materials. It is best to exclude the use of metal for the roof; it is worth taking denser and heat-resistant materials. Wood or slate will do.

In this case, it is better to make a wooden floor with a retractable tray, which is covered with grating on top. The front and rear walls of the rabbitry are insulated with foam plastic, and a heated floor is installed for the winter.

What materials are most often used to make cells?

Rabbit farms are divided into types according to the material used for production.

When making your own at home, you use available materials:

wood;
slate;
corrugated sheeting;
brick;
metal profile.

Additionally, insulation, plaster, and sanding will be required. Often a rabbitry consists of a wooden frame and a solid wire mesh, which serves as a door and is equipped with latches and curtains.

Stages of creating a cage for rabbits

The construction of a two-section rabbitry takes place in the following stages:

Frame assembly.
Wall upholstery with plywood sheets.
Laying the floor.
Mounting walls between zones.
Installation of doors, queen cell.
Installation of a nursery.

Final stage – installation of feeders and drinkers, covering the floor with branches for the convenience of pets.

Cage frame

For homemade The frame often uses a solid wooden beam, which is sheathed on top with wood, oriented strand board or slate.

The frame is assembled according to a pre-prepared scheme; it is recommended to pre-treat the timber with an antiseptic. To secure the beams, self-tapping screws of different sizes are used (from 25 to 75 mm).

Note! Since rabbits are rodents, they like to chew on wood and can wear down the interior, so it is recommended to line the cage with metal or slate.

After assembly, the top frame can be painted with a special primer paint. If the cage is located outside all year round, it is recommended to install it on wooden beams-legs. The optimal length of the frame legs varies from 80 to 100 cm. For a nursery located indoors, legs 30-40 cm long will be sufficient.

Roof installation

Depending on the chosen design, various roofing materials are used for the manufacture and installation of the roof. Often, the roof for rabbit hutches is made from layers of slate.

Installation of slate sheets involves creating a certain angle of inclination. Since the frame is usually made of wooden beams, it is important to mount the roof in such a way that its edges do not extend beyond the frame by more than 5 cm. This way, the frame of the cage structure will be reliably protected from precipitation and rotting.

Slate leaves are attached to each other using nails with wide heads or self-tapping screws. Some designs of internal cages provide for the installation of a roof in the form of a simple galvanized mesh.

Queen cell arrangement

It is a special structure for the female rabbit, necessary to ensure maximum offspring. This is a special design that separates the common nest from the environment where the rabbits will be.

They use plywood sheets, boards, slats, hinges and insulating material, which is most often ordinary sawdust.

The process of installing a queen cell does not require much effort and skill. The frame itself is made according to ready-made diagram, use slats for edging, knock together a blank, insulate it and stuff a layer of plywood on top. It is important to ensure that there are no gaps during manufacturing. The finished walls of the frame are fastened with self-tapping screws.

Feeder device

Feeders for long-eared pets can be purchased ready-made or made with my own hands. Drawings can be found on the Internet or prepared yourself.

Highlight different kinds feeders depending on materials, shapes and designs:

ceramic bowls;
nursery feeders;
gutters;
bunkers;
cup-shaped feeders.

To make a feeder with your own hands, you use tin, wood, metal profiles, plastic, slate and plexiglass. The choice of material depends on the type of cell and its location (inside or outside).

You can also make a feeder from scrap materials (for example, from a tin can). The feeder is installed inside the nest. At hand made It is important to ensure that the feeder does not have sharp corners, edges or jagged edges.

Types of cages for rabbits, drawings, dimensions, description

There are different types of cages based on parameters such as the breed of rabbits, living conditions, and size. Based on general parameters, external and stationary types of cells are distinguished.

The most extensive classification is the division of cells according to the breeds of inhabitants:

General/group– represent a large nest designed for different numbers of rabbits (from 10 or more), the size varies from 60 to 120 cm. The design includes several sections for pets of the same weight, age, and temperament.
Individual– a house for one adult pet is suitable for demanding and pugnacious males who need personal space.
Queen cells– houses for female rabbits with their babies. Usually they are installed inside a group nest in the form of a box, they are closed space with one opening.
Sheds– a compact design with two tiers and sides, the cages are adjacent to each other with their back walls, this design comes in different sizes, it is used for young and adult pets.
Individual designs by Mikhailov, Zolotukhin, Tsvetkov – designs developed on an individual basis according to the personal drawings of the creators are distinguished by ergonomics, simplicity and compactness.

Cells from Zolotukhin: features and advantages

The famous rabbit breeder Nikolai Zolotukhin has developed his own cage design for long-eared pets, which is easy to manufacture and provides maximum protection for animals from external negative factors.

Typically, such a cage involves the construction of two floors and accommodates 3-6 adult pets.

The distinctive advantage of the rabbitry is its security, the inclination of the feeder, and the practicality of cleaning.

Its standard sizes:

width – 2 m;
height – 1.5-2 m;
depth – 60-80 cm;
back mesh – 15-20 cm;
door – 40x40 cm.

The cage design according to Tsvetkov involves a two-tier mini-farm with 4 cells. Such a cage is equipped with hanging feeders and drinkers, in which the water is automatically heated, and mounted queen cells.

Among the design features of A. A. Tsvetkov are:

two-tier device, 2 compartments per tier;
the cage is designed for outdoor living;
the presence of bunker feeders and automatic drinkers;
availability of ventilation and purification systems.

Sawdust, polystyrene foam, peat or tree bark are used as cell insulation. Roofing material or slate is used for roofing. The frame of this design is made of solid wooden beams, painted with white paint, insulated and protected with sheets of plywood.

- the simplest and affordable option made from metal mesh. Such a cage differs significantly from a wooden one in terms of practicality and cost-effectiveness.

She doesn't demand regular care and repair, has high strength, prevents damage to the material by pets. To manufacture the structure, solid metal wire with a diameter of 1.5-1.8 mm and a cell size of 12x50 mm is used.

Important! In a metal cage, the common nest must be separated from the feeder section by a partition covered with a thin layer of metal.

This design is arranged rectangular or square and eliminates the possibility of sagging of the material.

A cage made of metal mesh is suitable exclusively for indoor use, because in the winter the metal cools down and in the summer it heats up, which negatively affects the condition of the pets.

A small cage excludes the establishment of a queen cell, which makes it suitable only for breeding males. The compact design is spacious and consists of 2 tiers that can accommodate up to 8 adult residents.

The compact cage does not take up much space, but is open, so it is only suitable for arranging in summer period or indoors.

In compact type cages, it is impossible to put hay without lifting it onto a ladder. This cage requires frequent cleaning due to its open design and rapid accumulation of waste in the lower tiers.

The simplest design

For the manufacture of simplest design no additional materials or special tools are required. It consists of 2-3 tiers and can accommodate up to 8-9 pets.

However, this design has more disadvantages than advantages. It does not have the ability to install a nipple drinker, there is no section for hay, it requires regular cleaning and the installation of an internal feeder.

Do-it-yourself two- or three-tier cage for rabbits: step-by-step instructions with photo examples

A two-tier cage is the most common and simplest design.

A two- or three-tier cage is installed as follows:

Make a frame structure from bars 70 cm high and 120-150 cm long.
Insulate the finished frame with plywood sheets.
Referring to the drawing of the cage, leave space inside for arranging a common nest and.
Install the nest and queen cell.
Install partitions between the nest and feeding area.
Install a slate roof and install hinges for easy access.
Install a wooden door in the nesting compartment.
Install a metal mesh door in the aft compartment.
Lay the floor from wooden slats and cover it with a fine metal mesh on top.
Place the bottom tray under the cage.
Place insulating materials (hay, sawdust, polystyrene foam).
Install a feeder and drinkers.

Features and advantages of the design

Two- and three-tier cage designs are considered the most convenient and profitable for breeding pets. The cell is designed with maximum comfort for animals, there are feeders inside for feed, hay and fruits.

The design does not require regular cleaning and allows you to keep the compartments clean when keeping up to 25 adult pets. There is a separate compartment at the bottom for the mother and baby rabbits.

It is not difficult to make high-quality, reliable and comfortable cages for rabbits with your own hands at home. If you have the necessary materials, you can build a practical mini-farm that will serve as a home for your pets for many years.

For the cell to perform its functions and bring maximum benefit, it is recommended to choose the type and design of the rabbitry taking into account the breed, age and weight of the animals. Comfortable conditions keeping will help raise healthy, strong and active animals without diseases and behavioral defects.

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