So, I need to build a rabbit cage....

[ATC]

...and I've never really worked with wood before This should be interesting. My dad made one for me when I was a kid, and I want to copy the design, as it was simple and worked well.

It will be a rectangle, 4' wide, 6' deep, and I'm not quite sure on the inside height yet...maybe 18"? It will stand on 4 legs at whatever height my 10-y/o goddaughter will be able to reach into it at comfortably.

On the 6' side, the first 4' of it (4'x4') will be open for the rabbits (2 of them) to run around in and get fed and such. The back 2' will be enclosed with a cut-out for them to get into with a shingled roof. It will have a door on the back so you can get in there to clean it out or to catch the rabbits.

On the 4x4 open area, I'm not sure of the best way to make a door. I think I want to take a 2' section of the top and put it on a piano hinge so it folds back flat against the remaining 2' section. That should be plenty of room to get in there to play with them or feed them.


Any ideas, tips, tricks...feel free to share. If you've made something similar...show me! I love seeing pictures to get ideas...

 

[JMartel]

Biggest thing is, don't forget about the saw kerf. Measure your cuts, and then cut on the other side of the line. Otherwise, it won't line up right.

They have yet to invent a board stretcher.

 

[risinoutlaw]

Make sure you dont use wire flooring. It can create painful ulcers on their feet.

 

[raiderhillbilly]

Tractor supply has one that is cheaper than building one. Unless, you want to do it for fun.
It would help to go and see how it is made before designing yours.

http://www.tractorsupply.com//Produ...p_category=&parent_category_rn=&storeId=10151

 

[laser3kw]

"if you build it, they will come..................."

 

[ATC]

Make sure you dont use wire flooring. It can create painful ulcers on their feet.

Really? Our old cage was wire and they were fine. Hmm...thanks, I'll have to rethink this. Would standard treated wood hold up to their pee over time without turning nasty? Or is treated wood a no-no since they like to chew on everything? I guess I got a little more research to do than I thought...

Tractor supply has one that is cheaper than building one. Unless, you want to do it for fun.
It would help to go and see how it is made before designing yours.

http://www.tractorsupply.com//Produ...p_category=&parent_category_rn=&storeId=10151

Thanks...that looks nice, although it's quite a bit smaller than I'd like. I'll take a look at it if our store has one

 

[mr48chev]

Make sure you dont use wire flooring. It can create painful ulcers on their feet.

I'd think that would depend on the size of the holes in the wire but standing or laying in poop and pee isn't the best thing for them either. I'd think being on screen would be more desirable than that.

ATC there should be rabbit hutch plans on line in a number of places. I'd think that some of the lets grow our own sites would have them.

Or you could build one like this and just move it around every once in a while.
http://www.hayneedle.com/product/tr...i_sku=TXE007&gclid=CNvuvcLzjLoCFdBxQgodeWQAOQ

A bit of a search shows that way more outfits are selling rabbit hutches than i thought possible.

 

[wbrian63]

The cages I've been around all used 1/2" square hardware cloth for the flooring and standard "chicken wire" for the walls.

When I built one, I made the mistake of making the floor out of vertical 2x4's and attaching the legs to the outside of that frame. That created a 1-1/2" wide "rim" around the inside of the cage where the bedding, ***** matter and urine would collect. This caused issues with rust of the hardware cloth and rot of the 2x4's over time.

If I had it to do over, I'd put the legs inside the frame, or co-linear with the edge of the frame to avoid this.

Here's how I'd do it now - hope the description works without pics.

You can't really make this out of pressure-treated lumber - it will eat the hardware cloth and chicken wire.

Because of the size, you'll need cross-span supports to keep the hardware cloth from sagging and to allow you to tension it properly. I'd make those out of 2x4's, but I'd use my saw to bevel the edge of the 2x to narrow it down to about 1/2" wide.

Buy the hardware cloth 7" longer than the 72" length of the hutch. (79"), and 7" wider (if you can get it wider than 48"). If not, consider making the hutch 46 or so wide.

Make the frame and attach the hardware cloth across the narrow edge by tacking it to the end of the 2x4, wrapping it up over the top. Use 3/4" or 1" long galvanized U-staples - same stuff used for barbed-wire fence construction. Put the staples about every 4 inches.

Roll the cloth out and lay it over the frame. Take another 2x4 and lay it on the flat where it is almost falling off the end opposite the end you just stapled. Take another 2x4 and screw it to the top of the one below, creating a clamp on the hardware cloth.

Now rotate the 2x4/hardware cloth sandwich to allow the leading edge of the lower 2x to drop off the end of the frame. Press down lightly on the 2x and that will stretch the hardware cloth nicely. Put several staples along the top edge of the 2x, then release the clamp by unscrewing the 2x's. Fold the remainder over the end of the frame and staple the same way as the other end.

Fold the long edges of the hardware cloth over and staple the same way as the short ends - maybe stretch it a little, but I'll bet you won't need to.

For the sides, make them out of 2x4 stock, laid flat - don't worry about the legs yet. Make the ends 24" tall and 45" wide (assuming a 48" wide hutch). Make the front & back 24" tall and 60" wide. Put a vertical brace in the middle of the front & back.

Make them square or rectangular. Don't worry about roof pitch.
Use screws - pilot drill if you don't have screws with a self-drilling tip. Toenail the sides together and attach the chicken wire in the same manner as the hardware cloth. You can use smaller staples here, and it doesn't need to be stretched as much - it won't take much stretching without deforming.

Put two frames, short sides together, with a 2x4 loose between them on the floor (flat) and elevate the outside ends by placing a 2x4 under the end. Staple the chicken wire to one short end, and pull it across to the other short end and staple that end in place - wrap around the ends of the 2x4s and staple on the narrow edge.

Now remove the 2x4's and allow the frames to sit flat on the floor. Put some staples on the face of the ends of each frame, then remove the spacer 2x4 and cut the chicken wire, wrapping it around the end of the frames and stapling it there.

For doors, work those structures into the shape of the sides. It's a good idea to have the "house" for protection from the elements and for sleep, but make it a separate removable structure - makes it easier to clean the hutch and the house.

Screw the sides/ends together. The ends go between the front & back. Set the base on the walls, with the hardware cloth to the inside (facing down).

Cut 4 2x4's 40" long. Screw each 2x4 to the ends. This will hold the base to the walls when you turn the hutch over.

For a roof, use a 2x6 for the front rim, and a 2x4 for the rear. Cut a pair of 2x6's tapered from 5-1/4" in the front to 3-1/2" in the back to match the elevation change.

Use **** hinges to attach the rear of the roof to the rear wall, and cup-hooks or other latches to hold the roof frame down in the front.

Use standard galvanized (corrugated) roofing material for the roof.

Set the hutch on 12" square concrete blocks. If you set it on the ground, the 2x4's will rot out in short order.

Hope this helps.

 

[ATC]

I'd think that would depend on the size of the holes in the wire but standing or laying in poop and pee isn't the best thing for them either. I'd think being on screen would be more desirable than that.

ATC there should be rabbit hutch plans on line in a number of places. I'd think that some of the lets grow our own sites would have them.

Or you could build one like this and just move it around every once in a while.
http://www.hayneedle.com/product/tr...i_sku=TXE007&gclid=CNvuvcLzjLoCFdBxQgodeWQAOQ

A bit of a search shows that way more outfits are selling rabbit hutches than i thought possible.

Yes, a screen floor lets the droppings and pee just fall to the ground. No mess for the rabbits to walk or lay in. I have found that smaller breed rabbits are fine with wire floor, while the larger and heavier breeds can have some foot complications.

And treated wood is a no-no.

mr48chev...the problem with all the plans online and prefabbed units you can buy, are that I don't like any of the designs. They won't "fit in" with the other coups he has. I dunno...maybe the perfectionist is coming out in me and I'm being too picky. I always strive for the best for "my" little girl

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

Screen is fine for floors, but you have to provide a flat solid surface for them to rest upon as well. When I used to raise New Zealand White Giants for food, the cages were built with large openings so I could slip in nesting boxes that were closed on all sides except half of the front. They could lay on top of the box, the wire, etc, and wouldn't foul the area with droppings.

 

[ARCTIC_RAGTOP]

I built one a few years ago for our 3 rabbits. I used a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood as the base, built a 4'x4' box out of 2x12 to fit on one side of the 4x8, put soil in it and layed down sod, so the bunnies would have a place to run around and play on real grass, then had their food bowl and other little buildings on the other 4'x4' section. I used 2x2s as the posts (around 3' tall) and wrapped chicken wire around the entire works. I built a top for it out of 2x2s and chicken wire as well, and put hinges on it so the top would open to access the rabbits. They spent the entire summer outside and loved it. They didn't want to come back inside and from what I could tell really enjoyed being outdoors. Until one morning when I went outside and the chicken wire was pulled up about a foot from the bottom of the cage, from the outside, and the bunnies were gone. A fox came along and let them out. My minimum security bunny cage needed to be a maximum security. My mistake was that I did not put an additional 2x2 over top of the chicken wire after I attached it with a staple gun.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

A fox came along and let them out. My minimum security bunny cage needed to be a maximum security.

"My, my, my," the fox said picking a bit of rabbit fur out his teeth, "That was awfully considerate of the farmer to package up the meal like that. I wonder if he has any other take-out options."

 

[ARCTIC_RAGTOP]

Haha, yes that damn fox would have been happy. We convinced our 6 year old boy that the bunnies were ready to go back to the wild.

 

[AZ Pete]

The Tractor Supply hutch looks primo to me. I would sure look at using the design features it has, modified with the best ideas in the other posts. I agree that a wire mesh floor (hardware cloth) is desirable for keeping the hutch habitable for the rabbits as well as providing some solid floor space for them to rest. Rabbit is good eating!

I would prefer that the hutch floor be a couple of feet above ground though to ease cleaning the hutch, and the waste that falls through the hardware cloth floor.

 

[Woody610nb]

Beside foxes, the door should be raccoon proof, they can open things that are not to difficult.

 

[theoldwizard1]

You can't really make this out of pressure-treated lumber - it will eat the hardware cloth and chicken wire.

Most heavier gauge hardware cloth is galvanized which hold up well to PT. Stainless steel 1/2" hardware is available. Staples and/or screws need to be hot dip galvanized or stainless steel or the PT chemicals will eat through them.

I would not want to use PT were the bunnies could gnaw on it.

 

[Zeke]

Make it so you can move it fairly easily. After a while in the same spot the soil below gets nasty and can affect the health of the animals.

 

[RECox286]

Rabbits are prone to chew on anything and everything, use untreated

wood, except for the legs of the cage, which should be built so they are

unaccessible to the animals. Rabbits are alot like cats,

in that they will select a certain area of the cage to use as a latrine.

If you use galvanized hardware cloth for the floor, the urine will destroy

it long before the rabbits are gone, and it will need to be replaced. better

to use SS hardware cloth up front. Yes, more expensive, but cheaper than

the fix. However you build their "safe" room, the roof should be able to be

easily removed for the cleaning of used litter and waste products.

Occasionally you should thoroughly clean all living spaces with a garden

hose, and then allow them to dry. Rabbits groom, and shed, and the hair

will lump together with their waste materials, ultimately sticking to the

hardware cloth which ultimately makes it harder to clean. You may also

want to fashion a funnel and bucket arrangement under the floor of the

cage to collect the waste for easier removal.

Rabbits are good pets for children, but an adult needs to do most of the

upkeep, obviously. So keeping that in mind as you build your hutch,

do everything you can to keep it simple, and accessible.

Keep on truck'n

Uncle Bob

 

[ATC]

*snip*

Hope this helps.

Thank you! I'll definitely use some of those ideas...especially about keeping the wire taught.

 

[ATC]

Thanks for all the ideas so far. I have narrowed it down to 2-3 designs.

1) The design I layed out in my OP. This one I found is close to what I am describing:
(I'll link it since it's a huge picture)
http://sheltersunlimited.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/Rabbit_Hutch-_single.226135056_large.JPG



2)

With this one, I would obviously build it larger, and higher off the ground. I would also make the back side of it similar to the front, with a screen fold down door so the rabbit could get a view on both sides, and better ventilation (also better for clean-out). A piece of tarp or plastic can be nailed over the back during the winter to keep the wind out. With it higher off the ground, I'd enclose the bottom and make a ramp for them, like this one:

3)

This is my least favorite...but it would match their chicken coups pretty close. I would enclose the bottom and put a ramp up to the second story. That way they could get on the ground and go up/down the ramp for more exercise.





Ultimately, I'd like to do something like this. But I fear that my skills (or lack of), and money will cause me not to even try it:

 

[wbrian63]

Any cage that allows them access to the ground will need to have a perimeter barrier to keep them from digging their way out to freedom. Don't know how deep, but "pretty deep" is probably not deep enough if they're determined to exit the facility.

 

[RPH]

4' wide is pretty deep to reach into. Really deep if your little, not sure if you want the little one inside the cage with them. I always built mine 2' wide but made the longer.

 

[JCQuick]

I have seen bugg's bunny dig his way to china before

 

[torquepower85]

rabbit mansion!

 

[ATC]

rabbit mansion!

I thought so too until I looked up the specs on it. It's only 61" long and 22" wide! Haha. That picture is so deceiving...

 

[Zeke]

No need for a deep barrier. Just place the hardware cloth on the bottom as well as the sides. Nice looking hutches.

 

[cheavy]

I am in the process of building one like this.

Good Luck

 

[ATC]

Well, my plans have been shot down. My buddy told me on Saturday that he doesn't want rabbits (after he told me yes last Monday...which is what led me to start planning).

Dang...I was kinda looking forward to it too.
Apparently, his daughter is having a hard time wanting to feed and care for the other animals now (about 6 goats, 20 chickens, 20 ducks, 4 geese, 6 pheasants, 4 game chickens, 9 Bantams, etc...), so he doesn't want her to neglect the rabbits. Dad doesn't like or want rabbits, so he doesn't want to take care of them when she forgets to. He'll take care of the others though.

He did say I could get some Quail or Grouse and make a small cage for them...so I guess all is not lost