Rabbit Barns,
Cages, Ventilation, Lighting,
Drop Wire in Cage Nest Box, Bun Toys,
Breeding guidelines / suggestions, etc.
by Ms. Loretta Ann Bowman
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I've been around all types animals all my life, including rabbits, and have been breeding rabbits for nearly 20 years. I've had a lot of experience building many types of pens, sheds, stalls, paddocks, barns, etc. I thought I would share a rabbit barn design in this article along with a few other rabbit related pointers.
I breed show Mini Rex and Netherlands and I hobby breed Harlequins along with the ReCreation of our new Astrex Rabbits / America Astrex Rabbit Breed, in our one of a kind redevelopment program, of the last 6 years. Also, I've spent the last 4 plus years creating "Micro Rex Rabbits" a tiny, refined, 2 lb. rex breed.
No matter what breed you choose, it is best to try to give your animals the best possible environment that you can afford with as much space as possible allowed per animal. Remember, rabbits were designed by Nature to hop and run, not sit idly in a small "hole" / cage day after day. I like my cages (even for my small breeds) to at least be 24" x 24" and preferably 24" deep by 30" long X at least 16 inches high. Rabbits are very active animals and I believe in giving mine the most room I can in cages. Many times I will add shelves at each end of the cages... about 8 inches off the floor and about 4-8 inches wide running the depth of the cage from front to back. (these shelves are made of 1/2 x 1 inch cage floor / baby saver size wire) The bunnies love the shelves for hopping up and down from, for exercise and for lounging. I also like my cages either individual and spaced about 4 inches apart, or either, with metal or plastic cage wall guards, 6 to 10 inches high, on the connecting walls, to prevent the bunnies from urinating on each other. A hay rack "V" can be placed into the tops of wire hanging cages… You just make (or have made) about a 6--8 inch deep "v" in the cage top (running from front to back) and put the hay into that... The rabbits will stand up to eat and stretch and stand, which is good for caged rabbits to do. (This "V" can also be made where the cage top/walls meet in a line of cages (multi hole connecting cages). This way the hay "V" will serve two cages.)
As for watering systems... I like the watering valves connected right off about ½ inch PVC pipe ran along the cages (anyway one likes this done). This prevents running smaller feeder hoses, lines, and is less costly... than buying foot after foot of black feeder lines, connectors, etc. (The only reason I prefer this is to save in money...not really any other reason. If you use feeder lines, you must purchase connectors, "Ts", line stand offs, etc...or the rabbits will chew a line that lays on a cage. ) This is purely preference for the individual breeder to decide. Remember to install all water valves only about 4 to 6 inches from the cage floor so baby bunnies just out of the nest box can find them and reach them easily to drink.
Sinks and a water source: I would also strongly suggest that every rabbit barn include a sink and faucet, and drain, of some sort, whether you have hot water or only cold available. Washing things is always a necessity, and believe me (for newbies to bunnies) there is ALWAYS something that needs washing, etc. in a rabbit barn. If you take time and effort to install a sink, be it a normal double kitchen type sink and faucet, or either a utility sink, you will be a much happier rabbit breeder. Consider also installing the sink in a cabinet with storage underneath and / or shelves above, over the sinks.
Also, a counter of some sort beside the sinks are indispensable, for you when working with a sick animal, cleaning food crocks, or feeders, etc.
Barn Height: A good rabbit barn should be at least 9 feet high at gable roof center or raised center isle roof, to allow for ventilation and I prefer 10 or more feet high myself, at center. I prefer the gable roofs, ^ , and I prefer 10-12 feet high at center for maximum ventilation in hot summer months. A nice rabbit barn size is one at least 20 feet wide by 40 feet long. This size barn will house approximately 8 rows of 6 hole cages (24"x30" cage size) (4 double rows placed back to back but with spacing to prevent urination of the animals on each other). This allows for 3 foot wide isles and 3 feet on cage isle ends. You can add 6 to 8 or more feet for storage making the structure 20' wide X 46' or 48' long if one likes. A 20 feet wide X 40 feet long barn will allow for 48 holes of the larger cages already described here. Believe me, for cleaning of, and movement through, the barn, you will never regret making the isle ways 3 foot wide. This allows most any size wheel barrel, or cart through, and allows two people to comfortably walk or work on the same isle. Not to mention it makes cleaning 90 percent easier... sigh.
As for cage height and door placement: I like my cages with a large front outward opening door. (either left or right opening ~~ breeders choice) By large door I mean at least 12 ~ 14 inches high x 12 ~ 14 inches wide. The best placement for these front open doors are center of the cage front. The best placement height for hanging cages are to hang them where when you open the door, and reach inside your armpit is a few inches off / above, the cage bottom, door opening. (I'm speaking for the main adult in charge of the rabbitry here) If children or youth are the main caretakers, you may have to adjust height, but remember, LOW hung cages are a pain to shovel from under, and you will dread cleaning time if you must nearly crawl to shovel from cages being hung TOO low !! Consider hanging your cages for adult height, and using a sturdy step stool for kids to access cages with. Pick a sturdy step stool, and one a child can manage to move around without an adult if needed. NOTE to GUYS / MEN: If you are helping your lady /wife /girlfriend /sister build the barn / hang rabbit cages, CONSIDER her armpit height NOT only yours... or she will also probably need a stepping stool !! I've had many women tell me over the years, her boyfriend or husband hung the cages to "his" height... and they did not realize this UNTIL after they were all hung !
Drop Wire In~Cage Nest Boxes: Drop wire in cage nest boxes are made into the cage front floor/bottom directly where the door opens or either offset to one side, or other, of the door opening. A drop wire nest box is just what it sounds like. It's a drop section in the cage floor that is a "nest box" area... made entirely of 1/2 x 1 inch cage bottom wire. (like baby saver wire) Drop Wire In~Cage Nest Boxes add time and expense to cage construction but it is well worth it in the long run. You will not have to worry with wooden, metal or plastic nest boxes, as you already have cage built ~ Ins. Consider your breed size when you are having your cages made/ making your cages, and make your drop wire, in cage, nest boxes accordingly, to breeds raised / breed size, or either do one general size that is bigger...You can use these in all your cages actually, whether they are buck or doe cages....and the rabbits love sitting in them, and hopping up out of them. Drop Wire In~cage Nest Boxes for mini rex, and netherlands and small, medium breeds should be approximately, 10 inches wide x 12 to 14 inches long and 8 to 10 inches deep. I prefer for netherlands and mini rex a general size of: 12 inches wide, x 14 inches long, x 10 inches deep. In the bottom of the wire drop nest box you will install a wooden board cut to the size of the bottom which lies flat on the bottom. Drill pencil size holes, in lines, in this board for urine to pass through. (probably 20 holes...or less) Line the drop wire nest boxes with 2 to 3 inches of hay pushed and packed into the corners, etc. for kindling does. (Bucks love these just for "beds" also.....as do none breeding does, and kits...) When not in use for nesting/kindling, these in cage drop wire nest boxes make excellent exercise opportunities for buns of all ages. The entire drop nest is made of the smaller wire ( like baby saver) so when a board such as described above, is place in the bottom, it also makes a much safer place for a bun to get into in case of, Heaven forbid, a "dog attack" on your rabbitry. Shelves added to cages also help save buns in the horrible event of a dog attack.
We've had dogs tear through a 4 foot high net perimeter fence just to attack....so never say "never" ... it can happen ! Safe guard all you can before hand ~~ it is better to error on the side of safety than a lack of it. I had just had a tortoise mini rex doe (HoneyGirl) that survived a dog attack two years ago, torn from her cage, 2 weeks ago, and killed not a foot behind her cage... so never say never, because it can happen and even before you know it has.
Metal galvanized garbage cans can be used for feed and hay storage to keep out rats, ants, pest, etc. Feed bags can be set right down into them and opened or either the contents can be poured directly into the cans. Why metal verses plastic? Simply because rats and other animals cannot chew through metal. You can also place a feed can at each end of the barn and or the middle to cut down on walking/feeding time.
FOR Ventilation: Inexpensive box fans can be mounted (horizontally) on over head cross beams or rafters facing/blowing downward ( the grids/grills can be removed to prevent blockage from any stray fur, etc.) but the fans must be mounted high enough so visitors do not accidentally get hands, etc caught in the un~grilled, un~guarded fans. These can be mounted by drilling pilot holes into the fan cases and then attaching the metal fan cases tightly to the rafters/cross beams of the barn, with long wood screws. (make sure the screws have a large head, or use washers, so the fans don't vibrate and pull the screws through the cases) (Box fans can be purchased at Dollar General stores, or other dollar stores, for as little as $10~$12, per 20" fan ) In a 20' X 40' barn you will need at least 6 overhead mounted box fans and preferable 8... These can be placed over the isle or over the cages (it's your choice) and spaced out evenly in the barn. Some breeders don't think rabbits should have direct air flow…but my rabbits really enjoy it in the summer. These fans can be connected with/to timers or heavy duty multi plugs that allow you to turn several on and off at one switch, and according to weather and needs. The cords should be ran along the rafters and attached, and NOT allowed to hang near cages, etc. (for obvious reasons) Also, 2~3 box fans with grills/grids left on them should be mounted in one end wall of the barn, about 1 - 2 feet off the floor blowing out ~~~ pulling from the inside of the barn ~~~blowing to the outside. This is to pull out the ammonia and odors and prevent respiratory infections, etc. By pushing the ammonia and odor and fur downward with the over head mounted fans and pulling it out of the barn with the two or three end wall mounted fans you will eliminate a great deal of odor build up in your barn and prevent many respiratory related problems. This is a type of simple downdraft system I came up with…which is great for rabbits … they are not breathing so much ammonia, odors, etc. Also, one can install the same type, 2 to 3 box fans in the opposite end of the barn as an intake system, for fresh air, you pull inward with these, then the overhead fans push downward, pushing ammonia, downward, and the 2 ~ 3 exhaust fans pull it outward. This will really help your animals health. Remember if you don't like the smell of your barn, neither will your rabbits !! If the urine / ammonia is too strong for you on a hot summer day than YOU imagine how a 2 lb netherland or a 4 lb mini rex feels as it tries to breath??
Lighting and Heat Reflector lights for Kits: It is best to run electrical lines (12 or 14 gauge or your choice) so you can have electrical outlets at various places in your barn. Make sure you run these lines on overhead rafters, or runners, or overhead beams, to prevent the possibility of any rabbit chewing the wires. Rabbits are like puppies, some chew everything, some never chew anything....It is also a very good idea to run multi outlet extension cords here and there, especially over your doe cages so if needed you can heat over the nest box in winter with a reflector heat light. What is this? It's simply a light bulb (60 to 100 watt normal light bulb) placed in a reflector silver metal light globe and placed upside down on the cage top over the nest box, in extreme cold. These reflector lights come with a clamp end that you can clamp onto the top cage wire to prevent them from moving around. They are inexpensive ($4 to $7 dollars each) and can be found at dollar stores, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depo and many other places. (If weather falls below 35 degrees I place them inside my doe cages over the box... about 10 inches above the nest box, but if you do this make CERTAIN the light is attached and will not fall into the nest box and start a fire, or burn kits, or be sure the doe cannot reach the electric cord to chew it !)
Use common sense also... I was told once by a 2 year breeder that they placed citronella candles ( the kind in pint size tin buckets) on top of the rabbit cages burning...to keep away misquotes... Common sense should tell anyone not to place a burning candle over a nest box with hay, fur, and kits... Well what happened? Several candle cans overturned dripping hot wax and flames into the hay nest and on the kits...burning and killing several kits, and flaming the nest !
Insulation/Roof Coatings: You can either insulate the inside of your
rabbit barn roof with foam insulation board or any product of your choice or/and coat the outside roof top. (Remember that you don't want your animals breathing fibers, etc. So if you use household insulation then you don't want the fiber part exposed to blowing... or fibers will be released. ) There's a product on the market called "cool seal" and it's commonly used to coat metal roofs, old tin, mobile homes, etc. and provides a reflective surface for reflecting sun, etc and can be used on the exterior roof side of your barn (barn top).
The barn pathways / isles can be built up about 4 -6 - 8 inches higher than under the cages, and landscape timbers placed on the outside pathway edges to prevent erosion. I've seen the isle/pathway surfaces then covered with house roof shingles in some rabbit barns and this makes a relatively tough, non skid surface and prevents a lot of mud/muck build up if swept regularly. Also, I've seen roll shingle type roofing used to cover isle pathways. The ideal would be to cement the pathways, but this is a great expense that many of us cannot readily afford, and the money this would cost, is better used in your barn design itself, and in the building/design of your cages.
NOTE: If you make the gable ^ barn roof high enough such as 12 to 14 feet you can then have a sort of half loft in one end or the center, etc. to store unused carriers, cages, etc. This can be built later after the initial barn itself.
Rabbit Toys: A rabbit does not have to be a "house bunny" to have toys. Give your breeding stock / herd, of any breed, toys and you give them something to entertain themselves with... Cheap, or free rabbit safe toys include: 1) Empty toilet tissue rolls, 2) Old key ring about the size of a quarter or bigger with 2 to 4 keys on it ~~ the buns love to jingle, toss, and swing the keys. 3) Pieces of oak limbs cut into about 8 inch pieces... 4) Pieces or blocks of untreated plain pine wood...cut into about 2" x 2" blocks, 5) Golf balls to roll and play with, 6) tuna cans (make SURE there are no sharp edges) buns will toss and play and clang these, 7) a rolled up piece of white printer paper, 8) hard plastic baby rattlers, or hard plastic baby spoons, 9) a plastic vitamin or medicine bottle (remove the label if possible) with 2 to 4 small rocks placed inside (make sure top is secured). The buns will throw, roll and flip this about the cage, 10) Bought bunny safe toys
NOTE: Do not give a rabbit aluminum soda/coke cans....they will chew these and even eat them! I once had a breeder friend give my harlequin buck a coke can, without my knowledge, and he ate at least 1/3 of it and survived miraculously... This backyard breeder, even recommend this to people he sold mixed breed pet buns to for a bunny toy. DO NOT ever give a rabbit a soda can or any thin metal that they may possibly chew through.... as I stated earlier, use common sense please.
When dealing with any animals remember: "Prevention is WORTH TEN pounds of cure..." so keep this in mind when building / ventilating your rabbit barn, etc. Also, keep in mind, even if for just a moment, what would you feel like if you were one of your rabbits for an hour? Would you be comfortable, well cared for, and happy, or cramped, and smelling odors, and with little room to move? A good breeder is a conscientious breeder, be it a meat rabbit breeder, a show rabbit breeder, or a backyard breeder. Be a good breeder. :-)
Mass Production of kits: Also, do not mass produce... unless you have a valid reason, such as producing meat. I had one mini rex breeder that won at nationals tell me they produced 100 mini rex kits in 3 months, to get "one show winner"... I've had other mini rex and netherland, etc breeders tell me you must mass produce to get show winners also... this is NOT TRUE. If you must produce 100 kits to get a show winner then there is something seriously wrong with your breeding program or herd stock genetics! Study your stock, know your rabbits, know what colors are in their background. If you are breeding for "show", study and know what color variety bred to what color variety will produce what... Educate yourself. Use your buck and does to "compliment" each other. If the buck lacks in one area pick a doe that makes up for that and vice versa. Study genetics at least to some point. Remember flooding the market with cheap incorrect kits will not help you as a show breeder... it will not help any of us. I do not do meat rabbits so I breed carefully were I don't have many, if any, cull kits. I also don't cull kill my kits, so I do not want to produce many, not showable mini rex or netherlands. If anyone wants one of my show stock mini rex or netherlands for a "house rabbit" rather than for showing than so much the better for the bun to be a beloved house bunny !
Education of yourself as a Rabbit Breeder: Educate yourself as a rabbit breeder: A very good book to invest in, that is known as a "rabbit bible" of sorts is: Rabbit Production, by McNitt, Patton, Lukefahr and Cheeke. Find a copy be it used, or new, and secure a copy for yourself. It has great deal of genetic information written by Dr. Steven Lukefahr, of Texas A & M University, and a great deal rabbit information in general written by the other three authors. You can find a link to order Rabbit Production on Dr. Lukefahr's site page. Also, research online. There are great articles online on genetics, color crossing rules, etc. KNOW your breed also. Know what you want to produce in a kit, a litter before you breed !! If you want to show or show breed, join ARBA (America Rabbit Breeders Association) and buy a "Standard of Perfection" Guide book, which list each and every ARBA accepted breed, and gives a standard as to color and type of each breed. Mr. Bob Whitman also just published a history of domestic rabbits, it's a large, wonderful book that list all known breeds and their histories, with photos. Look on his Rare Bits & Pieces Website for his book.
Thank you very kindly and sincerely, Rett. I hope this article can be of help to rabbit breeders old and new out there ! :-)
Ms. Loretta Ann Bowman
Cotton Tails & Bunny Hop Farm
www.AstrexRabbits.com
Astrex Rabbits Rabbitry
P.O. Box 443
Springfield, LA 70462
Email: BunnyRabbitTales@aol.com
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(written originally in 2000 / revised in March/2005 by author)
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