Rabbits

[helomech]

Well we got chickens and they are doing great, got fish in the pond, started on my aquaponics (money slowing that down) and today started on the rabbit cages. As soon as the water nipples and food dishes come in we are getting our rabbits, and they should be in soon. Anyways just started a few hours ago, only bought wire so far, had the wood laying around. Wife is picking up another roll of wire, then I just have to move it into the chicken run (it will be safe from predators there) and put the legs on. Already got the legs cut.

[JustAPrepper]

"In to the chicken run" is a good idea.

We had an online prepper-friend who was raising rabbits in raised hutches with wire bottoms. They had them going for quite a while and were pretty successful with them (raising, cleaning, eating, etc.) until a dog came through and attacked all the feet of the rabbits through the wire. Some feet were chewed clean off while skin was stripped from bone on others. She had to do a massive cull on her litter. Just something I filed away in my memory bank and thought I'd share.

[helomech]

Thanks, it seemed like the best place for them. It is completely secure, except for the small automatic chicken door that is open during the daylight. But at night it is all locked up.

[helomech]

Well just have to cut out the door, build the nest box for each of the 3 sections, and run the automatic water system.

[bacpacker]

Looks like a nice start Helo, Your gonna be well fed before long, well better than you already are.

We had a similar type hutch when I was a kid. We had dogs get in it too. They ripped the wire open and got ours. I would probably do a second layer of wire with a bit of spacing between the layers. Being in the chicken coop would be a great thing IMO.

Speaking on the chicken coop, how is your run set up. Post, fence, d?o you have some kind of top

Edit: You beat me to the post.

[Evolver]

Very nice helo! How are you going to do the auto watering?

[helomech]

Oh yeah still need to put a roof over the cages.

[bacpacker]

Is your framework metal pipe? That's what it look's like. What ht is it?

[helomech]

Very nice helo! How are you going to do the auto watering?

Thanks, going to do just like I have for the chickens, except use rabbit nozzles. I will run a water line to a 5 gallon bucket with a toilet float in it. Then run a line to each cage with a rabbit nipple. The toilet float will keep the bucket full.

[helomech]

Looks like a nice start Helo, Your gonna be well fed before long, well better than you already are.

We had a similar type hutch when I was a kid. We had dogs get in it too. They ripped the wire open and got ours. I would probably do a second layer of wire with a bit of spacing between the layers. Being in the chicken coop would be a great thing IMO.

Speaking on the chicken coop, how is your run set up. Post, fence, d?o you have some kind of top

Edit: You beat me to the post.

Well my dogs don't go in there, and they will keep other predators away. The chicken run is made of chain link fence so it is very secure. The run has chain link buried under the ground and all the way around the structure. The top of the run is welded wire. I used 2.5 inch pipe for the frame work. I have some pics of the build if you would like I can post them. My chickens don't even use the run, they free range all day.