What does your Rabbit Hutch look like?

[Northwest_Wannabe]

I'd love to see photos or threads on your rabbit hutches! For rabbits, not chickens haha

I'm looking into getting 2-3 rex rabbits within the year and I've gotten some inspiration from the few posts on here, and from reddit, I'm looking for what worked for you!

For example I've seen a lot of variation in wire! From what I've found 14 or 16 gague wire that's 1" x 1/2" works best, but I've seen conflicting answers on if it should be galvanized (rough texture?) or pvc coated (they'll eat it?) or just normal (rust?) so I'm just looking for a little personal experience!

Like what feeders worked best? What sort of waterers worked for you, classic bottle, or a heavy bottom ceramic dish? What's something you wish you'd done better or differently?

 

[PioneerChicks]

I'd love to see photos or threads on your rabbit hutches! For rabbits, not chickens haha

I'm looking into getting 2-3 rex rabbits within the year and I've gotten some inspiration from the few posts on here, and from reddit, I'm looking for what worked for you!

For example I've seen a lot of variation in wire! From what I've found 14 or 16 gague wire that's 1" x 1/2" works best, but I've seen conflicting answers on if it should be galvanized (rough texture?) or pvc coated (they'll eat it?) or just normal (rust?) so I'm just looking for a little personal experience!

Like what feeders worked best? What sort of waterers worked for you, classic bottle, or a heavy bottom ceramic dish? What's something you wish you'd done better or differently?

I don't have pictures, but we just use large dog crates. The biggest size, I think. Wire is about 2x1" on the sides. The bottom is hardware cloth with some thicker wire to support it. It is lifted so the poop that doesn't go in the litter box (yes, rabbits can be potty trained) can fall to the ground. We put shelters inside (cardboard box with holes in side, wooden house, etc.).
Good luck and enjoy your rabbits!

 

[Everose]

I'd love to see photos or threads on your rabbit hutches! For rabbits, not chickens haha

I'm looking into getting 2-3 rex rabbits within the year and I've gotten some inspiration from the few posts on here, and from reddit, I'm looking for what worked for you!

For example I've seen a lot of variation in wire! From what I've found 14 or 16 gague wire that's 1" x 1/2" works best, but I've seen conflicting answers on if it should be galvanized (rough texture?) or pvc coated (they'll eat it?) or just normal (rust?) so I'm just looking for a little personal experience!

Like what feeders worked best? What sort of waterers worked for you, classic bottle, or a heavy bottom ceramic dish? What's something you wish you'd done better or differently?

I recommend not doing powder coated wire on the floor, it is very nice for them in the beginning but after it all falls off or they chew on it you've just wasted your money. Instead I put a ceramic tile on the floor in the summer, and LOTS of hay in the winter ( it gets icky but they appreciate it). I've had rex in the past and one of the reasons we stopped raising them was their feet! They get sore hocks so fast! ALWAYS keep a clean surface for them to sit on, they really loved drywall to chew on and sit on ( I'm sure someone will say that drywall is bad for them, we were told by lots of rabbit people to give it to them and they absolutely loved it.)

I LOVE having an auto waterer on their cages! It has saved their lives so many times! But they have managed to chew the tubes a couple of times, so even though it sounds over the top I would also keep a ceramic water bowl in the hutch.

Three walls is best and most definitely have a non leaky roof for them. My little boy peeves doesn't chew on the painted wood as long as he has alfalfa cubes or some kind of chew toy.

Gravity feeders work best because they are very secure and their feed won't get wet like it will in a bowl. If it does get wet then just bang it out, give it a good rinse and voila clean feed!

Hope this helps. My hutch is nothing fancy, rlly nothing worth taking pics of right now. In the near future I'm hoping to give it a major upgrade and make it super fun! Good luck with your bunnies, rex were loads of fun to raise!

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

I don't have pictures, but we just use large dog crates. The biggest size, I think. Wire is about 2x1" on the sides. The bottom is hardware cloth with some thicker wire to support it. It is lifted so the poop that doesn't go in the litter box (yes, rabbits can be potty trained) can fall to the ground. We put shelters inside (cardboard box with holes in side, wooden house, etc.).
Good luck and enjoy your rabbits!

I should have mentioned I've owned rabbits in the past : D just never bigger breeds and never for anything besides pets and poop! I just learned our county fair was cancelled again so it'll be a little tricky to get in contact with someone who may be willing to show me butchering but I'm not giving up that easy ;D I'd love to see pictures of your setup!

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

I recommend not doing powder coated wire on the floor, it is very nice for them in the beginning but after it all falls off or they chew on it you've just wasted your money. Instead I put a ceramic tile on the floor in the summer, and LOTS of hay in the winter ( it gets icky but they appreciate it). I've had rex in the past and one of the reasons we stopped raising them was their feet! They get sore hocks so fast! ALWAYS keep a clean surface for them to sit on, they really loved drywall to chew on and sit on ( I'm sure someone will say that drywall is bad for them, we were told by lots of rabbit people to give it to them and they absolutely loved it.)

I LOVE having an auto waterer on their cages! It has saved their lives so many times! But they have managed to chew the tubes a couple of times, so even though it sounds over the top I would also keep a ceramic water bowl in the hutch.

Three walls is best and most definitely have a non leaky roof for them. My little boy peeves doesn't chew on the painted wood as long as he has alfalfa cubes or some kind of chew toy.

Gravity feeders work best because they are very secure and their feed won't get wet like it will in a bowl. If it does get wet then just bang it out, give it a good rinse and voila clean feed!

Hope this helps. My hutch is nothing fancy, rlly nothing worth taking pics of right now. In the near future I'm hoping to give it a major upgrade and make it super fun! Good luck with your bunnies, rex were loads of fun to raise!

I'm pretty excited : D still mostly in planning phases but that's where everything starts!! I've seen a lot of people do hanging wire cages, or 4 wall wire, you're probably the first person I've seen to say 3 wood walls (which is what my dad did back when we had pet rabbits)! I've seen some breeders never have issues with sore hocks in their rex and some who have constant issues like you've said, I think one person said it's due to varying density in the foot fuzz! That'll be something I'll look into more and make sure to choose the rabbits I get carefully! Thank you! I can't wait to go into the feedstore and actually look at the rabbit section with a more knowledgeable adult eye to it ahaha, see what they have to offer for feeds, hays, and toys!

 

[Everose]

I've seen some breeders never have issues with sore hocks in their rex and some who have constant issues like you've said, I think one person said it's due to varying density in the foot fuzz!

Yep it's the foot fuzz, some have really dense feet but if you have slightly warmer weather they'll probably get sore hocks due to the fact that they won't have as dense a coat as a colder rabbit will.

 

[Everose]

What would be better than three walls would be half or 1/3 walls on the ends to provide ventilation. I am going to add a half wall to my current hutch, peeves is a tiny netherlands dwarf and he doesn't look like he feels secure in his giant hutch where all the chickens give him mean looks all day long

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Yep it's the foot fuzz, some have really dense feet but if you have slightly warmer weather they'll probably get sore hocks due to the fact that they won't have as dense a coat as a colder rabbit will.

I'm in Washington, so I wouldn't call it warm here but we get all 4 seasons : D not much snow in the winter (1-2") and not too hot of summers (rarely over 95°) I'm hoping to use wire for ease of cleaning but with plenty of space for them to get off of it <3

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

What would be better than three walls would be half or 1/3 walls on the ends to provide ventilation. I am going to add a half wall to my current hutch, peeves is a tiny netherlands dwarf and he doesn't look like he feels secure in his giant hutch where all the chickens give him mean looks all day long

Hahaha oh my god I can see that, we've got some stinker hens with some mean glares! The area I've picked out for the hutches is near the chickens but the exact placement makes it so when when the chickens or dogs are out in the main yard, they wouldn't be able to interact with the buns! (And they're away from all neighbor dogs woohoo!)