Learning Time: 5 minutes
By Jaynelle Louvierre – I recently observed a letter in Countryside and Small Stock Journal from a girl who was in quest of plans for a rabbit hutch. After sending her the plans for my design, I noticed that a couple of of the totally different readers in the marketplace might uncover it useful as successfully.
I received right here up with this rabbit hutch design after shedding some rabbits to the nippiness of winter a few years up to now. I wanted a rabbit hutch that will protect them warmth throughout the winter and funky within the summertime. I am joyful to report that since I begun using this rabbit hutch, I’ve not misplaced a single rabbit to the climate. It was a tricky lesson, one I hope to help these new to elevating rabbits for meat stay away from.
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The roof slopes backwards so that throughout the winter, I can flip the sloping side in direction of the northern winds whereas allowing the larger entrance to face south. Within the summertime, I merely reverse the rabbit hutch to allow the sloping side to face south, thereby defending my rabbits from the heat.
The sleeping subject is surrounded on three sides with plywood to protect the bunnies from the wind or heat, as a result of the case is also. The underside of the sphere is screened out allow the droppings to maneuver by means of. Throughout the winter, though, I fill a cardboard subject with straw and slide it into the picket sleeping subject to protect my rabbits from the chilly air coming beneath the rabbit hutch.
The rabbit hutch was constructed using scrap lumber so it was low price. Rabbit hutches may be barely costly though must you resolve to make use of latest lumber.
On my genuine rabbit hutch, I extended the roof a bit an extreme quantity of on the sloping side and in a extremely sturdy wind, the hutch would flip over. A concrete block in opposition to the once more braces solved that draw back. On this plan, I tried to allow for sturdy winds and shortened the roof overhang along with lessened the slope.
You will have roughly 9 — 2 x 4s.
Provides Itemizing:
3 — 2 x 4s reduce to 48 inches in measurement for the doorway legs
3 — 2 x 4s reduce to 41 inches in measurement for the once more legs
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 44 inches in measurement for the upper portion of the legs on the roof line
For the bottom physique:
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 30 inches in measurement for the sides of the bottom
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 41 inches in measurement for the front and back sides of the bottom
1 — 2 x 4s reduce to 34 inches in measurement for the center brace working from entrance to once more beneath the bottom
For the sleeping subject:
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 18 inches in measurement for the sides of the sleeping subject flooring
1 — 2 x 4 reduce to 13 inches in measurement for the once more side of the bottom
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 22 inches in measurement for the side partitions a the once more of the sphere. These will drop down 4 inches below the 2 x4 on the flooring to supply a nailing flooring for the sleeping subject braces
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 24 inches in measurement for the sleeping subject braces
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 18 inches in measurement for the upper sides for the sphere on the roof line
1 — 2×4 reduce to 16 inches in measurement for the upper once more of the sphere on the roof line
Moreover, you want:
1 — 4’ x 8’ sheet of plywood for the roof, sides of the sleeping subject, and once more panel. (I used some scrap ½ inch plywood for my roof nonetheless you may substitute it with plastic or tin.)
2 — 2 x 4s reduce to 35 inches in measurement for the upper side sat the roof line of the first half to kind the slope.
Wire for the sides of the rabbit hutch. Because of the rabbits will not be strolling on this specific a part of wiring, I used earlier fencing.
Wire for the bottom has small squares. In the event you’re like me and might’t be mindful the determine of this specific wire, any individual at your native ironmongery retailer might make it easier to out
I wish to suggest using 8 “d’ ring shank deck nails on account of they really lock the wood collectively
2 hinges
1 latch
The door may be constructed out of two” x 2” lumber lined in wire show. Be sure you enable a small gap between the sting of the door and the side of the rabbit hutch to allow the door to swing merely on its hinges.
Constructing Steps
• Assemble the first flooring physique. It should measure 44 inches by 30 inches when full. See decide A.
• Join the two 44-inch boards to the very best of the legs a the roof traces, after which join the leg sections to the bottom physique that is already assembled. See figures A and B.
• Subsequent, arrange the center brace and the two 35-inch boards on the upper sides of the roof line. See figures A and D for the brace. See decide C for greater side board placement.
• Assemble the sleeping subject flooring correct onto the first flooring physique and embrace its braces, side wall boards, and once more wall board. See figures A and C.
• Cowl the first flooring and sleeping subject frames with wire screening.
• Now cowl the sides of the hutch with wire screening and arrange plywood panels on the sleeping subject and the once more wall of the first hutch. See decide A.
Subsequent reduce the plywood roof and join. In the event you’re using a plywood roof, you would possibly must cowl it with a waterproofing supplies. To be honest, I didn’t cowl my plywood roof and it has held up pretty good no matter that fact.
• In the end, you might assemble and join the door.
Together with appropriate housing, rabbits need entry to a great deal of current water and meals to help them fend off sickness. Flystrike and warbles in rabbits are of specific concern.
I hope a couple of of yow will uncover this rabbit hutch design useful and maybe even improve upon it.
Printed in Countryside July / August 2001 and infrequently vetted for accuracy.