Raising Rabbits In Mobile Hutches

Raising Rabbits In Mobile Hutches 34-4-9 A year ago rabbit producer Tara Felder decided to experiment with moveable rabbit hutches that would have the same benefits as mobile chicken coops. She's learned a lot about the process. "Heat is a problem with rabbits. Do not have baby bunnies in summer months," Felder says. Instead of moving her hutches around, she ended up parking them under trees and breeding her does to have litters in September, December and April ù not summer. Water was another issue. Algae would grow quickly if her nipple waterers were in the sun at all. And the water froze in the winter. To save time and labor, Felder lined up the pens and connected them to an auto water system consisting ofáa large water tank, fountain pump and stock water heater. About 70 ft. of PVC pipe delivers water to each of the pens and recirculates it back to the tank. Because the pens are roomy ù 4 ft. wide and up to 14 ft. long ù Felder's rabbits get lots of playtime. The pens have ramps and partitions for nesting and feeding areas. Older rabbits are more passive and content to just eat and rest. Felder built A-frame style hutches that work well. She says it's important that the hutch nest doorway is high enough so newborn bunnies can't get out. Raise the nesting area off the ground and use 1/2 by 1-in. wire on the floor so fecal matter can fall through. Use wire mesh no wider than 1 1/2-in. on the walls to prevent escapes. Have access doors on both ends to clean and provide food. Keep the food under cover so it doesn't get wet. Choose and set up the water delivery system carefully. Rabbits love to chew rubber hose, so use PVC and keep it protected. Keep units light enough that they can be moved easily by hand. Felder says she needs to improve accessibility and ease of cleaning theácages. Now she jacks them up to clean under them. She also sets up a large play area closed in by electric fence where bunnies can play. "We have gone to feeding more hay and less pellets in an effort to cut costs," she says. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tara Felder, P.O. Box 328, Oroville, Wash. 98844 (ph 509 560-4331; tara@communitynet.org ; www.3bellsranch.com).

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