Do-it-yourself construction of an aviary for rabbits and breeding at home
The construction of a rabbit enclosure should be carried out according to the rules. At the same time, experienced farmers believe that such a design has many advantages. Thanks to its use, it is possible to facilitate cleaning and maintain order. In addition, the paddock allows pets to have plenty of room to move around. Rabbits that live in an aviary grow stronger and are less likely to get sick.
Aviary requirements
The cage keeping of animals has certain characteristics. It is important that the design meets the following requirements:
- Feeder - it is permissible to use one, but large. It is recommended to control so that there are no fights for food.
- Drinking bowls - it is worth making several. The more pets there are in the aviary, the more drinkers should be.
- Doors - provide free access to the interior and make it possible to regularly clean the area.
- Canopy - with its help, the animals will be able to hide from the sun.
- Floor - If you settle animals on the ground or use grass flooring, pets will lie in the mud when it rains. This is fraught with the development of a cold. Therefore, a house for animals should be made on a hill of wood, and linoleum should be laid on the floor.
- Entertainment. This component is considered optional. However, it will help pets not to get bored. Experienced farmers make heights, underground passages or other structures in open-air cages.
To prevent fights and to avoid uncontrolled mating of animals, it is recommended to keep females separately from males.
Advantages and disadvantages
It is permissible to grow farm or decorative animals in the aviary. The free keeping of rabbits in the pen has many advantages. These include the following:
- good health;
- fast weight gain;
- increased fertility;
- strengthening the immune system;
- ease of cleaning and feeding.
As a rule, female rabbits feed only their young. When breeding in an aviary, females can take care of other people's offspring. This improves the survival rate of the young.
At the same time, keeping animals in such conditions is not always beneficial. For large farms that breed meat rabbits, this method will not work. In the pen, animals move a lot, which makes their meat more tough.
Kinds
- single-tiered
- bunk
- three-tiered
- for regular content
- for furry bunnies
- with separate uterine compartment
- with separate aft compartment
- for keeping in winter
- with access to the pit
Location
Thanks to their fur, rabbits are able to withstand low temperatures, which makes it possible to keep them outdoors. Taking into account the seasonal factor, animals can be provided with 2 accommodation options:
- on the street;
- in the barn.
Animals can live in the wild in an open cage during the warm season. You cannot keep them on the ground in winter. In such a situation, the animals are moved to the barn. It should be checked for gaps and, if necessary, insulated. It is recommended to make the floor elevated and cover with boards, and pour straw on top. For decorative pets, an aviary is made in the apartment.
Required materials and tools
It is quite possible to build an aviary with your own hands. For this, it is recommended to prepare everything you need:
- galvanized mesh - the size of its cells should be 10x10 centimeters;
- self-tapping screws;
- feeders;
- linoleum;
- wooden slats;
- drinkers;
- loops;
- metal corners.
Planning and sizing
The size of the enclosure is recommended to be determined by the number of animals. Each rabbit needs a lot of space. 1 individual should have at least 1-1.5 square meters of space. In order to avoid uncontrolled mating or family ties, it is recommended to provide a fenced area for males. They need a special site.
There is also a need for insulated houses. The floor covering is also important.
How to make a do-it-yourself rabbit enclosure
Organizing a pen at home is quite simple. It is recommended to select its size taking into account the available livestock. In the absence of a roof, the height must be at least 80 centimeters.
To build a pen for animals, it is recommended to do the following:
- Build a frame with slats and metal corners. In this case, it is important to provide for a sufficient mesh height. It is imperative to go 50 centimeters underground so that the animals cannot dig a tunnel. The structure can be of any shape - rectangular or triangular.
- Fasten the frame with self-tapping screws.
- Pull the galvanized mesh onto the prepared frame. It is important to use material with a mesh size of 10x10 centimeters. It is recommended to lay linoleum on the floor. Of no small importance is the presence of a door through which it will be possible to get into the aviary. Its width can be made arbitrary.
- Construct a roof if necessary. To do this, it is worth making a frame and pulling a mesh over it. Fix with hinges on the frame. This allows the roof to be removed if necessary.
- If the pen is not all located on the street, spread linoleum in a closed area. Its size is selected taking into account the area of the enclosure.
- Place drinkers and feeders in the finished structure.
Aviary care rules
To keep the animals healthy and not sick, it is important to keep the enclosure clean. Periodic disinfection of the pen is of great importance. To prevent the development of infectious pathologies, it is recommended to periodically treat all fragments of the structure with an ash solution. Many farmers use camel thorn infusion for this purpose. To do this, it is recommended to take the roots and foliage of the plant, brew and insist until the composition cools down. Maintaining cleanliness is essential. To do this, you should follow these rules:
- change the litter often;
- timely wash drinkers and feeders;
- clean the paddock of plant debris if rabbits eat greens.
It is recommended to ensure that clean water is always present in the drinkers. Animals often take food away. It is recommended to check that its elements do not fall into the drinker.Pets should be fed in portions. It is especially important to adhere to this rule in the heat. This prevents food from spoiling or contaminating the enclosure.
What to do in winter
In winter, keeping rabbits is difficult. At this time, they need to provide more suitable conditions. For this, it is recommended to move the pets to a barn or other room. It is important that it is insulated. Rabbits do not tolerate drafts well. Heating the room is of no small importance. To prevent pets from freezing, it is recommended to make the floor on a hill. In this case, it is worth placing a layer of straw on the boards. Cover the mesh doors and ceiling with a thick plywood sheet.
Good ventilation and adequate lighting are essential for animals. Daylight must enter the room. In this case, the ventilation system must draw out bad odors. If it is not possible to move the young animals to a warm place, it is recommended to slaughter the animals, since they will not tolerate severe frosts.
The organization of a rabbit enclosure has a number of features. With the correct construction of the corral, it will be possible to achieve great success in raising animals. At the same time, it is important to maintain cleanliness and properly care for the animals.