# hanging cages



## terri9630 (Feb 18, 2011)

Do you have to have a special type of cage to hang them or can you use any cage.  How do you keep the wire attatched to the chain from bending out of shape?


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## animalmom (Feb 18, 2011)

We have hanging cages.  The cages are regular ones we purchased from Bass.  We use "S" hooks as the link from the cage to the wire and have been very pleased with our set up.  We've been doing rabbits this way since 2008 and have no problems with preditors of any sort.


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## terri9630 (Feb 18, 2011)

Have you had any problems with the wire on the cages bending or breaking?  I don't want to go out in the morning and find that the cage has fallen because the cage wire stretched/broken.

I'm not worried about predators.  We have a 6ft wall around our property with a big iron gate so dogs/coyotes aren't a problem.  Stray cats and hawks are kept out by our chicken/rabbit loving dogs.  You should have seen what they did with the last hawk, what a mess.  I suppose a racoon could be a problem but there are none out here in the middle of the desert.


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## Beekissed (Feb 18, 2011)

I've used the S hooks as well and have never found any bending or breakage on a standard, sturdy built cage.  Even heavy breeds or several rabbits in a finishing cage never bent the metal wire.


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## rabbitman (Feb 19, 2011)

I use "S" hooks three... You shouldn't have a problem with them breaking or damaging the wire. I use manufactored cages so they are well built and won't break. I also have hooks screwed to the back of our wall, I simply just hook the cage to it and they dont swing.


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## terri9630 (Feb 19, 2011)

Thanks y'all.  I hadn't thought of hanging the cages against the wall.  I was worring about swinging when we get our high spring winds.  They are going to be in a shelter but in the spring we get winds so strong here that at times we have a breeze in the house even though it is closed up.


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## dewey (Feb 22, 2011)

A pvc or steel bar or 2 can be ran horizontally through the entire set of cages to steady and secure them against wind.  Mine can't be attached to the walls because it would obstruct the waste collection system.  The cages are 1/2 x 1 and there's no sag.  I make all the cages for here, with some help, of course because I have limited mobility at times...but chains and S hooks can be replaced with simple farm wire for a great cost savings. 

I'm in the process of designing and building a semi-mobile 30+ hole hutch with shelter.  Among other things my company designs and fabricates steel bridges and structures, yet this simple mobile rabbitry has everyone's interest because it's so basically practical, lol.  Prototype 3 should be done within 3 weeks or so.  Still working out the kinks.


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## terri9630 (Feb 24, 2011)

dewey said:
			
		

> A pvc or steel bar or 2 can be ran horizontally through the entire set of cages to steady and secure them against wind.  Mine can't be attached to the walls because it would obstruct the waste collection system.  The cages are 1/2 x 1 and there's no sag.  I make all the cages for here, with some help, of course because I have limited mobility at times...but chains and S hooks can be replaced with simple farm wire for a great cost savings.
> 
> I'm in the process of designing and building a semi-mobile 30+ hole hutch with shelter.  Among other things my company designs and fabricates steel bridges and structures, yet this simple mobile rabbitry has everyone's interest because it's so basically practical, lol.  Prototype 3 should be done within 3 weeks or so.  Still working out the kinks.


I hadn't thought of doing that.  Thanks.


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## talchemist5 (Feb 25, 2011)

i found that cheap EMT metal conduit 1/2" along the entire row top in front and back then attach that to chain that go's to a turn buckle in front so i can move them up and down for fine adjustments....i think it is over engineered since the chain, S hooks, Eye Screws, and turn buckle can all handle 150lbs 


my lower teir is hung from the EMT on top to the EMT on the bottom teir.


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## terri9630 (Feb 26, 2011)

I think I'm going to look into that when I get that far.


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