I am wondering if there is an ideal rabbit barn? Presently my five rabbits are on the "porch" of our barn, up against the wall where they are protected against just about everything except the setting sun. In a year or so, after I breed them, I am going to have to move them to their own place and can't make up my mind what to go with. I will be starting from scratch. I have considered going with a metal carport, open at both ends. Yesterday I found another steel quonset hut place that has what they are calling a "run in shed", basically a tall, narrow quonset hut also open at both ends. In Kansas we have four very distinct seasons so whatever I put up will have to be able to stand up to rain, hail, snow, wind, occasional zero or below zero temps, and week upon week of 100+ degrees. What have ya'll done? What do you wish you had? What did not work? I really do think I want to go with a building instead of hutches because I don't want to have to take care of rabbits while I'm getting snowed on or being pelted with freezing rain.
"Ideal" rabbit barn
- Thread starter texcalkas
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currycomb
Overrun with beasties
yes you definately want yourself covered, makes chores less of a "chore". we have a leanto built onto our pole barn. open on 3 sides for summer cooling, and we drop tarps down the side facing the north and east, and have actually left the "fence" panel up on the west short wall. it was put up to protect from winter winds, but found it also cooled during the summer because of the shade it produced. have planted rose of sharon shrubs along the west side, hoping for more shade from the sun. it gets pretty warm here in so. illinois too. just wish i had insulated the roof of the leanto. still a possibility if i run across some cheap insulation. fans are used during the hot days, and the bunnies will lay all stretched out in front of them. a 55 gal barrel is inside the bunny area filled with water as needed and covered to keep out unwanted everything. the top row of cages are suspended from the rafters, and bottom row sits on a wood frame. all are portable wire cages. we aquired some hard plastic that is placed between top and bottom rows, diverting waste to the back of cages and on to the ground. hubby rakes up weekly and a couple times a year, we take everything out and give it a good cleaning. (mostly in warm weather so we can spray everything down with water and bleach). a livestock water heater is placed inside the barrel to keep that water from freezing, and frozen water bowls are replaced daily as needed. i do bring out hot water from the house and fill half full bowls with hot water. it equals out to warm water for the buns, which they seem to enjoy.
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Was interested to read that you hang half your cages and the others are on frames. I am debating on whether to go with stacking cages or just hang them. Considering I have 10-15 lb rabbits I don't know if metal poles/rafters would be able to hold that much weight. (Currently the 3-hole unit is on pallets and the two 48x30s are on a frame which I think was used to stack firewood on.) I think right now I am leaning more toward a loafing shed: open on one end and enclosed on three. If I work with a local supplier surely they would be able to make flaps on those three sides that I could raise and lower. Whatever I go with I'll need to be able to get water for misters into it as well as electricity for fans. This summer taught me that you can't be too cautious. After 56 days of 100+ degrees even the chickens were glad for the cool mist and fans!
hemet dennis
Chillin' with the herd
"Ideal" rabbit barn = Fully closed building with forced heating and air, big screen T.V., and a fridge for sodas and beer.
and internet hook up
and internet hook up
Legacy
Ridin' The Range
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Don't forget the self cleaning cages. Hey, I might want to just move in with the rabbits...
nah, you might like it but the bunnies would get bored. outdoor hutches are da best!!!!hemet dennis said:"Ideal" rabbit barn = Fully closed building with forced heating and air, big screen T.V., and a fridge for sodas and beer.
and internet hook up
Citylife
Loving the herd life
Need a pool table tohemet dennis said:"Ideal" rabbit barn = Fully closed building with forced heating and air, big screen T.V., and a fridge for sodas and beer.
and internet hook up
currycomb
Overrun with beasties
actually, a neighbor has the "ideal" rabbit barn. 4 sided pole barn, blown on insulation, heated and air conditioned, and a went fan running all the time. has a radio playing and a water nipple water system, so no bottles or bowls to fill. only labor he has is the cleaning from under the hutches once a week, which he hires a young man to do. has concrete wal between rows of hanging cages. very efficient. but the ND bunnies are in very small cages, and the ones we have gotten from him do have respiratory problems. so will keep our bunnies outside, fans for the summer. with frozen water bottles or ice in the bowls. did find that having the west covered with the slated fence does keep the inside cooler. may try a window roll up thingy i got at an auction, and let it down when the sun starts to get inside on the bunnies. might increase ventilation.
ohiogoatgirl
True BYH Addict
my "office" in the barn get internet 
but i'm on a laptop and the house net just happens to reach out there. but i have to make sure i save everything because there is no power out there so i'm just running on my laptop battery. hopefully i will get this car battery and hanging light out there today though. i have one strand of solar christmas lights up there now. but really i would need about 10 to make it useful brightness... i am very interested to see what others say. as i am just geting into rabbits myself.
adorable
Chillin' with the herd
Any thing that is a heated barn doesnt matter how much the air is moving in there. They all come down with respiratory problems. Rabbits suppose to be outside animals. The heat is only for the person that is dong the rabbits for his or her confort. and not have water freezing. But not healthy for rabbits.currycomb said:
So in my eyes of a ideal rabbit barn , Is the free fresh air of the outdoors. Protect by the hot sun in the summer but letting the warm wind go threw and protect from the cold wind in the winter. I have mine in what they call a car shelter. It protects against all weather for the winter and protects me when i am doing my chores. . THen in the summer they are in hutches to enjoy what we enjoy.
