Ways to Raise Rabbits and Construction of Rabbit Houses

1. How to raise rabbits

(1) Rabbit raising in cages Rabbit raising in cages is a common feeding method used by breeding rabbit farms and the professional rabbit farmers. Its advantages are save the land area , convenient feeding and management, and timely observation of the expression and appetite of rabbits. It is more suitable for rabbits for wool, it can prevent the pollution of the coat, and it is beneficial to improve the quality of rabbit hair.

The style of the rabbit cage can be built into a multi-layer rabbit cage, which can be moved and used indoors and outdoors, and is suitable for a small amount of breeding. The multi-layer utilization rate is high, and it can be moved indoors and outdoors.

The three-layer multi-connected rabbit cage can make full use of the ground and can be made of wood, bamboo, brick, cement and other materials; it is mostly built into a fixed type, suitable for farmers with a large amount of breeding.

(2) Shed-style group breeding is suitable for raising skin and meat rabbits and young rabbits. Its advantages are saving building materials and labor, and the rabbits have a playground, increase their appetite, and promote growth.

Rabbits in groups usually use empty rooms to install fences 120 cm long x 110 cm wide x 60 cm high, separated by bamboo or barbed wire, and covered with barbed wire on the top to prevent wild animals and mice from escaping. Pad dry soil or hay, and often add hay and dry soil, and then completely remove it after reaching a certain height, so that it does not need to be cleaned every day, which not only saves labor but also keeps the pen dry and warm.

(3) Cave breeding in mountainous areas, using hillside terrain to build terraced rabbit houses and digging holes to raise rabbits can save a lot of infrastructure costs. The temperature in the cave has a small range of changes, warm in winter and cool in summer, and has an activity area, which can promote the physical fitness of rabbits.

It is best to choose a sunny slope for digging. The depth of the hole is 120-150 cm, the width is 100 cm, and the height is 80 cm. The door is 60 cm high and 40 cm wide. The distance between the two holes is 30 cm. There is a movable door, and a sports field is built outside the door, which is separated by a fence. According to the shape of the hillside, double-layer or three-layer hole feeding can be built, which is suitable for raising skin and meat rabbits. Cave feeding can be used for pregnant and lactating female rabbits.

2. Cage structure

The form of the rabbit house is mainly determined by the economic conditions of the rabbit farm. Indoor rabbit cages can be built if the conditions are good, and outdoor rabbit cages with cages and houses can be built if the economic conditions are poor. The specific requirements are now described as follows:

(1) The structure of the indoor rabbit cage

1. Site selection: The terrain should be high and dry, with good drainage, the direction of the sun, convenient transportation, a certain distance from roads, residential areas and other livestock and poultry farms, and a water source and a certain area of feed land.

2. Environmental conditions in the rabbit house:

(1) Lighting: Generally, doors and windows are used for natural lighting. For example, for breeding rabbits, the designed windows should be large so that the light is sufficient. The light in the fattening rabbit house should not be too strong.

(2) Ventilation: Use doors and windows for natural ventilation.

3. Building materials: It should be adapted for local conditions, economical and practical, make use of local resources as much as possible, and the cost is low. In the north, more materials with thermal insulation properties are considered, while in the south, materials with thermal insulation properties are used.

(2) The structure of the outdoor rabbit cage

1. Single-row rabbit cage: Build two or three overlapping rabbit cages outdoors. The walls of the cage are made of bricks, and there are ventilation holes on the back wall. They are opened in summer and blocked with soil in winter to prevent cold wind. The dung bearing plate under the rabbit cage is inclined to the north, and there is a dung outlet hole. A board is installed at the hole to prevent the cold wind and wild animals from invading. When the dung is out, the board is lifted. Install the cage door on the front. There are two types of the roofs of the cages. One is to install cement prefabricated panels directly on the top of the rabbit cage without aisles. The breeder operates in the open air and plants trees or erects a canopy for shade in summer. When the female rabbit breeds, it needs to enter the indoor nursing.

Another form is to build a single-slope or gable roof 100 cm above the top of the cage on the third floor, and the breeder can operate under the eaves. The outdoor rabbit cage has the simple structure, low cost.

2. Double-row rabbit cages: This type is often used for raising rabbits in families. Two rows of rabbit cages are built outdoors, arranged face to face, with a walkway in the middle. The arrangement direction of the rabbit cages can be arranged along the east-west long axis, or along the north-south long axis. Close it with a wall at one end and install a gate at the other end for safety. At a distance of 100 cm from the top of the cage on the third floor, a herringbone roof or the bell tower is built with bricks and tiles, and air windows are installed to facilitate ventilation and lighting. The form of the rabbit cage, the dung bearing plate, and the dung hole is the same as that of the single row type cage. This formula can overcome the shortcomings of the single column formula and is suitable for rural professional households.

(3) Ancillary buildings for rabbit farms A rabbit farm must have appropriate ancillary buildings in addition to the rabbit house  in order to better complete the production tasks.

1. Feed storage room: It is required to have good airtight performance and be able to prevent rodent damage. The indoor floor should be 20 cm above the ground level to keep the room dry, and the door of the feed room should be wide to facilitate the entry and exit of vehicles. The distance from the rabbit house should not be too far to facilitate the delivery of feed.

2. Disinfection pool and isolation room: In order to prevent disease transmission, a disinfection pool must be set up at the entrance of the rabbit farm, and personnel and vehicles entering and leaving should be frequently disinfected. Larger rabbit farms must build the rabbit houses which isolated, which is convenient for observation and treatment, and can prevent the spread of diseases.

3. Commonly used equipment

(1) Grass racks feeding grass with a grass rack can save the time of feeding grass and reduce the waste of grass. The grass rack is directly installed on the cage door, and is installed in a movable type in a "V" shape, which can be rotated 90 degrees. When feeding grass, open the upper mouth, put in the grass and push it into the cage. The grass frame is generally welded with galvanized iron wire. The inner gap should be 4-6 cm wide, which is convenient for rabbits to eat grass.

(2) The food grains used for feeding pellets or powder in the feed trough must be firm and durable, easy to clean, and not easy to be trampled or bitten by rabbits. The following is currently used:

1. Pottery trough: round in shape, 12-14 cm in diameter, and 10 cm high. Ceramic troughs are cheap, but they are easily damaged. It is best to take out the trough after each feeding.

2.Bamboo food trough: split rough moos bamboo into two halves, nail planks on both ends, and remove the central bamboo joint to form a simple food trough. The length can be longer or shorter according to needs, and local materials are used. Stones and cement can also be used to make circular or rectangular troughs in mountainous areas, which will not be trampled over by rabbits.

3. Metal trough: It is made of galvanized iron sheet and has a semicircular shape. The size of the notch should be convenient for the rabbit’s head to enter and exit the trough and eat the feed. Generally 15 to 20 cm, 10 cm wide and 10 cm high. The metal trough is easy to be trampled over and must be fixed on the cage wall. It is easy to disassemble and install. The right side is fixed with a hook, and the left side is fastened with a wind hook. There is no need to open the cage door when feeding, and it is not easy to damage. When processing metal troughs, a 0.5 cm wide edge should be left at the notch to prevent the feed from being pulled out of the trough.

(3) Drinking fountains :there are many forms of drinking fountains, which is mainly selected according to economic conditions. Economical and practical drinking fountains include pottery water bowls, bamboo bowls, and cement sinks.

1. Bottle-type drinking fountain: Use a water bottle or a plastic bottle to fix it upside down outside the cage door, and install a curved glass tube leading to the cage at the mouth of the bottle. Put a glass bead in the mouth of the pipe as a piston to block the mouth of the pipe. To drink water, rabbits only need to lick the piston with their tongues, the piston retracts, and the water flows out from the mouth of the pipe. The water in the bottle should be replaced with fresh one every day.

2. Nipple-type automatic drinking fountain: the casing is composed of threaded metal fittings, and a valve with a spring is installed inside, and a metal piston leads to the outside of the casing. When the rabbit licks the piston with its tongue when drinking, the water will flow out automatically. The drinking fountain should be installed at an appropriate height. If it is too high, the rabbit cannot drink water. If it is too low, the rabbit’s body will often touch the piston and leak water. If the rabbit’s hair is soaked by water, it will damage the health of the rabbit’s body and reduce the quality of the rabbit’s hair. The plastic pipe connected to the head of the drinking fountain cannot enter the rabbit cage to prevent the rabbit from being bitten by the rabbit. Drinking water with automatic drinking fountains meets hygienic requirements and saves water feeding time.