Like most stories you hear about how families got involved with rabbits, we started with one~ my first bunny, a black Holland Lop named Tornado. My Mom loved it so much she got her own~ a doe named Lucinda. Soon, two became ten, and so on. We said that we would have to stop when we reached a certain number (I forget what that number was) and now have far exceeded what we thought we would ever have adding Jersey Woolies that my sister Josie raises and Thriantas that are my Mom's new project.
We originally built 2' x 4' wire cages with dividers and had them on wooden frames. After they started to sprawl down the fence towards the back of our yard, my Dad built us this beautiful 10' x 20' barn. This made it much more comfortable for the rabbits and easier for us to care for them. We all love to spend a lot of time with our bunnies, so this was really nice for us, too. There are 2 large 2' x 5' windows on either side and completely screened in soffits. We installed a large exhaust fan in one eave for added ventilation. We use this fan year-round. Even in the winter months we turn it on twice a day while we are feeding to get a nice exchange of fresh air. In the nicer months, we put in a screened front door. We feel that ventilation is one of the most important factors to a rabbit's health.
We thought for a long time about how we could utilize the cages that we had already made and decided to hang them by chains that are secured from the ceiling rafters to the floor. The cages are hung one over top another. In between the cages are trays, fixed at an angle, so the liquid waste flows into a gutter at one end. This keeps the solid waste separate and easier to clean. It also allows for a lot of space between where the rabbits are and the waste. We have a total of 32 "holes" (2' x 2') and 4 more that are 24" x 30" for kindling Moms or for separating babies. We also have 3 sets of 3-high stacked cages (24" x 30") in the basement that we use for winter breeding. It is nice to know that the Moms have a nice warm place to kindle and we hate the thought of frozen babies!
Since then we have made several upgrades to the barn. In '05 we added electricity, a concrete floor and a sky-light in the back. We hope to add hot & cold running water very soon. We added 8 more cages to the top of the back wall and made the two 4-holes into 6 smaller holes to use when splitting our litters . With limited space, I have to keep my herd at a minimum. This means I can give each rabbit the attention it needs. It stinks to have to decide who stays and who goes, but it forces me to be serious about what I do and keeps me focussed on my goals.
