# Rabbit shed questions and requesting input.



## Mallow (Aug 4, 2006)

I am in the process of starting to plan a meat rabbit (NZW) shed on our small farm in WV and I would like some input from people.

Background: 
I used to help my grandfather raise rabbits for meat and the breeding/butchering shouldn't be an issue and my family of 3 loves rabbit meat along with my extended family would want several to eat. Also, in WV we could technically sell up to 1000 farm processed rabbits per year but I do not want to go that large of a scale. We are able to build just about any shelter needed that would work the best for this environment (Some may remember me documenting our earth-bermed house here on the forums). 

Weather: 
The outside temperature range is anywhere from 105 degrees in the summer with high humidity to -20 degrees in the winter. 

1) The location will be back under the shade of the woods and below our spring output that we raise trout with to get easy access to water year around. The water in temperature is about 55 degrees and could be used for passive cooling/heating but it appears rabbits do not like high humidity so that may be an issue. Also, swamp coolers do not work here.

2) Size wise, I am thinking no larger than 12'x16' so that I have room to expand if needbe. I am thinking 5 breeding does and 2 bucks along with grow out pens for starting out. Rabbit tractors could be used during summer for additional grow out space.

3) There is electricity available about 30 yards away from the location that runs my aquaponics system but it is a single circuit at 20amps which is shared by pumps/aerators. Heating or AC wouldn't work but lights and fans would be fine.

4) The spring runs anywhere from 3-4 GPM in the summer to over 50 GPM in the winter. I could use a heat exchange system to probably heat and cool a well insulated building but that would mean limiting the amount of fresh air into the building and it appears ventilation is key for indoor growing. Also, I have looked at the flush setups that some commercial growers use, and that may be a possibility since I have basically unlimited water.

5) Am I just over complicated things and should just build it outside with a roof on it and no walls? I have been known to make things more difficult than they need to be but I want the maintenance of the rabbits to be as easy as possible on a daily basis.

I appreciate any input people are willing to give.

Thanks,
Mallow


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

The design below is pretty simple and can be enclosed in a 3 sided lean too if need be. Also easily copied for expansion.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Any rabbit housing would have to be protected from predators. We have raccoons, foxes, coyotes, mink and free range cats and dogs. You might also have bear in your neighborhood. 

If I was building a building from scratch I would most likely build a concrete block building that was at least partially earth sheltered just for the insulation value of an earth sheltered building. Vented windows would be near the roof, under overhanging eaves. Poured concrete floor with slope and drain would help with cleaning and prevent critters from digging under the foundation.


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## bobp (Mar 4, 2014)

I built a all metal 10x24" chicken tractor with heavy pipe runners,....inside I hung our rabbit cages on the sides.....we move it around the pasture ect it works well....chickens free range from it...

Make the rabbit feeders covered or the chickens will rob em
What the rabbits spill the birds clean up


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## birdman1 (Oct 3, 2011)

after seeing firemans rabbit trailer, i'v decided thats my next rabbit barn too , on skids or wheels ;automatic manure spreader 
but after haveing chickens jumping around on top of my cages in my current set up they are fenced out of the rabbit shed


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

I am telling you this trailer changed my feelings on rabbit raising---getting close 10 years now and its been so easy---very little cleaning and No Smell, that's whats so good. Never had a break-in and never had a escape.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Inside. A persons set-up does not have to be nowhere close this big(10x32ft) if not needed. This is a 20 hole with mainly 30x36" cages.


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## bobp (Mar 4, 2014)

Wow I love the trailer.....that could easily be built on an old trailer house frame......


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

This is the 36ft camper that was water damaged that I bought for $300 just for the frame, which was 32ft long besides the tongue.


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## Mallow (Aug 4, 2006)

Fire-Man that looks like an awesome setup but I don't think it will work for me unfortunately for a couple reasons. We have no flat area to even really park it on much less move it from place to place. Our property is all sloped 15 degrees or more. Also how would you keep the rabbits and or water from not freezing when the temperature drops to -20? I see you are in South Carolina and that wouldn't be an issue there but here it can be a pain to deal with. I am liking the earth bermed idea Danaus29 suggested and it would work here fairly well I think. Anyone have examples of a block building buried to stay cool in the summer/warm in the winter for rabbits?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

This one could be adapted to a slope.

https://www.hunker.com/13425337/how-to-build-a-concrete-block-shed
Good info about building a generic block shed.

http://www.carnationconstruction.co...es-PlotInfrastructure-ConcreteBlockSheds.html
Glued block, still some good information. I never thought about using glue.





Another shed built with cap blocks instead of full cinder blocks.

You should add some way of allowing natural light and ventilation into the building. Many building supply stores have glass blocks and vented windows for glass block windows. You wouldn't have to have a lot of light but rabbits do need some natural light during daylight hours.


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## switchman62 (Oct 19, 2007)

Ventilation is your biggest concern in my opinion. I tried an enclosed shed with a few Windows several years ago. It stinks no mater how well you clean up pans or whatever you use. Second, I am in Illinois with cold winters and, in my metal barn I have never lost an adult rabbit to cold. Newborns, yes. But even then if mama has plenty of straw and she pulls fur good, they stay warm also.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I don't have very many rabbits any more but when we had a couple dozen we used litter pans with pine wood pellets, changed twice a week. The smell wasn't bad as long as we kept the maintenance up. 

We have a heater, mostly because at the time no one was home during the day to thaw water bottles. Now I keep plants in the shed in the winter. My main concern is keeping the plants far enough from the cages to keep the rabbits from eating the plants.


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## BlueRose (Mar 7, 2013)

Fireman, didn't you post the building of this trailer? Tried to find it and couldn't.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

BlueRose said:


> Fireman, didn't you post the building of this trailer? Tried to find it and couldn't.


Don't know how I missed this post. You talking about the pics from the old camper to the finished rabbitery?


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## BlueRose (Mar 7, 2013)

Fireman, yes please.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

I started with this $300 camper that the floor was destroyed with water.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Tore the camper to the frame and started back with treated 2x6's


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

Framed the walls and top.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

2x4 Wire on the floor on the sides.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

About Finishing up. 2x4 wire on the sides below the side boards.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)




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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

What else you want to see?


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## BlueRose (Mar 7, 2013)

Good Morning, sorry I am just now getting back to you Fireman. The side boards are they treated 2x12? 6' walls or 8'? The white cross boards on the floor, what are they and are they for strength? How did you set up the watering system?


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

BlueRose said:


> Good Morning, sorry I am just now getting back to you Fireman. The side boards are they treated 2x12? 6' walls or 8'? The white cross boards on the floor, what are they and are they for strength? How did you set up the watering system?


All the lower boards are treated(studs, floor joist, etc)---you can tell by the greenish color. The center walk boards are not----some boards I had. The high side boards are not nor any of the roofing boards. Treated only where they would be getting wet from blowing rain, pressure washing etc. The "white" things are just a V bent piece of metal that are wire over the floor joist so urine does not get on the top edge of the boards----just a urine guard. They are made from the metal like vinyl siders use to wrap wood on homes. Height of walls I think is 7ft but that's according to how tall you are and your plans----build it to work for You. The floor joist are 2x6, wall studs are 2x4, rafters are 2x4, etc. The high side boards are 1 thick I cut with my sawmill just like all the rest of the untreated.


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## BlueRose (Mar 7, 2013)

Fireman, Thank you. Another question for you what kind of sawmill do you have. I have the little one that fits on a saw from Northern.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

BlueRose said:


> Fireman, Thank you. Another question for you what kind of sawmill do you have. I have the little one that fits on a saw from Northern.


I had a Wood-Mizer LT40 HYD I bought used, used it about 10 years, sawed a lot of Lumber for myself and sawed $1000's for some others, when I was bored--LOL. The thing about this sawmill is its so easy to run. I have a bad back and I can run it all day as long as I am sawing 2" thick or less lumber up to 20ft and it does not bother my back. I have it set-up with a winch so I can roll the logs onto the mill from the pile, then the hydraulics load the log onto the mill deck and turn the log/cant when needed. I Loved it, but it got where I was rarely using it so I recently sold it and got 3/4ths of my money back. I was happy.


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## BlueRose (Mar 7, 2013)

Cool. Thank you. I am getting to old to run the one I have. I will start haunting Craiglist and see if I can find one in Missouri.


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## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

BlueRose said:


> Cool. Thank you. I am getting to old to run the one I have. I will start haunting Craiglist and see if I can find one in Missouri.


 I am 64 and used it up to a couple years ago. I would park that trailer you see in the pic right up close to the back of the mill then I would pick up the end of green 2x8, 10, 12, etc and set that one end on the trailer, then go to the far end and pick it up and put it on the trailer. The bark slabs that I was not going to use as I got older I just started cutting them thinner so I could off load them easier. The manual winch I put on the mill made getting the logs to the mill so much easier. I did a lot of modifications to mine when I first got it.

I found mine in a once a week local "shopper" paper. The owner did not have a computer to post it on the for sale sites.


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## BlueRose (Mar 7, 2013)

Like that idea. I will check the Horse Trader and the Weekly Ad.


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## 101pigs (Sep 18, 2018)

Fire-Man said:


> I had a Wood-Mizer LT40 HYD I bought used, used it about 10 years, sawed a lot of Lumber for myself and sawed $1000's for some others, when I was bored--LOL. The thing about this sawmill is its so easy to run. I have a bad back and I can run it all day as long as I am sawing 2" thick or less lumber up to 20ft and it does not bother my back. I have it set-up with a winch so I can roll the logs onto the mill from the pile, then the hydraulics load the log onto the mill deck and turn the log/cant when needed. I Loved it, but it got where I was rarely using it so I recently sold it and got 3/4ths of my money back. I was happy.
> View attachment 80306


Got one just about like that one. I cut mostly 12in.x12in.x20ft. Oak and some Pine. Man picks them up when i have a load. He builds log cabins and use the sq. beams for the start of the logs going up. Make for a good level start and also vents on them. First run on the concrete foundation. I will not cut in the winter and may let someone else do this next spring. Getting to old to work the mill. Pigs i still have some. Have cut back on the number of Sows i have for this winter. I planned on selling all of them but just had to good a market for butcher Hogs so will keep few for the 4H kids to play with. I raise my butcher Hogs to 400-600 lbs. Good market for very large butcher Hog here. No one wants to raise heavy Hogs anymore. Still a good market for them.


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