# Number of cages?



## kmcdonou (Mar 2, 2010)

I am just starting to research how to raise rabbits. I haven't read the Storey book yet, but have scoured the Web. One thing I cannot seem to find is a good answer to the question of how many cages do I need. I am planning on starting with the recommended 1 buck to 2-3 does (California breed). I know the buck and does need their own cages. 

However, once the litter is weaned after 6-8 weeks, do I have to put each litter mate in its own cage? That would be a lot of extra cages with a litter of 6-10. I don't have that much room. Also, is that needed if you are only going to raise them another 6 weeks before butchering?

In an old thread on another site several people mentioned overflow cages for the litter once it has been weaned, but didn't mention the actual number of cages or their size. So assuming I have a litter of 6-10 rabbits and they are removed from the mother after 6-8 weeks, how many cages would I need to hold them until butchering and how big do the cages have to be? I want to maintain healthy rabbits and am not interested in overcrowding them. Yet, space is a luxury and I don't want to accommodate more cages then necessary.

One other question, does the cage for the does have to be bigger than the one for the buck to accommodate the litter until weaned? If so, how much bigger?

Thanks much.


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## harlanr3 (Feb 13, 2010)

I'm in the same boat just on a larger scale I'm thinking about a grow out pen.I have 10 doe's right now if they avg 5 kits that would be 5o more cages feeders water bottles.so I was thinking about a large grow out pen would that work?


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

I have a "one rabbit" size cage for each adult rabbit plus try to keep several "extras" of this size as well for ones I grow out and potential "keepers".

So far the best option I've come up with for does with litters is double/triple sized grow out pens. The does kindle in their "single rabbit" cage but when the kits are in and out of the nestbox and active, I transfer the doe, plus litter, to one of the big growout cages. When it's time to wean, I put the doe back in her "single rabbit" cage and leave the litter in the growout cage.

The only time I have problems is whe I don't butcher fast enough and end up having to separate does/bucks in the growout cages but I do try to keep a couple of "extra" growout cages so I can do this when necessary.

Basic rule of rabbit raising ... you will ALWAYS need more cages than you have available!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

SFM has pretty much summed it up. 

The books say you can start with 3 cages. A buck cage and two doe cages.

But you'll find you need two large cages to grow out the weaned litters to 10 week butchering. Weaned litters can be kept together until 10 weeks.

Now that's five cages. 

If you don't butcher at 10 weeks, you'll have to separate by does/bucks in the growout cages. You don't have to go seprate cages right away, but they will probably start fighting at about 12 or 13 weeks, then they need separate cages.

You should watch the litters for a good looking buck to keep as your replacement buck. 

You should have an "extra" buck growing in case your herd buck falls over dead for no apparent reason, which will bring your breeding program to a screeching halt. You should also have an "extra" doe growing. That's two more cages.

Now that's seven cages. I would be comfortable with that number for sustainable small homestead rabbit production.

Have a good day!


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## rabbitgeek (Mar 22, 2008)

Cage sizes in inches for meat rabbits.

Buck cages can be 24 x 30 or 24 x 24.

Breeding Doe cages can be 24 x 36 or 24 x 30, larger is better.

Growout cage for litters can be 24 x 36 or 24 x 30.

Single adult (buck/doe) can be 24 x 30 or 24 x 24.

Cage height of 18 or 20 inches is good.

Be sure your doors are big enough for your nest boxes to fit.

Have a good day!


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## AprilW (Nov 25, 2007)

I have 20 cages for my rabbitry. One cage is is extra large and houses litters until I butcher them. I have four smaller cages for youngsters I want to keep. Out of the remaining 15 cages I will have 3-5 bucks and the rest does.


I have always heard that no matter how many cages you have, for a successful meat-producing rabbitry, you want half the cages filled with breeding does.


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## AllEarsRabbitry (Feb 15, 2010)

What are you breeding for? If you are breeding for show, I seperate by 10 weeks into individual cages - sooner if there is a chewer in the bunch. I have American Fuzzy Lops (mostly) and need to seperate as soon as I can for show purposes. Not only is the coat getting ruined a concern, but ear tears, broken nails - injuries. I had one gorgeous doe get a bite on her nose. The hair there grew back white. Bye bye show career. I keep 20 holes for my fuzzies. (4) 24x24 for sr bucks; (8) 36x24 for sr does; and (8) 18x24 for jr's. I cull very hard to maintain a somewhat competetive herd. We also have "overflow" cages, these are 18x30 and I have 8 right now. I keep my culls in same sex pairs or trios in these cages until they are 3 months (my bunnies move fairly quickly and my overflow holes often remain empty). 

Ok, for Cals, I recommend 36x30 holes for does with litters and weaning cages, and a minimum size of 18x30 (24x30 is better) for single adults. If you are raising solely for meat, then you should be able to seperate by sex until butcher time - bucks in one, does in the other. You will need a minimum of 5 cages, more if you plan on keeping offspring. Or, you can always set up a colony pen, which is what I plan on doing when I start raising a meat breed. Good luck =)


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## kmcdonou (Mar 2, 2010)

Those were really helpful responses. Thanks all.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

I have a more philosophical but still somewhat practical answer for you.
One always needs a couple of extra cages for grow out, temporary holding for cage cleanout, etc. The ideal would be to have an extra cage for each doe you have, eg. if you have 3 does and a buck one would ideally have 7 cages. At least once each year and preferably more often, one should empty a cage, scrub it down, sterilize it, and paint /repair any bad spots. If you are raising rabbits on a consistant basis, you will always need a place to put a litter to finish growing out, while the doe recovers for her next group.

Most of this has been stated above.....the most important fact of all, though, is Bennets third law. "The number of rabbits you have will automaticaly expand to the number of cages you have, and you will have to build more"

While this may sound like a joke....... it isn't


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## SFM in KY (May 11, 2002)

o&itw said:


> the most important fact of all, though, is Bennets third law. "The number of rabbits you have will automaticaly expand to the number of cages you have, and you will have to build more"


And the other part of that is that you will always, automatically, have at least one more animal that you have a place to put it.

Been there, done that ... with dogs, horses and now rabbits! :help:

(However, the bathtub works better for rabbits than with either the horses or dogs!)


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I dunno... must be something wrong with me. :shrug: I started with six rabbits in 2005, raised umpteem litters and kept a few of the best as replacement stock along the way... Here was are, five years later, and I have six rabbits.


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## AllEarsRabbitry (Feb 15, 2010)

That's not true for me. If I have 30 cages and 10 aren't empty, I cull - lol.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

We have 3 adult doe's all the time & 1 buck. They all have there own hutch with a large attached wood box for nest's, etc. but when the kits are weaned I have 2 large grow out pen's. I think they are 3 foot wide by 5 foot long but can't remember the dimensions & DH is gone fishing. I try to breed our doe's on the same day or 1 day & then the next so they all kindle about the same time & kits will all be ready to put in grow out pen's on the same days(no fighting that way). Usually I put anywhere from 8 to 10 kits in each grow out pen. I told DH we may need another one this year.


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

MaggieJ said:


> I dunno... must be something wrong with me. :shrug: I started with six rabbits in 2005, raised umpteem litters and kept a few of the best as replacement stock along the way... Here was are, five years later, and I have six rabbits.


You are herewith banned from the North American Rabbitossis Club!


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

o&itw said:


> You are herewith banned from the North American Rabbitossis Club!


Oh, they turned down my application years ago!


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## grumpy (Feb 17, 2009)

i raise meat rabbits only, californians and NZW's

(all cages are 18" high)

25-- 30"X30" doe cages
5--24"X30" buck cages
5--30"X36" growout cages
6--24"X24" holding cages.

finex- feeder on each cage. 5" on buck cages, 7" on doe cages, 7" on growout cages with an extender to double feed capacity. 

all are on a continual automatic watering system that is pressurized (260 gph submersible pump) and heated. (30 gallon reservior in a heated, insulated cabinet)

i've been using these dimensions, feeding and watering system, for my rabbits since the mid-70's and i've never had any issues with them or the productivity of the herd.

grumpy.


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## jadethedog (May 29, 2009)

grumpy said:


> i raise meat rabbits only, californians and NZW's
> 
> (all cages are 18" high)
> 
> ...


I am just getting in to NWZ's and have them all in 30x36 cages. Would it be advisable to get a couple of 24x30 cages for the bucks and use the 30x36 cages as grow out cages?


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

MaggieJ said:


> I dunno... must be something wrong with me. :shrug: I started with six rabbits in 2005, raised umpteem litters and kept a few of the best as replacement stock along the way... Here was are, five years later, and I have six rabbits.


See......That's what happens when you fill your extra cages with goslings!! :cowboy:


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

jadethedog said:


> I am just getting in to NWZ's and have them all in 30x36 cages. Would it be advisable to get a couple of 24x30 cages for the bucks and use the 30x36 cages as grow out cages?


]]

Yes.


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## SaratogaNZW (Feb 10, 2009)

I have 20 cages 24wX36dx18t (mostly) and 5 freestanding 40x36x24 hutches. Its is barely enough space, if I dont sell about half the kits between the ages of 6 and 9 weeks things get messy. My kits always start to scuffle around 9 weeks, so they have to be max 2 deep at that time.

My herd is all very large NZWs:
*4 breeding does*, 3 of which are in rotation. The 4th will be resting for a cycle, or waiting for breeding age, so only 3 litters in growout at any time.
*3 breeding bucks*. 1 main makes large litters of large bunnies. One is a backup that has a more winter-type coat and the furriers love, and one is a Californian for producing perfect mutant meat rabbits =). They live in larger modified growout cages, and rotate through the 5th large hutch once a month or so.

Max capacity is about 50 kits between the ages of 5 and 12 weeks, plus 7 breeding stock, and 3 litters with Mom under the age of 5 weeks, so 90 rabbits total?

Optimally, What I have now is perfect, lots of "teenagers" with their own room, youngsters fattening up and bunking with 1 brother or sister, and 2 empty cages, 30 heads total.

I have space for 4 more growout cages, and plans for 2 15'x15' communal "free range" warrens.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

LOL.

Of course, all the answers here are very good, specific, and helpful.

The immediate answer to the question, "How many rabbit cages?" that came to my mind was, "MORE."


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