COMMERCIAL RABBIT RAISESTG 



15 



Hay Mangers and Troughs. — 



Hay mangers with troughs to pre- 

 vent wastage may be incorporated 

 into hutches, where hays or green 

 feeds form a part of the diet. The 

 troughs also can be used for supple- 

 mental grains or home-grown feeds. 

 The troughs may be constructed 

 so that they can be pulled out of 

 the hutch for cleaning, filling, and 

 disinfecting. Guards placed on the 

 feed troughs and spaced just far 

 enough apart to allow mature 

 animals to feed, will help keep 

 young rabbits out of the troughs 

 and from contaminating the feed. 

 Hoppers. — Feed hoppers of the 

 proper design and size save con- 

 siderable time and labor. These 

 can be constructed from metal, 

 wood, masonite, or other readily 

 available materials. They should 

 hold at least several days' suppl}^ 

 of feed and be placed within the 

 hutch or suspended on the outside 

 (fig. 6). The opening through 

 which the rabbits obtain feed should 



be not more than 4 inches above 

 the hutch floor so that 3^oung rabbits 

 can readily obtain feed. An in- 

 expensive feed hopper that will hold 

 about 15 pounds of pellets or grain 

 can be made from a common square 

 5-gallon can (figs. 8, 9). First, cut 

 off the top. Then cut holes in two 

 opposite sides. If the hopper is to 

 be hung on the side of the hutch, 

 cut a hole on one side onlj^ The 

 holes should be 4 inches high, 4 

 inches from the bottom, and 1 inch 

 from each side. Bend the rough 

 edges inward to give a smooth edge 

 all around and to add rigidity. 

 Take a 1- by 4- by 13}2-inch board 

 and cut it diagonally into two equal 

 triangular pieces. Use these as 

 supports to the baffle boards, which 

 are nailed to them. 



The baffle boards, of l/2-ii^cli Ply- 

 wood, should extend 1 inch below 

 the bottom of the side openings of 

 the can. The space between the 

 lower ends of the baffle boards 

 permits the grain or pellets to flow 





N45944 



Figure 8. — Feed hopper (self-feeder) constructed from 5-gallon can. 



424-402 O - 71 - 3 



