COMMERCIAL RABBIT RAISESTG 



13 



hutches, it is recommended that the 

 floor be laid out first, 3 inches to 

 be bent up on either side (the front 

 and rear of the hutches), and 

 openings cut for the counterset 

 nest boxes. The 3 inches can be 

 bent up on the sides with a metal 

 brake or improvised homemade 

 tooling. In cutting openings for 

 the nest boxes be sure to leave ap- 

 proximately IV^ inches of flooring 

 at the front of the hutch for 

 suspension of the nest boxes. 



The partition and ends should 

 then be shaped from 1-inch by 2- 

 inch wire by using a template. 

 Allow %-inch protrusion beyond 

 the edge of the template and bend 

 these wires around the No. 12 edg- 

 ing wire. At this time, some No. 

 12 wire may be fastened to the 

 bottom of the ends and partitions 

 for reinforcement. The ends and 

 partitions can then be laid in posi- 

 tion on the floor, and fastened to 

 the floor with hen-cage clips. 



Next make the top from 1-inch 

 by 2-inch wire, cutting openings 

 for the doors and feeders. Lay the 

 top over the floor, ends, and par- 

 titions, and fasten at the rear with 

 hen-cage clips spaced approxi- 

 mately every 5 inches. Raise the 

 front edge of the top until it is 

 even with the 3-inch raised front 

 edge of the flooring and fasten 

 with hen-cage clips. Now, reach 

 in one end and raise one end en- 

 closure into position, fastening it 

 to the top with hen cage clips. Re- 

 peat this process with the center 

 partition and other end enclosure. 

 This will automatically form the 

 quonset-shape top over the ends 

 and partition. The raised front 

 edge can then be cut for installa- 

 tion of the feeders, the doors and 

 nest boxes can be installed, and 

 the hutch is ready for use. 



When two or more units (four 

 or more hutches) are built and 

 placed end to end, a saving of one 

 end enclosure can be made for each 



unit built by using the following 

 procedure : 



1. Cut the wire mesh for the 

 floor and top of the first unit 6 

 feet, 1 inch long. 



2. On the first unit, fasten the 

 partition 3 feet from the left-end 

 enclosure — fasten the right-end en- 

 closure 3 feet to the right of the 

 partition. This will leave a 1-inch 

 overhang to connect to the next 

 unit. 



3. On all additional units, cut 

 the floor and top wire 6 feet long 

 and fasten the partition 35 inches 

 from the left end ; fasten the right- 

 end enclosure 3 feet to the right 

 of the partition, leaving 1 inch of 

 floor and top extending beyond the 

 right-end enclosure. These end en- 

 closures become partitions when 

 units are added. 



4. Use hen-cage clips to fasten 

 the units into one continuous line. 



The hutches can be installed in 

 several ways. Suspension from the 

 rafters or ceiling of a shed is the 

 most practical method because it 

 eliminates all supports beneath the 

 hutches. Heavy wire or light lum- 

 ber can be used to hang the hutches. 

 If a dewdrop water system is used in 

 the rabbitry, the hutches can be 

 fastened to the water pipe for rear 

 support. 



If they are not placed within a 

 shed, the hutches can be supported 

 by a frame on legs. However, the 

 hutches will require some type of 

 cover to protect the rabbits from 

 rain, sun, and wind. 



Wooden -Frame Wire Hutches.^ 

 Though not so durable as the all- 

 wire hutch, the wooden hutch with 

 woven-wire sides and ends permits 

 good circulation of air. It is more 

 sanitary than a solid hutch. 



Hutches may be supported in sev- 

 eral ways. If you use corner posts, 

 make them long enough so that you 

 can clean underneath and do other 

 work around the hutch. You can 

 support a hutch by resting it on a 



