The Home Workbench 



How to Build a Rabbit Hutch 



RAISING rabbits near a large com- 

 munity is a profitable industry, 

 and it is an enterprise that many school- 

 boys in America have embarked upon, 

 with returns in money that are indeed 

 out of proportion to the small amount 

 of time and energy necessary for the 

 proper care of the little animals. 



The construction of clean, comfort- 

 able homes for rabbits, as recommended 

 by the Department of Agriculture, is as 

 follows : 



The hutches, as they are called, 

 should be built of good, sound lumber, 

 and should have tight floors, providing at 

 least 12 sq. ft. of floor space. The best 

 plan for building hutches in quantity is 

 that used in building sectional book- 

 cases. The bottom section has short, 

 stout legs, while the others are placed 

 upon it until the desired height is 

 reached. A convenient size for an 

 outdoor hutch is one measuring 6 ft. 

 in length, i>^ ft. in height, and 2 ft. in 



The proper dimensions of a rabbit hutch 

 are six by two by one and a half feet 



width. The top, bottom, ends and one 

 side should be enclosed, while the open 

 side is fitted with two doors on hinges. 

 The space should be partitioned, so that 



one-third comprises the sleeping quarters, 

 while the remaining two-thirds serve as 

 exercising space. A hole, large enough 

 to admit the passage of a full-grown 

 rabbit's body, is cut in the partition. Of 

 the two doors which enclose the two 

 rooms of the "apartment," one is of 



A portable hutch, with two stories, which 

 can be carried about by two boys 



wood, and the other of wire mesh similar 

 to that used in enclosing poultry run- 

 ways. The screen door should be 

 provided with a sliding wood cover, as 

 a protection against severe cold weather. 



Outdoor hutches, which are desirable 

 for most of the climates found in 

 America, are best, and should be fitted 

 with sloping roofs and made otherwise 

 watertight. Holes for ventilation should 

 be bored in the side walls near the ceiling. 

 Several layers of waterproof paint should 

 be appHed. 



Rabbits thrive on a diversity of 

 vegetable foods. The most important 

 fact to bear in mind in feeding is that 

 a sudden change of diet is often disas- 

 trous. The best grain for rabbits is 

 oats, although this dietary monotony 



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