Aviary keeping of rabbits: features of care and maintenance, tips

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Everyone knows that a rabbit is a valuable fur and a few kilograms of easily digestible meat. You can not only eat it yourself, but also profitably sell it. It is not surprising that many owners of private houses decide to supplement their household with several dozen of these rodents - they grow quickly, multiply even faster, do not need particularly difficult care, and are quite unpretentious in food. The enclosure of rabbits is very popular. Therefore, it is necessary to tell in detail about him.

What it is

To begin with, let's briefly describe what an aviary is. In most cases, this is just a piece of land, fenced on all sides by a fence - usually from a chain-link mesh. In it, rabbits can freely run, frolic, play with each other.

But this is the simplest type of enclosure. In some cases, an above-ground enclosure is used. In this case, first a sufficiently large (usually several tens of square meters) platform is built, raised above the ground by half a meter-meter. And already around the perimetersurrounded by a fence. This option can be successful in order to protect rodents from small predators, such as rats or weasels. Also suitable for areas where small floods often occur - seasonal or after heavy rains.

Sometimes the enclosure of rabbits in a barn is considered. Yes, this is also a perfectly acceptable option. However, in this case, you need to make sure that the walls of the shed are buried in the ground - otherwise the rabbits will easily dig and run away.

You also need to provide good ventilation - rabbit waste smells very bad.

Finally, we must not forget about lighting. Rabbits raised in twilight usually get sick often, become more shy, which makes them less likely to gain weight. The problem can be solved either by installing a large number of large windows, or with the help of special, powerful enough lamps.

Key features

Now let's talk about the main advantages of aviary keeping of rabbits. Their correct maintenance is ensured by a rather large area - much larger than when using conventional cages. Therefore, rabbits can actively run, play with each other. Of course, this has a positive effect on the development of animals - they become stronger, get sick less often, have a better appetite, which means they gain weight more intensively.

A serious plus is that it takes much less time, effort and resources to build an aviary than to build cages. No need to use boards, construct numerous cages -just enclose a suitable area with a net and send the inhabitants there.

Feeding and care in general also take much less time and effort. Cells have to be cleaned quite often, and in most cases it is quite inconvenient to do this. Also, each one needs to be opened, put food in it.

With an aviary, everything is much simpler. Cleaning is done much less often - due to the larger area. And feeding takes very little time - you just need to give the rabbits a measured amount of food.

Current shortcomings

However, any solution that has advantages will also have certain disadvantages. Of course, aviary breeding of rabbits is no exception.

For example, due to the fact that animals are actively moving, playing a lot, their meat becomes more red and tough. On the one hand, it is more useful. But rabbit meat is highly valued precisely because of its tenderness. And in this case, you have to put up with a rougher product. Implementing it is much more difficult.

The risk that animals will escape from the enclosure or get their way to a dangerous pest, like weasels or rats, is much higher. Still, cages for keeping rabbits at home provide a higher level of security.

An additional problem is the seasonal content in the enclosure. Of course, in the warm regions of our country, where even in winter the temperature rarely drops below -5 … -10 degrees Celsius, there will be no problems. But still, most of the territories have a harsh climate. Because of this, it is necessary tothen solve this problem - we will talk about different ways to achieve the desired result a little later. Of course, this does not apply to the enclosure of rabbits in a barn - if there is good thermal insulation and there are no gaps, then such difficulties will not arise.

Choose a place for the aviary

Breeding and keeping rabbits at home begins with arranging the right aviary.

The first step is to choose a suitable place. It must meet a number of requirements. First of all, it is better to choose shaded areas - under trees, near any buildings. If there is no such place, you will have to take care of creating artificial shading. Otherwise, on hot summer days, rabbits will suffer from heat, lose their appetite, which will affect growth rates and he alth. They can also get heatstroke even in the presence of water.

In addition, the site must be protected from strong winds. In general, drafts pose a considerable danger to rabbits - they undermine their he alth and can even cause death. This rule must be remembered.

When the place is chosen, you need to decide on the size of the future enclosure. Still, there are certain pitfalls in captive keeping of rabbits. Their correct maintenance is directly related to the size of the enclosure. For each rabbit with a brood, there should be at least 4-5 square meters of an aviary. And for one adult rabbit - at least 1 square meter. Overpopulation can lead to conflicts. The rabbits will just start fightingwith each other, sharing territory. This often leads to serious injuries, the treatment of which will take a lot of time and effort. Moreover, the lack of space cannot be compensated even by abundant feeding.

Setting up the aviary

After determining a suitable location and establishing the size of the site, you can get to work. In general, there are no problems here. Along the perimeter, stakes or metal (with rust protection or reliable waterproofing) fittings are driven or dug into the ground. The amount depends on the size of the area. For example, if it has an area of about 10 square meters, then you can get by with four stakes - around the perimeter. But if you want to get a more spacious area, then the stakes will have to be driven in more often to hold the fence.

The next step is choosing the right material for the fence. However, in the vast majority of cases, experienced rabbit breeders and beginners prefer the usual chain-link mesh. On the one hand, it's cheap. On the other hand, the installation is not difficult, the entire installation can be done in half an hour or an hour. At the same time, it is able to serve the owner for many years without needing repairs. Especially if there is a zinc coating that protects the mesh from contact with moisture and, accordingly, rust. However, you can also take ordinary boards, plywood or profiled sheets. But in this case, be prepared for the fact that in a strong wind the fence may well turn out of the ground along with the stakes. Because of this, the rabbits may suffer or simply scatter in different directions. And in general, the process of erecting a fence significantlygetting more complicated.

When the material is selected, you will have to work with a shovel. The fact is that rabbits love to dig holes and all kinds of undermining. Therefore, digging a path under an ordinary fence will not be difficult for them. To prevent this from happening, you need to deepen the fence. Usually enough 50-80 centimeters. Dig a narrow trench around the perimeter of the future paddock and install the fencing material.

Above the ground, the future fence should rise no less than a meter. This is quite enough - on the one hand, rabbits will probably not jump over it without extreme need (for example, if a predator does not enter the corral), and on the other hand, material is saved, and you can feed the animals without going inside. Of course, at this height, it is quite possible to refuse to install doors.

The material is securely attached to the stakes (or, if you chose not a mesh, but some other) transverse bars.

It will not be superfluous to install several boxes here. Here the rabbits can spend the night until they dig holes for themselves. And also hide from the wind, bad weather.

That's it! The corral is ready and you can move the first inhabitants into it.

Correct settlement

This issue also needs to be approached very seriously. In general, the best solution is to put several (depending on the size of the enclosure) pregnant rabbits into the corral. They will not fight among themselves, but will calmly give birth to cubs who will quickly get used to a new place. Growing up side by side, they will live in peace, conflicts between them, if there is enough food and living space, for sure there will be no.

If you are going to populate juveniles in an aviary, then it makes sense not to feed them for a day. And immediately before moving in, put food in the feeders. Then, in the first minutes, the new inhabitants will be busy with food, and not with a showdown. Further, mutual grinding will go much easier and will certainly not cause unnecessary trouble.

But if you plan to populate new rabbits in the aviary, especially pregnant rabbits, it is better to refuse such an idea. The formed team is unlikely to be delighted with the new inhabitants. Old-timers may well attack the newcomer with a whole flock and inflict terrible wounds or even kill. Despite their peaceful (at least, most people think so) disposition, rabbits are well-armed - sharp claws and powerful incisors turn into serious weapons if necessary.

Determining the diet

From the very first days it is necessary to provide decent living conditions for rabbits. Of course, first of all, this is the right diet.

Due to crowding in a small area, they will not be able to get enough food naturally. This means that feeding is completely the responsibility of the owner.

The basis of the diet is the following foods: green fodder, juicy, coarse and concentrated. Also, it will not be superfluous to give them nutritional supplements. Now let's talk about everything in more detail.

Green food - almost any grass. But the best choice would be dandelions, nettles, alfalfa, plantain, rhubarb.

Juicy foods include turnips, turnips,Jerusalem artichoke, carrots, beets, as well as pre-harvested silage. Of course, the latter is given mainly in winter.

Roughage is mainly straw and hay. But it will also be useful sometimes to give branches of trees - deciduous and coniferous. Rabbits are happy to gnaw the bark from them, and at the same time grind down the constantly growing incisors. If they don't, their teeth will grow back so much that they'll have to seek medical help.

Finally concentrated food. It can be both various compound feeds, and usually grain - wheat, oats and much more. You can add corn to the diet, but only two to four weeks before slaughter. Thanks to her, rabbits quickly grow fat, their meat becomes more tender and juicy.

Food supplements are mainly chalk and bone meal - they are most important for pregnant and lactating rabbits, as well as for juveniles.

Don't forget about proper care

Rabbits love to live in clean enclosures. But at the same time they eat and defecate a lot. And they do it not in one corner, but anywhere. So you have to clean it regularly. It's nice that it will have to be carried out much less frequently than when keeping rabbits at home in cages. Waste (leftover food and excrement) should be sent to the compost heap - in a few months you can get high-quality fertilizer.

You also need to make sure that there is always clean, fresh water in the drinkers. Drinkers themselves should be washed at least once a week. This is very important - most often the cause of infectious diseases is dirty water. And in the paddock where the rabbits live rather crowded,such diseases spread rapidly and can affect all inhabitants in a day.

As you can see. In general, the care and maintenance of domestic rabbits is quite simple - regularly feed, water, clean up waste and that's it.

Wintering

Serious problems can only arise in autumn, shortly before the onset of cold weather. A drop in temperature to -20 degrees and below, many rabbits simply will not survive. How to be in such a situation?

Firstly, you can insulate the living boxes well - rabbits will only come out of them to eat and stretch a little. The rest of the time they will spend in warm housing.

Secondly, they can be transferred to a barn. A good option that allows you to easily follow the rabbits and at the same time provides a high percentage of survival. But not every owner will want to build an insulated barn for them.

Thirdly, shortly before the onset of cold weather, thin out their ranks. Yes, aviary keeping of rabbits for rearing is very often used. Most of the juveniles and the oldest producers are put under the knife, and the selected ones (the strongest, he althiest and largest) are transferred for the winter to a warm room where they live in cages. A good option from any side, unless the owner is going to seriously expand his farm. Then in the spring (here it is important to correctly guess the time for crossing) it will be possible to plant the pregnant rabbits again in the already built corral, take care of the young all summer, and with the approach of winter, enrich your farm by several tens of kilogramsquality, environmentally friendly, dietary meat.

Conclusion

This concludes our article. Now you are much better versed in the aviary content of rabbits. You can not only build an aviary, but also take care of pets, providing yourself with a skin and a clean product.