How to Build a 4-H Rabbit Hutch

Rabbits require an outdoor cage with room to move and grow.

Raising rabbits is a common project for young people participating in 4-H programs across the country. Rabbits do well in smaller quarters and are ideal for urban 4-H participants. According to the 4-H organization, raising rabbits helps teach young adults about animal nutrition, care, grooming and breeding. It is also a way of teaching the economics behind raising and selling farm animals. The life skills taught by raising rabbits often transfers to the raising of larger animals as the young adults grow in their confidence and skills.

Things You'll Need

• 18-by-132 inch piece of 1-by-1 inch woven wire
• 30-by-36 inch piece of 1-by-1 inch woven wire
• 30-by-36 inch piece of 1/2-by-1/2 inch woven wire
• 15-by-22 inch piece of 1/2-by-1/2 inch woven wire
• Bolt cutters
• 76 hog rings
• Hog ring pliers
• 8 inches of fence wire
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Fold the 18-by-132 inch woven wire three times, making four sections. Use a work bench or flat surface to help ensure that each right angle is straight. Make the first fold 36 inches into the length of the wire and the second fold 30 inches from the first. Measure an additional 36 inches to make the third and final fold. This will leave a 30-inch piece as the fourth section, and completes the walls of the rabbit hutch.

2. Attach the fourth and first sections of the 132-inch woven wire using six hog rings. Bend the ring around the two sections of wire and squeeze the ring tight using the hog ring pliers.

3. Attach the floor of the rabbit hutch, which will be made from the 30-by-36 inch 1/2-by-1/2 inch woven wire. The smaller woven pattern is easier on the rabbits' feet but still allows waste to pass through onto the ground. Use hog rings to attach the floor of the hutch to the walls, spacing the rings approximately 4 inches apart. You will use at least 33 rings to attach the floor to the walls.

4. Attach the ceiling to the rabbit hutch in the same manner you did the floor. The roof of the hutch is the 1-by-1 inch woven wire measuring 30-by-36 inches. Again, you will need at least 33 hog rings to attach the ceiling securely to the walls of the hutch.

5. Cut the door opening into one of the 36-inch sides of the rabbit hutch. The door should measure 13 inches wide and 20 inches high. Remove that piece of wire completely from the hutch.

6. Attach the rabbit hutch door over the opening. The door measures 15-by-22 inches and is made from the 1-by-1 inch woven wire. Use four hog rings across the top of the door to attach it to the hutch, and fence wire to secure the bottom of the door when it is closed.

References

• Cornell: The Bunny Basics Manual
• Rabbit Web: How to Build a Rabbit Cage