Keeping rabbits in a common enclosure not practiced. In this case, it is impossible to maintain the purity of the breed and it is difficult to maintain order. Modern rabbit breeders use the invention of naturalist and academician I. N. Mikhailov - a compact mini-farm. Animals are divided into separate cages, which makes it possible to control reproduction. Small compartments are easy to clean. The advantage of a mini-farm for rabbits is that it is easy to build with your own hands.
What are the benefits of business
Breeding rabbits in a special design is part of the acceleration methodology of Academician Mikhailov. Thanks to his invention, the survival rate of rabbits, the quality of the skins increases, and the meat is soft.
The rabbit farm has the following advantages:
- the cubs are next to their mother in the queen cell, feed on her milk and by three months of life they receive strong immunity;
- after switching to regular food, young rabbits fed on mother's milk quickly gain weight;
- a system for removing excrement and a litter container under the living level allow you to spend less time on cleaning, animals do not get dirty, and the meat does not acquire an unpleasant odor;
- Hopper feeders keep food clean and always available.
Running a business using a rabbit farm is profitable, since the animals do not get sick and produce tender meat and soft skins. The fur of rabbits raised using the Mikhailov method is called micraxel and is equal in quality to the fur of chinchilla, nutria and arctic fox. Clothing made from micraxel retains the integrity and color of the pile for up to 20 years.
The mini-farm can accommodate 12-30 rabbits and occupies 1.4 square meters. 16 farms can fit on 100 square meters. Extensive production can be deployed in a small area. Thanks to the reasonable organization of space for keeping rabbits, care costs are reduced.
Types of mini-farms
The design, developed by Academician Mikhailov, consists of one or several levels. Rabbits can be sorted by age and gender. Each compartment is equipped with a feeder and drinking bowl. The sizes are selected individually, so that the rabbit moves freely in its “apartment”.
Types of mini-farms:
- country house - designed for a small number of individuals, consists of one level, placed indoors; automatic drinking bowls, bunker feeders and a feces disposal system allow animals to be left unattended;
- industrial - consists of several levels, accommodates a large number of rabbits, the insulated structure is located outdoors, and is provided with the necessary equipment for the comfort of rabbits;
- decorative - intended for keeping decorative species in the fresh air in summer;
- backyard - a multi-level structure for breeding rabbits on a backyard plot, equipped with a heating system or not heated.
It is better to start breeding with a small number of rabbits and a single-level structure. With the addition of animals on top, one or more levels can be added.
How to make a mini-farm with your own hands
Ready-made mini-farms can be made from low-quality materials that do not retain heat, or metal grids. Rabbits in such housing get sick. Constant contact with metal on the floor causes pododermatitis on the paws.
For a small farm, it is safer to build a mini-farm yourself.
Create a drawing
Basic elements of a mini-farm:
- nests or compartments - compartments where rabbits live;
- walking compartments - with drinking bowls and feeders;
- Jigging compartments with queen cells - for keeping pregnant rabbits and babies.
Drinkers and feeders are placed in walking compartments between residential nests and a passage is made to them for rabbits: for one animal on one side or for two on both sides. The plan also provides space for bunker feeders and automatic drinkers.
Rabbit compartment parameters:
- length - 150 centimeters;
- width - 70 centimeters;
- height - 50 centimeters.
Components of the structure:
- tier frame;
- compartment doors;
- waste pit;
- internal flaps of nest compartments;
- manure tank.
Inside the nests there are feeders, drinkers and nurseries. A tank is placed under the farm, into which waste from the slope shaft falls. If the farm will be located on the street, you need to electrically heat the drinkers and queen cells. At temperatures below +10 degrees, the rabbits' home must be heated constantly.
Purchase of materials
A rabbit mini-farm is built from simple materials:
- plywood;
- chipboard;
- galvanized iron;
- metal mesh with large links;
- polystyrene foam;
- wooden blocks and slats.
An outdoor structure will require power cords and roofing felt for the roof. Wooden parts must be impregnated with an animal-safe antiseptic to prevent mold.
Tools
To work you will need:
- saw;
- drill;
- hammer;
- scissors for cutting metal.
Frame parts are connected with self-tapping screws or nails. You will need to cut out doors and dampers from separate boards.
Manufacturing stages
To build a simple one-level structure of two compartments, basic construction skills are sufficient.
Stages of work:
- erection of the base - install 4 wooden blocks vertically and connect them with horizontal bars;
- installation of a frame for compartments - install vertical slats to designate compartments for animals;
- formation of a drain - iron sheets in the form of a cone are fixed under the compartments, drains are installed at the joints of two compartments;
- installation of floors in rabbit compartments - a board is fixed at an angle of 45 degrees, and a mesh is fixed above the manure drain. The sloping floor will allow waste to flow into the drain;
- construction of walls - wooden boards separate the compartments.
A sophisticated design, consisting of walking compartments and queen cells, is installed on a longer base. The walls of the compartment for the cubs are lined with foam plastic for insulation, and the floor is made level, without holes for waste.
The rear wall of the truss is covered with sheets of plywood. Doors are installed on the compartments in front. They can be mounted or moved to the side. The door is made translucent, made of wooden slats and mesh. The street structure is covered with a sloping pitched roof so that rainwater drains quickly.
Drinkers and feeders are hung on the doors or next to them to make the dishes easy to get out. Separate dishes will be required for roughage and vegetables. The herb nursery is hung from the door.
Where to locate a rabbit farm?
Places for a mini-farm:
- backyard;
- outbuilding;
- against the wall of the house under a canopy.
The rabbit farm is placed in a free space of 2x2 meters. The approach to the design should be free. To protect animals from drafts on the street, the structure is placed with the back wall to the north, on the south side of the site.
How to choose the right rabbit
Before setting up a farm, you need to decide on the direction of production or what product you plan to obtain.
Rabbit breeds intended for industrial breeding:
- meat - Californian, white New Zealand;
- fur - Burgundy, chinchilla;
- meat-skinned - German giant, Flanders.
To start a rabbit breeding business, breeds that produce both products - meat and skin - are suitable.
For breeding, 10 females and 1-2 males are recruited. Animal selection criteria:
- age - preference is given to young animals 4-6 months old;
- external signs - healthy individuals have clean, shiny coat, clear eyes and a friendly character;
- relatedness - males and females should not be from the same litter.
Crossing closely related animals will result in the birth of weak offspring.
Ready-made examples
For breeding rabbits at home, two types of mini-farms are used - Mikhailova and the improved Maklyak-6.
An example of a design according to Mikhailov:
- the cells are united by a pitched roof and form a shed;
- a mesh or metal sheets are installed under the base, forming a cone-shaped drain for droppings;
- consists of one or two levels.
Features of the mini-farm “Maklyak-6”
- designed for street use;
- consists of modules that can be changed;
- The queen cells are heated using infrared lamps.
Also in rabbit breeding, a farm design is used according to the scheme of N.I. Zolotukhin, which differs in the structure of the levels. Three floors are located with a shift back. At the back of the compartments there are openings for feces and ways for their removal.
The queen cells are located in the darkened part of the compartments and are fenced off with a retractable board. The feeders are built into the doors and extend outwards and into the compartments. They are convenient for adding food or adding grass. Based on examples of mini-farms, you can come up with your own rabbitry scheme. The main principles of construction are compactness, animal comfort and ease of care.
