I had tried that rabbit fencing I mentioned in an earlier post. BLAH! That was a mess. With all the connecting of 28″ fence to a 48″ bottom it was not pretty. And the center holes were large enough that if a young bunny wanted to, he could get out. That plus it was pretty fragile wire, breaking here and there even as I attached it to the pen.
I switched to the coated 2 x 3 wire. Latex, vinyl, pvc, who remembers, its coated green. I staggered two layers on the bottom so that the openings were 1 x 3. I stapled it to the bottom of the pen and then sandwiched it with a second 1 x 2 strip of wood over it. This allowed me to pull the pen without the wire catching on grass or whatever.
Newest Floor for Rabbit Pen
When I flipped the pen over, the wire billowed up like puffy pillow with all the long grass and weeds and such lying flat underneath. I thought, “This will never do.” I remember reading Joel Salatin’s book on farming and how rabbits won’t eat the grass unless it’s standing up and unless it’s relatively short. It had been one of the problems I had hoped to avoid. Maybe with a field of short clover that wouldn’t happen, but that’s not what I have.
HA! is all I can say. By the next day that grass had been pulled out and eaten by the rabbits. The “pillow” of green was gone. Eaten down. I sat and watched the rabbits after I moved the pen to a new spot. The openings in the wire was large enough to get their mouths in but not so much that their entire heads could fit thru. I watched as they would grab a hold of a stalk of grass and yank that sucker out and chomp on this long stem, until it got sucked into their mouths and gone. ALL RIGHT!!!
Another myth busted.
Pillow of Green Pasture in the Pen
The small guys were light enough not to even depress the wire, so there was some space to allow this pulling of grass out. I had put a wood board on one end of the pen to place the waterer and also to see if they moved off the wire onto wood. NOPE! So apparently it doesn’t bother them, at least right now
Though, quite honestly, if there was a manufacturer that made flat wire with 1 x 3 openings I’d probably get that, but there is no such thing. Anyone out there a wire maker?? LOL! Hey, my bunnies need comfort.
I also found a 2 x 4 ft grid thingy for dog kennel floors that I tried on a second pen. I like that better than the wood for the waterer or resting place for rabbits as it allows poo and urine to drop thru to the ground. But it’s pricey at $28 a panel. So I plan to use up what scraps of wood I have first and if things go well then I’ll think further on that.
Next up. Yesterday, after work I put the wire on a second pen and put 2 does, their kits and a buck. Poor buck. He was used to his bachelor pad and now all of a sudden had a family. I could almost hear him saying, “they’re not mine are they?” Yeah, sweetie, all yours!
A Family Once Again
I put an 8″ diameter plastic irrigation pipe about 4 ft long in the pen so the everyone could escape everyone else for a few days. Once they are in together for a while it will all will quiet down.
The larger rabbits do put some pressure on the wire and looking at their feet it doesn’t look the most comfortable, but they don’t go immediately to the platform, so I’m guessing at least now, in the beginning, it’s not bothersome. Time will tell.
I’d be doing a third pen right now if it hadn’t decided to rain…
There’s still things I’d like to change for long-term. Like the roof, while nice for shade during the summer, catches the wind too easily in the winter, so if I ever plan to do this year round, I have to reduce the amount of roof but still offer plenty of shade and protection from rain.
Anyway, it isn’t perfect and I can only hope the PVC prevents rusting. So, while I can tweak the design from time to time to get it, as Goldilocks would say, “Juuuust right!” I think this is good enough for right now. As long as they can’t get out and they can eat the grass, I’m happy. I can use the barn and cages in the winter if need be.
Getting the Grass
WHOO HOO! Stopped raining, off to do a third pen. Here’s the rest of the photos….. I’m pretty sure if you click on the photos itwill let you see it blown up so the detail of the wire is easier to see.
Dinner!
Pasture Raised Rabbits!
Chicken Meets Rabbits
Pastured Rabbits with Irrigation Pipe for Hiding
It Ain't Pretty But We Call It Home
About Linda Medero
