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How to make a rabbit feeder

If you decide to start breeding rabbits, you must create all the conditions for their maintenance and care, one of the tasks that you face is to equip your farm with animal feeders. These devices help us not waste our energy and time to ensure proper nutrition of rabbits.

In this case, we are faced with the question of what they should be and how to make feeders for thoroughbred rabbits practical and as convenient as possible.

Before you start making feeders with your own hands, we will give a few tips:

• all feeding devices must meet accepted sanitary standards, be easy to care for and reasonably practical;
• non-metal products must have elementary protection against attempts by rabbits to gnaw them;
• the feed in the feeders must be protected from contamination;
• feeders, excluding bunker feeders, should contain no more than 1 daily allowance food so that the rabbits cannot climb in and spoil the remaining supply;
• devices should be as user-friendly as possible;
• feeders must be securely fastened so that rabbits cannot damage or turn them over.

The main types of feeders for rabbits

Feeders, which are often used by rabbit breeders to feed animals, are of the following types:

1. Ceramic bowls. These products are made at the factory, they are simple and aesthetic, but as practice shows, rabbits often knock them over and scatter food.
2. Concentrated feeds and most root crops are well laid out on groove feeders; with their help, you can easily provide access to food for a large number of rabbits at once.
3. Bunker feeders. It is easy to place loose and granular feed in them, their device does not allow animals to trample and scatter food. Allows you to save time, as it is filled with feed for several days.
4. A nursery is a feeder in which you can put various herbs and hay, but you need to monitor them and fill in the feed in time.
5. Cup type feeders. The material for their manufacture is different - it is metal (tin cans), clay and concrete. As a rule, they are used for loose feed or as drinking bowls for rabbits.

Grooved feeders for rabbits

Making these rabbit feeders is not difficult. The simplest option is made from 6 boards. Two of them will go to making the bottom, two more boards will go to the long sides of the feeder, and the remaining two will go to the short sides. Such feeders, as a rule, are made conical. To do this, the side boards are cut at an angle and then fastened with screws. Their bottom turns out to be narrow, which means that rabbits will choose food much better.

Bunker feeders for rabbits

Before you make a bunker feeder for a rabbit, carefully read the drawings of these devices. If you do not have enough practical skills, we advise you to opt for a hopper-type feeder, which is easily made from a 3-liter tin for tomato paste.

You will need a drill and scissors to cut the tin. First of all, the jar is cleaned of the remnants of the paste. Then everything is done in the following order:

• half of the jar is cut along its height, not reaching the bottom by about 1.5 cm;
• holes are drilled in the bottom of the can;
• the cut, semicircular part of the can is straightened, the edges 5 mm wide are bent into it, and it is fastened with screws or rivets to the remaining semicircular part with the bottom;
• all sharp and cut edges are bent with pliers so as not to injure the rabbits.

  In this form, the feeder is attached to the wall of the cage.

The general appearance of such a feeder is not very aesthetic, but the ease of work and the simplicity of the product put it in the forefront among bunker-type structures.

A manger or sennitsa for rabbits

These types of feeding devices can be placed inside and outside the cages, but in such a way that the animal cannot climb into it and gnaw through the structure itself, which is often the case with plastic products.

You can make such a manger for hay with your own hands. To make a sennitsa, you need a wire mesh and a pair of covers that are twisted glass jars. The cells in the wire mesh should be no larger than 12x12 or 12x24. The mesh is folded in the form of a cylinder, and on the sides the structure is fastened with lids. Such nurseries are suspended from the ceiling or fixed on the wall of the cage. Rabbits freely get hay from the manger, and it is always clean and dry. Sometimes this sennitsa is made in the form of a ball.

Another simple type of hay manger is made from wire mesh. A square is taken from the grid, its edges are bent on four sides. Then, according to the size of the resulting wire box, a lid is cut out of the mesh for it. All this is fastened and loops are made of wire to secure the structure to the cage wall. This feeder is perfect for coarse, concentrated and green fodder.

Cup feeders for rabbits

This type of feeder is quite easy to make. We take a tin can wide and small in height, bend the uneven and sharp edges with pliers, if the can is high, cut it off and also process the edges. In order to make these concrete feeders, we dig a round hole, pour the mortar into it, shape the bowl and wait for it to harden. You can also use an iron bowl attached to the side of the cage so it can't tip over. Often, Czech feeders are used under water for rabbits. In animal stores, you can always find ready-made products for feeding rabbits at a reasonable price.

The simplest wooden rabbit feeder

This simplest design made with right angles from eight boards an inch thick.

Four boards will go to the manufacture of the bottom, and the sides will be made from the remaining boards. First, the bottom of the feeder is assembled, then the pre-made side parts are applied to its end ends and fastened with self-tapping screws. It turns out a square structure with sides, each of which is 40 centimeters.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be noted that you can of course buy these devices in a special store, they will be more beautiful or structurally more complicated. But if you have enough skills in working with metal and wood, then a do-it-yourself rabbit feeder will bring you much greater moral satisfaction, plus you can always add something from yourself to this. Below are video materials that will help you figure out the question: how to make a feeder for rabbits.

Making a metal feeder for rabbits

Dimensions of all parts for the feeder, as well as assembly.

Other articles in this section:

How to breed rabbits Why does a rabbit scatter rabbits? What do rabbits eat? Slaughtering a rabbit - how to kill a rabbit? How are rabbits different from hares? What should not be fed to a rabbit? How to choose a pair of rabbits for mating How to determine the period of hunting in rabbits How to mate rabbits? How to castrate a rabbit? How to make a drinker for rabbits? How to feed rabbits How to care for rabbits? How to make a cage for rabbits with your own hands Which breed of rabbits is better? What grass should not be fed to rabbits? How to vaccinate rabbits? How to determine the sex of a rabbit? What grass can be given to rabbits? What do rabbits look like? (Body constitution) How do rabbits mate?

Other sections:

Notes ZOOENGINEER Breeding, keeping Business rabbit breeding Interesting about rabbits Not about rabbits! Medicines for rabbits Diseases and treatment Breeds of rabbits

Bunker feeder for rabbits do-it-yourself drawings

Do-it-yourself bunker feeder for rabbits, drawings and detailed description designs.

DRY FOOD FEEDER

What are the advantages of the product in question:

Constant supply of dry food with volume control.
Possibility to track the filling volume of the feeder through the back wall made of transparent polycarbonate.
The feed tray is divided into two identical parts.

The bunker feeder consists of three main elements:

• working volume for loading feed
• removable cover
• drawer for collecting meal

BUNKER

The drawing shows the details of the product:

1. Side wall (left and right).
2. Metal sieve support bar.
3. Bottom bar.
4. Upper bar.
5. Protection of the front wall of the lower bar.
6. Feed barrier.
7. Feed volume adjustment plate.
8. Sieve.
9. Wall made of polycarbonate.

Reference.

Sieve - made of thin sheet corrosion-resistant metal (stainless steel), in which holes with a diameter of 3 (mm) are drilled in a checkerboard pattern, at a distance of 20 (mm) from each other.
The rear wall is made of transparent polycarbonate or plexiglass in order to visually determine the volume of filling the feeder with feed without looking inside the hopper.

HOPPER COVER

1. Waterproof plywood.
2. Wooden slats 10x10 (mm) in section.
3. Wooden handle.

MEAL COLLECTION BOX

1. Wooden handle.
2. Front wall.
3. Side walls.
4. Bottom and rear wall made of thin-sheet corrosion-resistant metal.

The hopper feeder is inserted into the technological opening of the cage and fixed from above.

How to make your own rabbit feeder

The desire to have a rabbit or even to engage in rabbit breeding is always associated with certain problems. What cages to use, what feeders for rabbits are better to use?

Feeders for rabbits from improvised materials: quick and easy

All this will lead to certain costs. You can save. Option one is to take the drawings and make feeders with your own hands.

Often there are such cases when all their pets die en masse in novice rabbit breeders. There can be many reasons. One of the most important is unsanitary conditions, which, combined with malnutrition and feed dosage, leads to such deplorable consequences. If you decide to get yourself rabbits, remember the importance right choice feeders.

Types of feeders

A rabbit feeder is one of the types of equipment that significantly saves time, effort, maintains the correct diet of the animal, and significantly improves hygienic conditions in the cage. And the fact that rabbits go to the feeder 26-30 times a day speaks of its importance. There are the following types of feeders:

1. Ceramic bowls. Usually factory made. They look beautiful, but animals often turn them over.
2. Manger. Used to feed hay and grass to rabbits. Practical, but require frequent attention to replenish feed.
3. Groove feeders. Serve for feeding with root crops, concentrated and fodder. Easy to manufacture. Provide access to feeding a large number of rabbits.
4. Bunker feeders for rabbits. Used for loose and granulated feed. The type of construction prevents scattering and trampling of feed, and the feeder itself is replenished once every few days.
5. Cup feeders. Can be metal (used cans), concrete or clay. Are applied to the granulated and loose forages. Can serve as a drinker for rabbits.

Rabbit eats hay from a feeder

How to make a feeder at home?

In the manufacture of any utensils for rabbitry, it should be remembered that it should be easy to maintain and operate. Feed must be protected from foreign contaminants. The hygienic condition of the inventory must be appropriate. Professional rabbit breeders can make a trough feeder or nursery in 30 minutes. The material for the manufacture is varied.

Let's talk about what production for beginners will look like. The first thing that should be is a tool. Prepare the drawings you need. Professionals recommend printing the drawing and decomposing it into its component parts. This is done in order to understand the correctness and sequence of collecting the feeder you need.

Features of feeders

The hopper feeder for rabbits remains the most practical today. Granular feed or grain in the process of eating it by the animals evenly, by gravity, fills the receiving tray and is kept at the right level there. The food does not spill out. Which has a positive effect on the hygienic condition of the cage and has a positive effect on rabbits. A big plus of such feeders, of course, is the large volume of the bunker. Thanks to this, the food stored in the container is enough for several days. This type of feeders is often used in farms that are located in areas remote from their place of residence. There are the following types of feeders:

• bunker with transverse partitions;
• combined;
• round bunker.

Grooved feeders are widely used both in amateur rabbit breeding and on farms. Very light and easy to assemble. Everyone can read the drawings of such feeders and make them with their own hands. They can be of different lengths, and therefore many rabbits can eat from one feeder. The most optimal shape for this type is conical. Such feeders have a narrow bottom and therefore the selection of feed by animals is much better.

Hay nurseries are often used in small and medium-sized farms. Experts recommend making a manger with your own hands. According to professionals, the process of feeding animals will be more hygienic and practical. When rabbits eat grass or hay, they do not scatter food all over the cage. As a result, animal droppings do not mix, and this simplifies cage cleaning and feed consumption. positive quality nursery is that the food is evenly distributed among the pets. This gives no opportunity for the dominant animal to drive away the rest of the rabbits.

Manger for rabbits

Almost all types of feeders are easy to assemble and therefore, making them yourself will not take much effort. When choosing the type of feeder, think about what your farm will be like. How many rabbits will you have. An important point is the location of the rabbitry. After all this, feel free to start making feeders.

What materials are used to make feeders?

The recommended material for manufacturing is thin sheet metal and other metal products and profiles. Although experienced farmers use wood, board, plywood, plastic, plexiglass, slate (from different materials bunker feeders are often made).

Auxiliary materials are wire, rod, glass. If tin or metal is not taken as the basis, then in this case it will be necessary to sheathe them with those places where the rabbits are most likely to gnaw through parts of the structure.

It is worth remembering that you need to smooth out any sharp edges or nicks so that the rabbits do not damage the skin.

You will face many difficulties. The correct choice of cages and feeders for rabbits, diets, hygienic condition, types of feed.

Need to do correct calculations, it is good to study the drawings of cages and feeders, to shoe oneself with literature.

How to make a simple metal structure?

There is one simple and quick option on how to make a metal feeder with your own hands. Consider the basic manufacturing technique. You can easily find drawings on the Internet.

1. You need to take sheet metal and cut out two parts from it that will correspond to the outer contour of the drawing.
2. Take these two parts and make four cuts by bending the tin along the lines indicated in the drawing. For convenience and safety, use pliers.
3. To facilitate bending the tin, carefully make shallow notches along the fold lines with the tip of a knife. These serifs should be half the thickness of the sheet.
4. Start assembling. Bend the blanks as indicated in the drawing. File or sandstone all sharp corners and edges.

Making a bunker feeder

• Metal shears
• Drill
• Hammer
• Pliers
• Drill bit 6 mm
• Wood screws 35mm 6 pcs. and 25 mm 6 pcs.
• Two bolts with nuts 6 mm
• Chipboard or board-twenty 2 pcs. size 15 x 30 mm (side walls), 1 pc. size 190 by 300 (back wall)
• Metal mesh size 155 by 290
• Tin 1 pc. size 195mm by 265mm (bunker base, inner wall)
• Tin 1 pc. width 185 mm, height 135 mm (front wall).

Drawing of a bunker feeder

1. We assemble the frame, connecting the side walls and the back with 4 screws 35mm.
2. On the front wall of tin from above, we make cuts with a depth of 30 mm at a distance of 20 mm from the edge and a slot in the middle with a width of 3 mm. We bend the resulting "wings" at an angle of 90 degrees.
3. We fasten the grid to the front wall with bolts end-to-end to the folded edge exactly in the middle.
4. We insert the front wall with the mesh into the feeder and fix it with screws. In this case, the back of the grid will “lie down” on the back wall of the feeder in a bend.
5. We bend the bunker base from tin in a Z-shape and insert it into the feeder from above.

If you decide not to buy feeders, but to make them yourself, then you should take these tips into service:

• all inventory and all utensils for rabbit breeding should be practical, easy to maintain, hygienic;
• if the feeder is not made of pure metal or tin, exclude nibbling of its elements;
• minimize feed contamination;
• the feeder must contain the daily amount of feed, otherwise the rabbits will climb into it and shit there (the exception is bunker feeders);
• the feeder should be comfortable for pets;
• the fastening of the feeder must be strong, in order to avoid turning it over or falling.

More information

Not only the convenience of their living, but also the care for them depends on the arrangement of the place where animals are kept. Rabbits eat very often, and they also have to replenish their food supplies more than once a day. There are many types of feeders that are designed to different types feed and have different designs. We will talk about bunker feeders for rabbits: what are the advantages of this type and how to make them yourself.

There are many various types rabbit feeders:

1. nursery - used for hay feeding. They are convenient to use, but require frequent replenishment;
2. grooved - used for feeding loose feed, convenient and practical, they are easy to make, but also require frequent replenishment;
3. bowls - they do not need to be made and almost any container is suitable for this type, but the animal can easily throw it and pour all the contents out of it;
4. bunker feeders for rabbits - convenient, used for loose feed (grains, granules). Capacious, and you can replenish it every few days.

It is about the latter type of feeders that we will talk about in our article. The main advantage of this type is feed savings. Since the animal cannot scatter grain from this container, it will not be trampled. Also, the container closes at the top, which helps to protect food from contamination.

This type also saves you time, you do not have to constantly monitor the availability of food. The container allows you to fill up enough food for animals for several days. And rabbits will always be full. As you know, these animals are very susceptible to stress and the feeling of hunger for them is also a stress factor. Regular feeding of clean feed prevents the possibility of animals suffering from constipation, indigestion, bloating and other diseases that are associated with the digestive system.

It is very convenient to use the bunker for feeding, it can be installed in any type of cage. Cleaning won't be too hard either. It is easy to remove and install. It can be easily made with your own hands, and the materials for it can be found in any barn. There are many various systems production of feeders: Tsvetkova, Bryukov, etc.

How to make at home

You will not encounter special difficulties in the manufacture of a bunker feeder. In order to properly manufacture a container of this nature, it is necessary to initially make a drawing. With it, it will be easier for you to make this design. You also need to prepare the materials from which you will make this thing. The design is quite simple. In the picture you can see a drawing of a bunker feeder.

Drawing: diagram (left) and finished design (right)

The main thing is to decide on the size and material. You can make such a container from wood or from sheets of tin, there are also plastic blanks that you can purchase in specialized stores. Wooden construction is considered more environmentally friendly than metal or plastic, but less durable. Moreover, the love of rabbits to sharpen their teeth can lead to the rapid destruction of a wooden container.

It is best if the upper part (the place where the feed is poured) is closed, this will protect the grain from dirt and dampness. Before you start building a bunker feeder, decide on the type of fastening it to the cage. The fastening must be strong, and the container must not stagger.

Materials and tools

The choice of tools will depend on what material you are going to make the container from. We suggest you make the main elements of tin. In order to make a bunker feeder, you will need:

• metal scissors;
• drill;
• hammer;
• pliers;
• drill;
• metal mesh or metal sheet with drilled holes;
• tin sheet.

A tin sheet will be needed in order to upholster the structure inside. This measure will allow you to easily clean the feeder and prolong its life. The manufacturing process itself is simple, and the drawings will simplify your work.

Manufacturing

Initially, let's start working with the internal tin frame. The size of the sheet must be at least 120x250 cm. The thickness of the sheet must be 0.5 mm. This design has three main parts:

1. pallet;
2. back wall;
3. front wall.

Trough. The length of the trough will be 250 + 10 mm, and the width will be 220 + allowance for fixing 10 mm.

We bend the trough in width into 3 sections + allowance for fastening. The first section is 150, the second is 50, and the third is 20 mm. Allowances must be at least 10 mm on each side of the workpiece.

To simplify the work with the workpiece, the side and rear walls are made from one sheet. The size of this blank in length will be 370 mm. In width, we bend the metal sheet into three parts: the side walls are 150 mm each and the back should be 250 mm in size. The blank for the front wall will also have three bends: the first - 130, the second - 140, and the third - 100 mm. The length of the sheet should have - 250 mm + allowances of 10 mm on both sides. In total, we cut out a sheet measuring 270 mm.

Folds are made by hand. The thickness of the tin allows this, small bends (for allowances) can be made with pliers. In the blanks we make markings for fastening and drill holes with a drill. And then we fasten all the elements of the bunker feeder together. This can be done with both rivets and bolts. The mesh is installed last at the bottom of the structure, but you can do without it.

The model provided by us does not have a lid. If you need to install a cover for the feeder, then you will additionally need a sheet of metal measuring 250x150 mm and hinges.

These parameters of the bunker feeder for rabbits can be considered optimal. If you need a larger design, then you can make a feeder by cutting blanks twice as large.

This container contains two daily norms of feed for rabbits. If you are making a feeder according to the principle provided by us, but smaller in size, remember that the minimum volume should be one daily feed rate. The bunker feeder must be firmly fixed so that the rabbits cannot turn it over.

Video “Metal rabbit feeder”

The video shows (step by step) how to make a bunker-type rabbit feeder yourself.

To feed different types of food to their pets, rabbit breeders use several types of feeders. Dry and crumbly grain mixtures or granular additives are conveniently fed through hopper-type devices. Next, we will talk about how good the bunker is and how you can make it yourself.

The wide popularity of bunker-type feeders is due to the following advantages:

1. automation of the feeding process. The bunker feeder contains a significant supply of feed (approximately 2 daily norms) and gradually gives it to the distribution tray;
2. the possibility of placing a cage with rabbits in a country house or other area remote from the main housing. This advantage stems from the previous one: since rabbits do not need to add food every 2 to 3 hours, it is not necessary to live near them. It is only necessary to supplement the hopper feeder with an autodrinker and strong locks on the cage door;
3. the simplicity of the device. Feed supply is carried out without the use of complex energy-dependent mechanisms. The feeder is extremely simple and accessible to self-manufacturing. It is also very easy to clean and can be installed absolutely anywhere;
4. economical feed consumption. In flute or cup feeders, the entire supply of food is in full view and therefore constantly polluted with fluff and excrement. This requires its regular replacement, because when eating dirty food, animals risk getting sick;
5. in the feed hopper, the entire feed supply is protected and therefore remains clean. At the same time, thanks to a reliable fastening, pets cannot overturn it and scatter the contents. The dispensing tray is equipped with slats that do not allow forage to be raked out;
6. ensuring the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of rabbits. Due to its special structure, the rabbit's body pushes out excrement only when eating the next portion of food. If it comes intermittently, the animals suffer from disorders in the gastrointestinal tract: bloating, indigestion, constipation. With a hopper feeder, rabbits are constantly provided with clean food, which allows them to eat as often as the body requires, and at any time of the day. As a result, healthy livestock quickly gain weight;
7. the possibility of collecting grain flour. The contents of the hopper gradually settle, while the grains have a mechanical effect on each other, leading to abrasion and crushing. To collect the crushed material, the bunker feeder is equipped with a mesh bottom and a container is installed under it. Subsequently, flour is added to wet food mixers or fed to other inhabitants of the farmstead, for example,.

When using a conventional feeder, the breeder is actually tied to the cage, since the rabbit feeds quite intensively: it takes food up to 30 times a day.

Device

The bunker feeder consists of two components:

The hopper feeder is suitable for the following feeds:

• grain mixtures;
• compound feed;
• various granular additives.

The diet of rabbits is not limited to this, so other feeders will be required:

• for root crops and mash: grooved or cup feeders;
• for hay and herbs: nursery feeder (sennik).

Dimensions

The volume of the bunker is calculated by the simple formula V = A * B * C, where:

• A - daily feed intake per rabbit;
• B - the number of pets;
• C - the number of days for which the feeder is calculated.

The dimensions of the bunker are arranged so that it fits well into the cage and is located as rationally as possible. If the cage is supposed to be divided in two, the bunker can play the role of a partition.

Sometimes it is made elongated and used as one of the outer walls. But with this design, there is no possibility of dismantling the feeder for repair and cleaning from the remnants of the old feed, and this is sometimes required.

Drawing of a bunker feeder

The dimensions of the tray are selected so that all rabbits have simultaneous access to feed. Otherwise, strong individuals will constantly push back the weak ones and they will become ill from malnutrition. The tray of the bunker feeder cannot have an arbitrarily long length - the grain from the tank is poured out over a limited distance.

Therefore, with a significant livestock, a battery of several devices is installed or a pair of holes are made in the bunker on opposite sides and equipped with two trays, respectively.

In cages with small rabbits, the maximum width of the hopper outlet is 2 cm. Through the larger one, the young will crawl inside and stain the feed with feces.

Self-manufacturing

Bunker feeders are made from sheet material, it's best to use:

• tin;
• galvanized iron;
• steel sheets.

Metal elements will be too tough for rabbits. Other materials - wood, plywood and even plastic - they willingly gnaw for the sake of training. If any of the above was used to make the feeder, the edges, corners and other vulnerable elements are upholstered with tin.

Many types of plastic emit gases that are harmful to health. You should choose a safe variety, it is best to use food grade plastic. The details of the wooden feeder are connected with nails or self-tapping screws. Metal - rivets, tin soldering or welding.

Plastic is glued or joined by heat sealing (thermoplastic types). To distract the eared from the desire to sharpen their teeth on the feeder, branches are regularly thrown into the cage as “gnaws”.

In the very simple execution, the feeder is a box in the form of a cabinet with an extended bottom drawer. The box-like element is the dispenser tray, while the main supply of feed is stored in the "pedestal". It is convenient to use products such as cans, canisters, pipes for the manufacture of a bunker feeder.

Here, for example, from tin tin can volume 3 l:

1. at a distance of 2.5 cm from the bottom across the jar, a line is drawn with a marker, covering half the circle;
2. a cut is made along the line with a hacksaw;
3. press a part of the jar above the cut so that it turns from round to semicircular. In this case, a part 2.5 cm high under the cut (it remained round) will turn out to be protruding - this will be a tray;
4. many holes are drilled in the bottom to remove moisture and small fragments of grain;
5. the sides of the "tray" are bent so that they do not have cutting edges.

Another version of the feeder is made from a plastic sewer pipe.

Sequencing:

1. three fragments are cut with a hacksaw from a pipe with a diameter of 110 mm: one about 1 m long and two 30 cm each;
2. a part of the wall is cut off from each segment 30 cm long, turning the pipe into a tray, but at one end in a section of 3 cm, the product is left untouched;
3. the cut off parts are heated with a building hair dryer or in another way and leveled to a flat state;
4. semicircular plugs are cut out from the obtained plates with metal scissors for installation on trays from the end. they are trimmed with sandpaper and glued to the trays;
5. a tee is put on a long section with a side outlet, getting a T-shaped structure;
6. trays are inserted into the free branches of the tee with the end that was not cut and remained round. The result was a bunker feeder with two trays directed in opposite directions;
7. from below, many small holes are drilled in the trays and the tee;
8. a strip of tin is folded in half lengthwise, then the resulting double bar is also bent in length L-shaped;
9. they put a tin piece on the edge of the tray facing the rabbits, and, having made several through holes, fix it with rivets. This element plays the role of a flanging that prevents the food from spilling out of the tray, and protects its edge from the rabbit's teeth;
10. the same part is made for the second tray and mounted on it;
11. from above, the hopper is closed with a plug specially designed for sewer plastic pipes.

The bunker pipe can be made longer and brought out through the roof - then it will be easier to load the feeder. Attach the hopper to the wall so that it can be easily dismantled for cleaning and repair, but the rabbits could not tip it over.

A homemade rabbit feeder, regardless of type and material, is subject to mandatory inspection for sharp edges and piercing protrusions. To avoid injury to pets, such defects are cleaned with sandpaper or a file.

Related videos

How to make a do-it-yourself bunker feeder for rabbits:

Growing rabbits is a painstaking and time-consuming process that requires careful and thoughtful attitude. But using bunker feeders to supply bulk feed can make life much easier for a breeder. As has been shown, it is not difficult to make such a device yourself, especially if you have pipes remaining after repair or used containers at hand.

People who decide to start breeding rabbits should approach this undertaking with all responsibility. One of the first tasks they face will be the preparation of cages and feeders for rabbits. What are the best feeders to use so that they are convenient and cost-effective?

Types of rabbit feeders

The rabbit feeder itself is an inventory that helps to significantly save time and effort required to maintain a proper diet, and also significantly improves the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the cage. It is important to know that during the day the approach of the rabbit to the feeder can be up to thirty times.

So, all rabbit feeders can be divided into the following types:

How you feed rabbits will determine their health and weight gain, for this, read how to properly feed rabbits.

Materials for making do-it-yourself rabbit feeders

The recommended material for making do-it-yourself rabbit feeders includes thin tin, as well as other metal (tin) products and profiles. In addition, experienced farmers widely use wood, including boards and plywood, in the manufacture of feeders. Plastic and plexiglass, slate, which are suitable for the manufacture of hopper feeders, can also be used.

Auxiliary materials include wire and rod, as well as glass. They are sewn around places of feeders that do not contain metal, which the rabbit can easily gnaw through. In addition, so that the rabbit does not damage its skin, it is recommended to smooth out the sharp edges of the feeders and the resulting notches.

Instructions for making a bunker-type feeder from a tin

When starting to make a do-it-yourself rabbit feeder, you should first make the correct calculations, while having studied the drawings of future feeders and the cells themselves well in advance. If the choice was to make a bunker-type feeder from a tin, then you need to stock up on it. A three-liter tin can is best suited tomato paste. It is also necessary to prepare a drill with a drill and a device for cutting tin for work.

The tin container is cleared of contents before starting work. Next, you need to do the following:

• half of the can is cut off, not across, but along, while the bottom of the can remains untouched;
• further, many holes are drilled in the bottom of the can with a drill, and from the remaining, cut-off part of the can, a certain wall is made and attached to the feeder.
• the finished product is screwed to the cage door.

The finished look of the structure will look somewhat clumsy. However, due to the simplicity of this design and ease of installation, it has received undeniable advantages over other types of bunker feeders for rabbits.

For experienced tinsmiths who have at hand necessary tools, to build a galvanized bunker feeder with your own hands is not difficult. However, such a feeder can be made by a person who does not have the skills. The only thing he will need is to observe safety precautions when working with galvanizing and arm himself detailed diagram(drawing) for the manufacture of a bunker feeder.

An instruction that allows you to make a simple metal feeder from galvanized steel without any problems.

• 1. At the beginning, it is necessary to cut out the details from the sheet of tin according to the drawing. Next, you need to make four cuts on them and bend the tin with pliers along the lines indicated in the drawing.
• 2. In order for the sheet to be easily bent, it is recommended to carefully make cuts along the fold lines to half the thickness of the galvanized sheet using a knife.
• 3. After the parts are made, it is necessary to assemble the hopper feeder according to the scheme, sawing the sharp corners with a file.

Wooden feeder

In addition to galvanized iron, rabbit feeders can also be made from sheet slate, plexiglass, plywood, wood or other materials at hand. Consider making a wooden rabbit feeder.

First you need to take measurements of the feeder, which will depend on the size of the cage. Also, do not forget to stock up on high-quality lumber, the most suitable option which will be an inch board, which is processed on a jointer.

All edges of the wooden structure will have ninety degree angles. The height of the feeder was ten centimeters. In general, the designed capacity of the rabbit feeder should be square and have a size of forty by forty centimeters. In total, for the construction of the feeder, eight planks made of an inch board will be required, four of which will be used to build the bottom, and four to make the sides. Next, knock down the bottom of the feeder and put it on a flat surface. Attach the prepared sidewalls to its end part, screwing them with wood screws.

Important Tips When Making DIY Rabbit Feeders

When building rabbit feeders with your own hands, you should take into account a few tips:

• all equipment constructed, including utensils for rabbits, must be practical, easy to maintain and hygienic;
• in the manufacture of feeders not made of pure metal (tin), it is important to preclude nibbling of inventory items by rabbits;
• feed contamination should be minimized;
• the made feeder must contain the daily amount of feed, otherwise the rabbits can simply climb into it and shit (bunker feeders are an exception to these rules);
• the feeder must be built convenient for your pets;
• feeders must be fastened firmly to prevent them from tipping over or falling.

Watch and video how to make a do-it-yourself rabbit feeder

• convenience and sufficiency of feed supply for animal nutrition;
• keeping the cage clean.

If the size of the feeder is insufficient, the rabbit will be malnourished and, as a result, will develop poorly. Or you will have to not move away from it, constantly adding food there.

If the feeder is too large and spacious, the rabbit will climb into it and begin to scatter food, leaving particles of feces and urine there. And this will lead, in turn, to contamination of the cell and infectious diseases. Therefore, the issue of choosing and manufacturing dishes for food should be approached very carefully, checking in practice your design solutions or products purchased in a store.

In the cage, you can install several feeders for eating different types of food: hay, root crops, dry grain.

Types of feeders

Each type of food needs its own type of dishes.

Ceramic bowls or cup feeders

They look aesthetically pleasing. Used for feeding rabbits with granulated feed, grains and root crops. Also applicable as a drinker. The price of a product for 250 ml, as in the figure above, is 370 rubles. There are even more expensive ones. But the fact is that the rabbit does not care about beauty. The main thing for him is that the food is plentiful and tasty for him. And he will easily turn over such a bowl, trample food with his paws. And then there is not much sense in feeding. You can fix the feeder, but then it will be inconvenient to add food to it. And its capacity is very small - no more than the daily norm is placed. So, you buy this bowl in order to please yourself, not the rabbit.

Nursery or hay

They are indispensable when feeding a rabbit with hay. With their successful design and sufficient size, he will always be full. You can even leave it alone for a couple of days.

Such a nursery can be made by yourself from a steel mesh with a cell size of 25x50 mm. Some argue that the cell may be smaller - 25x25 mm. A rabbit, even with such parameters, will be able to easily get his own food. But it is better to test it on your pets. It may be difficult for you to do this.

People with fantasy as a nursery attach half of a bicycle trunk to the wall of the cage - as in the figure below.

They must be constantly monitored, paying attention to the fact that they are not empty.

Grooved

This type of feeders in its own way functional purpose refers to universal accessories. From it you can feed the rabbit with hay, root crops and grain. They are metal or wood. Their design is simple - four walls and a bottom. Craftsmen fit pieces of pipes (metal or plastic) under it, from 0.5 to 1 m long. Their ends are sealed, and an oblong hole is cut along the top. It can also be used as a drinker. They are placed both outside and inside the cage. Ideal for feeding a group of rabbits.

Bunker

This type of feeder is the most popular. It is most convenient to fill it with grain and other loose feed. Structurally, it is made in the form of a box inserted into a trough, from the bottom of which a mesh is fixed. Inside the box there is a limiter that regulates the supply of food as it is eaten. For the manufacture of bunker feeders, either wood or tin is used. Metal products are easier to clean and last longer. If rabbits (those who like to gnaw everything in the world) destroy the wooden one almost immediately, then they will still tinker with this one. Depending on the number of rabbits, the bunker feeders can be used either singly or in series, securing up to five together.

Such feeders, as shown in the figure above, can be made by yourself with the materials at hand in 20 minutes. One of them is made of a profile, and the other is made of the remains of a sewer plastic pipe. Usually adult rabbits do not gnaw on plastic. In tin troughs, the walls have curved edges. This prevents the feed from being raked out.

What materials are feeders made from?

They are

• tin;
• from metal profile;
• wooden (from a thin board or plywood);
• from organic glass;
• plastic;
• from straight slate.

For senniks take a steel mesh or rod. For fastenings, you can use wire. If the feeder is made of wood or other not very strong material, then they try to upholster the places most likely to be chewed by rabbits with tin. All notches and chips are smoothed and polished.

Making a nursery feeder

Hay is the main component of the diet of your eared pets. You can just throw it in a cage. But in this case, it will quickly become unusable, as the rabbits will trample it. This means that cells need to be cleaned more often. Otherwise, rabbits, eating trampled hay, may start to get sick. Therefore, this accessory in the cage is necessary.

In addition, the peculiarity of the rabbit is that he eats and defecates at the same time. So, if you hang the manger at the top, and put a feces tray under them, then the cage will become cleaner. And maybe the eared ones will get used to the tray.

It is easy to make such a feeder yourself. There are many options for building canopies. There are those that are attached inside the cage, there are those that are attached outside. In double cages, it is convenient to use a V-shaped nursery. For ornamental rabbits, small feeders are enough, and those who grow them for industrial purposes need to put large cage walls across the width. When choosing a rabbit house option, pay attention to the convenience of its maintenance.

Required materials and tools

For work you need to take:

• plywood sheet of the required dimensions;
• electric jigsaw or hacksaw for cutting plywood sheet;
• connecting devices - self-tapping screws and nails;
• hammer;
• pieces of wire;
• metal mesh;
• screwdriver;
• metal scissors.

Stages of building an outdoor nursery

• Develop a design drawing according to the size of the rabbit cage.
• With a jigsaw cut out two identical side walls in the form of a triangle.
• With the same tool cut out the front part.
• All parts are connected with self-tapping screws.
• Ready-made nurseries are fixed on the side wall of the cage.

Stages of construction of a V-shaped nursery

• For a double-sided, installed inside the sennik, you will need to cut seven parts from the board. Four - 40 cm each - for the side walls. Three - 50 cm each - top and base.
• From metal mesh cut off two pieces measuring 30 x 40 cm. They act as walls. Hay will be eaten through the mesh holes.
• Two short and one long boards are interconnected with self-tapping screws, forming the letter P.
• The second part is connected in the same way.
• Then these two parts are attached to the base, forming an angle of 45 °. The result is something similar to the Latin V.
• The mesh is attached to the side walls of the nursery.
• Everything - the nursery can be installed as shown in the figure below.

As you can see, making do-it-yourself rabbit feeders is a simple matter, and even a beginner can handle it.