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How to make a rabbit feeder

If you decide to start breeding rabbits, you must create all 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 avoid wasting our energy and time to ensure that our rabbits are properly fed.

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 we start making do-it-yourself feeders, we will give a few tips:

  • all feeding devices must meet accepted sanitary standards, easy to maintain and reasonably practical;
  • non-metallic 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 ones, should contain no more than 1 daily food intake, so that rabbits cannot get there and spoil the remaining supply;
  • devices should be as easy to use as possible;
  • the attachments of the feeders must be secure so that the rabbits cannot damage or turn them over.

The main types of rabbit feeders

Feeders, which are often used by 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 overturn them and scatter feed.
  2. Concentrated feeds and most root crops are well placed in trough 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 products. It saves time as it fills up with feed for several days.
  4. Nurseries are feeders in which you can put various grasses and hay, but you need to monitor them and fill up the feed in time.
  5. Cup view of the feeders. The material for their manufacture is different - it is metal (cans), clay and concrete. Typically used for bulk feed or as drinkers for rabbits.

Rabbit trough feeders

Making these rabbit feeders is straightforward. The easiest option is made from 6 boards. Two of them will go to make the bottom, two more boards go for the long sides of the trough, and the remaining two - for the short sides. Such feeders are usually 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 much better food.

Bunker feeders for rabbits

Before making 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 bunker-type feeder, which is easily made from a three-liter tin can for tomato paste.

You will need a drill and scissors to cut the tin. First of all, the jar is cleaned of paste residues. 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 with a width of 5 mm are bent into it and it is attached with screws or rivets to the remaining semicircular part with a bottom;
  • all sharp and cut edges are folded with pliers so as not to injure the rabbits.

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

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

Nursery or sennitsa for rabbits

These types of feeding devices can be located inside and outside the cages, but so 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 hay nursery yourself. To make a sennitsa, you need a wire mesh and a pair of caps that are twisted glass jars... The mesh in the wire mesh should be no larger than 12x12 or 12x24. The mesh rolls up in the form of a cylinder, and on the sides the structure is attached with covers. Such a nursery is suspended from the ceiling or fixed to the cage wall. Rabbits freely get hay from the nursery, and it is always clean and dry. Sometimes this sennitsa is made in the form of a ball.

Another simple type of hay crib is made of 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, cut a lid on it from the mesh. All this is held together and loops are made of wire to secure the structure to the cage wall. This trough is perfect for coarse, concentrated and green forage.

Rabbit bowl feeders

This type of feeder is quite simple to make. We take a can, which is wide and small in height, bend uneven and sharp edges with pliers, if the can is high, cut it off and also process the edges. In order to make these feeders out of concrete, we dig a round hole, pour the solution there, give the shape of a bowl and wait for it to harden. You can also use an iron bowl attached to the wall of the cage so that it cannot tip over. Often, Czech feeders are used under water for rabbits. In pet 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 inch-thick boards.

Four boards will be used to make the bottom, and the sides will be made from the rest. 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 complex. But if you have enough skills in working with metal and wood, then a hand-made rabbit feeder will bring you much more moral satisfaction, plus you can always add something from yourself to this. Below are video materials that will help you understand the question: how to make a rabbit feeder.

Making a metal rabbit feeder

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

Other articles from this section:

How to breed rabbits Why does a rabbit scatter rabbits? What do rabbits eat? Rabbit slaughter - how to kill a rabbit? How do rabbits differ from hares? What should you not feed your rabbit? How to choose a pair of rabbits for mating How to determine the hunting period in rabbits How to mate rabbits? How to castrate a rabbit? How to make a rabbit drinker? How to feed rabbits properly 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 gender of a rabbit? What grass can you give rabbits? What do rabbits look like? (Body constitution) How do rabbits mate?

Other sections:

ZOOENGER'S Notes Breeding, maintenance Business rabbit breeding Interesting about rabbits Not about rabbits! Medicines for rabbits Diseases and treatments Rabbit breeds

DIY bunker feeder for rabbits drawings

DIY bunker feeder for rabbits, drawings and detailed description constructions.

DRY FOOD FEEDER

What are the advantages of the product in question:

Continuous supply of dry feed with volume control.
Possibility to track the filling volume of the trough through the back wall made of transparent polycarbonate.
The feeding trough is divided into two equal parts.

The hopper feeder consists of three main elements:

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

BUNKER

The drawing shows a detail 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. Aft bulkhead.
  7. Feed volume control plate.
  8. Sieve.
  9. Polycarbonate wall.

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.
Rear wall - made of transparent polycarbonate or plexiglass to visually determine the volume of filling the trough with feed without looking inside the hopper.

HOPPER COVER

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

MEAL COLLECTION BOX

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

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

How to make a rabbit feeder yourself

The desire to have a rabbit or even to engage in rabbit breeding is always associated with certain problems. Which cages to use, which rabbit feeders are best to use?

Rabbit feeders from scrap materials: quick and easy

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

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

Types of feeders

The rabbit feeder belongs to this type of inventory, which significantly saves time and effort, maintains the correct diet for the animal, and significantly increases the hygienic conditions in the cage. And the fact that the rabbits' trip to the feeding trough is 26-30 times a day speaks of its importance. There are the following types of feeders:

  1. Ceramic bowls. Typically factory made. They look beautiful, but animals often turn them over.
  2. Nursery. Used to feed rabbits with hay and grass. Practical, but require frequent attention to replenish feed.
  3. Trough feeders. Serve for feeding with root crops, concentrated and forage. Easy to manufacture. Provides access to feed for large numbers of rabbits.
  4. Bunker feeders for rabbits. Used for free-flowing and granular feed. The type of design prevents the scattering and trampling of feed, and the trough itself is refilled once every few days.
  5. Cup feeders. They can be metal (used cans), concrete or clay. They are used for granular and bulk feed. They can serve as drinkers for rabbits.

Rabbit eating hay from the feeder

How to make a feeder at home?

When making any utensils for the rabbitry, it should be remembered that it should be simple to maintain and use. The feed must be protected from foreign contamination. The hygienic condition of the equipment must be proper. Professional breeders can make a trough 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 the tool. Prepare the drawings you need. Professionals recommend that you print the drawing and decompose 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 most practical today is the bunker feeder for rabbits. Granulated feed or grain in the process of eating it by animals evenly, by gravity, fills the receiving tray and there is kept at the desired level. The food does not spill out. That has a positive effect on the hygienic state of the cage and has a beneficial effect on rabbits. The big plus of such feeders is undoubtedly the large volume of the bunker. Thanks to this, the stored feed in the container is enough for several days. This type of feeder is often used in farms that are located in areas remote from the place of residence. There are feeders of the following types:

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

Trough feeders are widely used both in amateur rabbit breeding and on farms. Very lightweight and easy to assemble. Drawings of such feeders can be read by everyone and made 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 considered to be conical. These feeders have a narrow bottom and therefore the selection of feed by animals is much better.

Sennik nurseries are often used in small and medium-sized farms. Experts recommend making a nursery 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 feed throughout the cage. As a result, animal droppings do not mix, and this simplifies cage cleaning and feed consumption. Positive quality a creche is that food is evenly distributed among the pets. This gives no way for the dominant animal to drive away the rest of the rabbits.

Rabbit nursery

Almost all types of feeders are easy to assemble and therefore, making them yourself will not be difficult. 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 seasoned 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 a basis, then in this case it will be necessary to sheathe those places where the rabbits will most likely gnaw through parts of the structure.

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

You will face many difficulties. The correctness of the choice of cages and feeders for rabbits, dietary regimes, hygienic condition, types of feed.

Need to do correct calculations, study well the drawings of cages and feeders, shoe yourself with literature.

How to make a simple metal structure?

There is one simple and quick option for making a metal feeder with your own hands. Let's 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 pieces and make four cuts by bending the sheet along the lines indicated in the drawing. Use pliers for convenience and safety.
  3. To make it easier to bend the sheet, 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 workpieces as shown in the drawing. File or emery any sharp corners and edges.

Making a bunker feeder

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

Bunker trough drawing

  1. We assemble the frame by connecting the side walls and the back with 4 screws 35mm.
  2. On the front wall of sheet metal, 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 bolt the mesh to the front wall end-to-end to the bent edge exactly in the middle.
  4. We insert the front wall with a net into the feeder and fix it with screws. In this case, the rear part of the net will "lie" on the rear wall of the trough in a bend.
  5. We bend a Z-shaped bunker base made of tin and insert it into the trough from above.

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

  • all equipment and all utensils for rabbit breeding should be practical, easy to clean, hygienic;
  • if the feeder is not made of pure metal or tin, exclude gnawing of its elements;
  • minimize feed contamination;
  • the feeder must contain a daily amount of food, otherwise the rabbits will crawl into it and shit there (the exception is bunker feeders);
  • the feeder should be comfortable for pets;
  • the attachment of the feeder must be firm to prevent it from overturning or falling.

More information

Not only the convenience of their living, but also their care 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, which are designed for different types of feed and have different designs. We will talk about rabbit bunker feeders: what is the advantage of this type and how to make them yourself.

There are many different types rabbit feeders:

  1. nursery - used for feeding with hay. They are easy to use but require frequent replenishment;
  2. grooved - used for feeding with bulk 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 over and empty all the contents from it;
  4. bunker feeders for rabbits - convenient, used for bulk feed (grains, granules). Capacious, and you can replenish it every few days.

It is about the last type of feeders that we will talk about in our article. The main advantage of this type is the 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 keep the feed from contamination.

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

It is very convenient to use the feeding hopper container, it can be installed in any type of cage. Cleaning is also easy. It can be easily removed and installed. It can be easily made by hand, and materials for it can be found in any shed. There are many different systems making feeders: Tsvetkova, Bryukova, etc.

How to do it at home

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

Drawing: schematic (left) and finished structure (right)

The main thing is to decide on the size and material. Such a container can be made from wood or from sheets of tin; there are also plastic blanks, which you can purchase in specialized stores. Wood construction is considered more sustainable 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 top (the place where the feed is poured) is closed, this will protect the grain from dirt and dampness. Before starting the construction of a bunker feeder, decide on the type of attachment to the cage. The attachment must be strong and the container must not wobble.

Materials and tools

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

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

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

Manufacturing

Let's start with the inner tin frame. Sheet size should be at least 120x250 cm. Sheet thickness should be 0.5 mm. This design has three main parts:

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

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

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

To make it easier to work with the workpiece, the side and back walls are bent from one sheet. The length of this blank will be 370 mm. Along the width, we bend the sheet of metal into three parts: the side walls are 150 mm each and the back one 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 + 10 mm allowances on both sides. In total, we cut out a sheet of 270 mm.

We do the folds with our hands. The thickness of the tin allows this, small bends (for allowances) can be made with pliers. In the blanks, we make markings for the fasteners and drill holes with a drill. And then we attach all the elements of the hopper feeder together. This can be done with rivets or bolts. The mesh is installed last on the bottom of the structure, but you can do without it.

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

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

This container holds two daily feed requirements for rabbits. If you are making a feeder according to the principle we have provided, but smaller in size, remember that the minimum volume should be one daily feed rate. The hopper must be secured firmly 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 supply different types of food to their pets, breeders use several types of feeders. Dry and friable grain mixtures or granular additives are conveniently fed through hopper-type devices. Next, we will talk about what is good about the bunker 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 trough contains a significant supply of feed (approximately 2 daily norms) and gradually dispenses it into the dispensing 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 the rabbits do not need to add food every 2 to 3 hours, then it is not necessary to live next to them. It is only necessary to supplement the bunker feeder with an autodrinker and strong locks on the cage door;
  3. simplicity of the device. Feeding is carried out without the use of complex volatile mechanisms. The trough is extremely simple and accessible for self-made... It is also very easy to clean and can be installed absolutely anywhere;
  4. economical feed consumption. In trough or pan feeders, the entire supply of feed is visible and therefore constantly contaminated with fluff and excrement. This requires its regular replacement, because when eating dirty food, the animals risk getting sick;
  5. in the hopper, the entire feed is protected and therefore kept clean. At the same time, thanks to the reliable fastening, pets cannot overturn it and scatter the contents. The dispensing tray is equipped with strips that do not allow raking out feed;
  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 in intermittently, the animals suffer from disorders in the gastrointestinal tract: bloating, indigestion, constipation. With a hopper trough, 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 gain weight rapidly;
  7. the ability to collect grain flour. The contents of the hopper gradually settle, while the grains exert 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 the mash of wet feed or other inhabitants of the courtyard, for example, are fed it.

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

Device

The hopper feeder consists of two components:

The hopper feeder is suitable for the following feed:

  • 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: trough or bowl feeders;
  • for hay and herbs: nursery feeder (sennik).

Dimensions

The volume of the bunker is calculated according to the simple formula V \u003d A * B * C, where:

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

The dimensions of the hopper are arranged so that it fits well into the cage and is located as efficiently as possible. If the cage is supposed to be divided in two, the bunker can act as 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 remains of old feed, and this is sometimes required.

Bunker trough drawing

The tray is sized so that all rabbits have simultaneous access to feed. Otherwise, strong individuals will constantly push back the weak and they will fall ill from malnutrition. The bunker feeder tray cannot have as long as you want - the grain is poured out of the tank over a limited distance.

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

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

Self-production

Bunker feeders are made from sheet material, it is 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 chew for training. If any of the above was nevertheless used to make the feeder, the edges, corners and other vulnerable elements are upholstered with tin.

Many types of plastics are fizzy - they emit gases harmful to health. A safe variety should be selected, 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 heat-sealed (thermoplastic types). To distract the eared ears from the desire to sharpen their teeth on the feeder, branches are regularly thrown into the cage as "nibbles".

In the very simple execution, the feeder is a box in the form of a pedestal with an extended lower drawer. The drawer-like element is the dispensing tray, while the bulk of the feed is stored in the “pedestal”. It is convenient to use products such as cans, cans, pipes for the manufacture of a hopper feeder.

For example, from a tin tin can volume of 3 liters:

  1. at a distance of 2.5 cm from the bottom across the can, draw a line with a marker covering half of the circle;
  2. make a cut along the line with a hacksaw;
  3. press part of the can above the cut so that it turns from round to semicircular. In this case, a part 2.5 cm high under the cut (it remains round) will be protruding - it will be a tray;
  4. many holes are drilled in the bottom to drain 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. with a hacksaw, three fragments are cut from a pipe with a diameter of 110 mm: one about 1 m long and two 30 cm long;
  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 intact;
  3. the cut parts are heated with a construction hairdryer or in another way and leveled to a flat state;
  4. semicircular plugs are cut from the obtained plates with metal scissors for installation on the trays from the end. they are trimmed with sandpaper and glued to trays;
  5. a tee is put on a long section with a side outlet, receiving 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 is a bunker feeder with two trays directed in opposite directions;
  7. many small holes are drilled from the bottom in the trays and tee;
  8. a strip of tin is folded in half lengthwise, then the resulting double bar is also bent L-shaped in length;
  9. put on a tin piece on the edge of the tray facing the rabbits, and, after making several through holes, fix it with rivets. This element acts as a flange 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 is attached to it;
  11. from above, the bunker is closed with a plug specially designed for sewer plastic pipes.

The hopper tube can be made longer and brought out through the roof to make it easier to load the feeder. Attach the bunker feeder to the wall so that it can be easily dismantled for cleaning and repairs, but the rabbits cannot overturn it.

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 DIY bunker feeder for rabbits:

Raising rabbits is a painstaking and time-consuming process that requires an attentive and thoughtful attitude. But using bunker feeders for feeding bulk feed, a breeder can make his life much easier. As has been shown, it is not difficult to make such a device yourself, especially if there are pipes left after repair or a container that has served its purpose at hand.

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

Types of rabbit feeders

The rabbit feeder itself is a tool that helps to significantly save time and effort required to maintain a proper diet, and also significantly increases the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the cage. It is important to know that during the day, the rabbit's approach 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 depend on their health and weight gain, for this read how to properly feed rabbits.

DIY materials for making rabbit feeders

The recommended material for making do-it-yourself rabbit feeders includes thin sheet metal, as well as other metal (tin) products and profiles. In addition, experienced farmers make extensive use of wood, including planks and plywood, in making feeders. You can also use plastic and plexiglass, slate, which are suitable for the manufacture of bunker feeders.

Auxiliary materials include wire and rod, as well as glass. They are used to sew on places of feeders that do not contain metal, which the rabbit can easily chew. In addition, to prevent the rabbit from damaging its skin, it is recommended to smooth out the sharp edges of the feeders and the resulting jaggies.

Instructions for making a bunker-type feeder from a tin can

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

Before starting work, the tin container is cleaned of the contents. Next, you need to do the following:

  • half of a tin can is cut off, not across, but along, while the bottom of the can remains untouched;
  • further in the bottom of the can, many holes are drilled 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 type of construction will look somewhat clumsy. However, due to the simplicity of this design and ease of installation, it 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 also 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 galvanized steel and arm himself detailed diagram (drawing) the manufacture of a bunker feeder.






Instructions for making a simple galvanized metal feeder without any problems.

  • 1.First, it is necessary to cut out the details from the sheet according to the drawing. Next, you need to make four cuts on them and bend the sheet with pliers along the lines indicated in the drawing.
  • 2.To make the sheet easy to bend, 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 bunker feeder according to the scheme, sawing sharp corners with a file.

Wood feeder

In addition to galvanized iron, bunker feeders for rabbits can also be made of sheet slate, plexiglass, plywood, wood or other scrap materials. Consider making a rabbit feeder made of wood.

First, you should take measurements of the feeder, which will depend on the size of the cage. Also, do not forget to stock up on quality lumber, the most suitable option which will become an inch board, which is processed on a planer machine.

All the edges of the timber structure will have ninety degrees angles. The height of the trough was ten centimeters. In general, the designed capacity of the rabbit feeder should be square and measure forty by forty centimeters. In total, for the construction of the feeder, eight planks made of inch boards will be required, four of which will be used for the construction of the bottom, and four for the manufacture of the sides. Next, you should knock down the bottom of the trough and put it on a flat surface. Attach the prepared sidewalls to its end part, screwing them with self-tapping screws on wood.

Important tips for making DIY rabbit feeders

When constructing feeders for rabbits with your own hands, you should adopt a few tips:

  • all equipment to be built, including utensils for rabbits, must be practical, easy to clean and hygienic;
  • when making feeders not made of pure metal (tin), it is important to exclude rabbits from gnawing items of inventory in advance;
  • it is necessary to minimize contamination of the feed;
  • the made feeder must contain a daily amount of feed, otherwise the rabbits can simply crawl into it and shit (bunker feeders are an exception to these rules);
  • the feeder must be built convenient for your pets;
  • the feeders must be attached firmly to prevent them from turning over or falling.

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

  • convenience and sufficiency of feeding the animal;
  • keeping the cage clean.

If the size of the feeder is insufficient, the rabbit will be malnourished and, as a result, poorly developed. Or you will have to stick to it, constantly adding food there.

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

Several feeders can be installed in the cage for eating different types of food: hay, root crops, dry grain.

Feeder types

Each type of food needs its own type of dishes.

Ceramic bowls or bowl feeders

They look aesthetically pleasing. Used for feeding rabbits with granulated feed, grain and root crops. Also suitable as a drinker. The price of a 250 ml product, as in the picture above, is 370 rubles. There are even more expensive ones. But the point is, the rabbit doesn't care about beauty. The main thing for him is that there is a lot of food and tasty for him. And he can easily turn over such a bowl, stomping 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 - it fits no more than the daily norm. This means that you will buy this bowl in order to please yourself, not the rabbit.

Manger or sennik

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

Such a nursery can be made by yourself from a steel mesh with a mesh size of 25x50 mm. Some argue that the cell can be smaller - 25x25 mm. The rabbit, even with such parameters, will be able to easily get food for itself. But it's better to check it out on your pets. It may be difficult for yours.

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

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

Flute

This type of feeder in its own way functional purpose belongs to the universal accessories. It can be used to feed the rabbit with hay, root crops and grain. They come in metal or wood. Their design is simple - four walls and a bottom. Craftsmen adapt pieces of pipes (metal or plastic) for it, from 0.5 to 1 m long. The ends are sealed, and an oblong hole is cut along the top 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 bulk feed. Structurally, it is made in the form of a box inserted into a trough, below which a mesh is fixed. There is a restrictor inside the box that adjusts the feed as it is eaten. For the manufacture of bunker feeders, either wood or tin is used. The metal product is easier to clean and more durable. If the rabbits (those who like to gnaw everything in the world) destroy the wooden one almost immediately, then they will still tinker with this. Depending on the number of rabbits, hopper feeders can be used either singly or battery-powered, fastening up to five together.

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

What materials are feeders made of?

They are

  • tinny;
  • of metal profile;
  • wooden (thin board or plywood);
  • made of organic glass;
  • plastic;
  • from straight slate.

For senniks, they take a steel mesh or rod. Wire can be used for fasteners. If the feeder is made of wood or other not very strong material, then they try to cover the places most likely to be gnawed by rabbits with tin. All nicks and chips are smoothed and sanded.

Making a nursery feeder

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

In addition, the rabbit's characteristic is that it eats and defecates at the same time. This means that if you hang the nursery at the top, and put a tray for feces under them, then the cage will become cleaner. And maybe the eared ears will get used to the tray.

Such a feeder is easy to make yourself. There are many options for building senniks. 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 decorative rabbits, small feeders are enough, and those who grow them for industrial purposes need to put large ones, the width of the cage wall. When choosing the version of the rabbit house, pay attention to the convenience of its maintenance.

Required materials and tools

To work you need to take:

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

Stages of building an outdoor crèche

  • Develop a design drawing according to the dimensions of a rabbit cage.
  • With a jigsaw, cut out two identical side walls in the form of a triangle.
  • The front part is cut out with the same tool.
  • All parts are connected with self-tapping screws.
  • The finished nursery is fixed on the side wall of the cage.

Construction stages of V-shaped creches

  • 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 of 30 x 40 cm. They function as walls. Hay will be eaten through the mesh holes.
  • Two short and one long boards are connected together with self-tapping screws, forming the letter P.
  • The second part is connected in the same way.
  • These two pieces are then attached to the base, forming a 45 ° angle. The result is something similar to the Latin V.
  • The net 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 rabbits feeders is a simple matter, and even a beginner can handle it.


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