Mikhailov's cages for rabbits
Mikhailov's rabbit cages are comfortable housing for animals with a design aimed at increasing offspring. The use of such cells greatly simplifies the maintenance of fluffy.
Mikhailov's cages for rabbits
Mikhailov's mini-farm is equipped with an automatic drainage system, and also involves filling the feeders and drinking bowls without the participation of the farm owner. Also, these enclosures contain a heating system that regulates the water temperature to room temperature.
The design of the cage according to the Mikhailov method is designed primarily for the comfortable maintenance of a pregnant female and newborn rabbits.
Cell appearance
The cell drawings were invented by the outstanding academician I.N. Mikhailov. Nowadays, such dwellings are used on professional farms, state farms and private breeders. Due to its versatility, Mikhailov's mini-farm for farm rabbits made rabbit breeding much easier.
Cages with animals are arranged in several rows under one canopy. Each individual cell has an average size of 1.5 square meters. m, and 25 individuals can easily live in it.
The structure is a complex of 3 different tiers. The upper floor is used for raising young rabbits, while the lower floor houses the feeders and drinkers. On the one hand, Mikhailov's cage is insulated, and on the other, it is equipped with a grate to ensure free air circulation throughout the dwelling.
Cell appearance
Usually the grill is equipped with a fine mesh in two rows so that the animal does not grind its teeth on it. The bottom of the cell is covered with thin ridges at a short distance from each other. This is done so that the dirt from the cage falls into a special sump. In general, caring for such a structure takes no more than half an hour from the farmer.
A sloped ceiling is stress-free for rabbits. On the contrary, such a roof resembles an earthen vault in an animal's burrow. The cage also has a heated mother tank, and thanks to a complex system of ventilation holes, drinkers and feeders, pregnant females usually do not need additional housing conditions. The advantage of such a cell is that it can be made at home.
Materials for the cage
To build a structure according to the Mikhailov method, rare materials or special skills of a carpenter are not required. Drawings are also freely available. However, rabbit breeders argue that it is better to buy such dwellings for rabbits, because firms can guarantee quality.
If you want to try to make such a cell with your own hands, then for one design you will need:
- 2 plywood sheets;
- nails;
- galvanized iron sheet;
- 8 sq. m roofing material;
- 2 m of solid DPV;
- one m of soft fiberboard;
- fence;
- boards;
- four bars.
Also, regular paint is used to cover the cage. For the south wall, a fine metal mesh should be purchased.
What parts does Mikhailov's cage consist of?
In the design of such a dwelling for rabbits, several areas are provided that are responsible for different functions of the cage. Conventionally, the entire structure can be divided into the following parts:
- ventilation system;
- drinker;
- feeder;
- water heating system;
- mother liquor heating system;
- pallet;
- living quarters for rodents.
The mini rabbit farm is equipped with several outlets, which are powered by an external power source or a built-in transformer box. Also, make sure that the structure is not flooded.
In general, the sockets are equipped with protection against water, but this may not save you from a heavy rainfall. Therefore, the cage should be placed under a canopy.
Cage stand
This tier is equipped with a horizontal support frame. Also, it is this part of the cage that is equipped with a transformer box and shelves for tools. This level is technical, it contains a special container or bucket for collecting manure. The dirt is drained through a cone-shaped shaft, which is upholstered with fiberboard sheets, and then covered with roofing material.
The material for such a mine must be frost-resistant and rust-resistant. The drain structure must be sealed, otherwise there is a risk of waste water leakage, which leads to unsanitary conditions and an unpleasant odor. When building a cell with your own hands, be sure to use drawings. Without them, a rabbit mini-farm will not be strong and reliable.
Walking part of the cage and mother liquor
The lower tier is installed on a support using four support legs. Their height is about 10 cm. The left side of the cage is reinforced with a net, a 1-centimeter hole is made in it. The floor consists of several compartments, in which the rabbits can be caught and examined.
The walking compartment of the mini-farm contains a drinker and a feeder. There is a small hole at the bottom that leads into a drain shaft. The floor is made of thin slats that fit on top of the holes. The floor itself is made of load-bearing planks and is able to withstand a lot of weight.
The flooring is reinforced at an angle so that the eared ones do not injure their paws while jumping. The slats are reinforced with metal plates to prevent rabbits from grinding their teeth on them.
The nest compartment is first of all equipped with a special hinged door, it is held from below by fasteners. Thus, the farmer has a place to look, and the rabbits will not fall out of the cage. In this part of the cage, the floor is solid and is slightly below the level of the bottom. The size of this part of the cage allows for the free installation of the queen cell. The nest is located separately from the rest of the compartments, and the female access hole can be closed if necessary. Normal rabbits are restricted in this part of the second tier, as shelves block their path.
Drinker
The automatic drinker is located in the walking area of the compartment. It is an iron container in which several canisters are turned over. The stoppers of these bottles have a series of holes. This allows you to control the water level in the drinker without human intervention, and the rabbits will not flood their own homes.
Rabbit drinker
The size of the automatic drinker compartment depends on the canister size and capacity. The entrance to this compartment is cut out of plywood, but the view for entering the uterine compartment should be made of metal materials. The water bowl is not fully accessible to rabbits. Part of the tank is removed deep into the structure, since there are heating devices in it, which automatically turn on if the water temperature is below 8 ° C. If the outside temperature is above 12 ° C, then the electric soldering iron turns off. When building a cage with your own hands, you must not forget to isolate wires and electrical appliances from animals and water.
Bunker feeder
There is a specialized feeder for compound feed next to the drinker. The lower part of the feeder goes into a special place between the yards. This hole is equipped with a waste collector, which helps to collect flour and debris, as well as the food that rabbits rake out with their front paws.To reduce the amount of spoiled feed, farmers recommend equipping the structure with a special nut that will not allow fluffs to scatter feed.
The feeder has a wedge-shaped appearance. The upper part is hinged, and thus the feed is poured. At the bottom of the hopper is a sieve that separates flour and fine dust from the feed. Garbage subsequently ends up in a utilizer. The feed itself falls into the hole, which is usually no more than 10 square meters. cm.
The farmer should frequently check and clean the recycler, otherwise the feeder may become clogged.
Coarse feed trough
The feeder with succulent and roughage can be located simultaneously in 2 places: on the upper and lower floors of the farm. It is a door with a strong mesh.
Outside, a special bunker is suspended from the hole, into which hay and vegetables are laid. The hopper is wedge-shaped and gravity feeds the feed into the net.
Upper tier
The uppermost tier is used most often for two purposes: as an auxiliary mother liquor or as a compartment for deposition. For the first case, this part of the cell is made in the likeness of the lower floor. The tiers differ exclusively in their parameters. The floor is divided into 2 sections, in which the rabbits are placed. Usually, the upper level is 20 cm larger in size than the lower one, and its right side extends beyond the mini-farm.
The upper tier of the mini-farm
If the purpose of the upper tier is to create a place exclusively for babies and without placing the female to the children, then the structure does not need a two-tier bottom. In this case, the yards are placed on boards with a section of 20 x 80. Also, the rack system itself changes. The floor is laid perpendicular to the lower section, thereby increasing the strength of the cage. Each compartment has doors and a feeder just like below. The southern part of the jigging floor is equipped with fine mesh doors.
So, Mikhailovsky mini-farms are an effective way to breed rabbits at home all year round. Thanks to automatic feeding and cleaning, it takes a farmer half an hour a day to provide the rabbits with the right care. Similar designs are used both in large farms and at home. Also, inexpensive materials and drawings in the public domain allow you to build such a structure with your own hands.