Build the Hutch That Works Every Day
Dimensions, wire gauge, water systems, and feed storage — the decisions that control labor time, animal health, and feed cost from day one.
Specs That Protect Does and Cut Cleaning Time
A doe cage runs 30 inches wide by 36 inches deep by 18 inches tall. Wire floor gauge is 14 on the floor, 16 on sides and top. These numbers are not negotiable — they determine kit survival and how long daily cleaning takes.
Nest box opening is cut 4 inches from the floor, 10 inches wide, to keep kits contained in the first two weeks. Ventilation clearance behind hutches requires 6 inches minimum to prevent ammonia buildup.
Doe Cage Dimensions
Nest Box Specs
Ventilation Clearance
10 W x 12 D x 10 H inches for medium breeds. Entry cut 4 inches from the floor. Add shavings 2 inches deep, hay on top before kindling.
Minimum 6 inches behind hutches, cross-ventilation on both ends. Ammonia buildup above 10 ppm causes respiratory damage within two weeks.
30 W x 36 D x 18 H inches. Wire floor: 14-gauge galvanized. Side and top: 16-gauge. Fryer grow-out cages run 24 x 24 x 18.
The Two Systems Beginners Underbuilld
Water: Nipple Lines Over Crocks
Feed Storage: Moisture Is the Cost
Crocks spill, contaminate, and require daily refilling. Stainless nipple drinkers on a gravity line cut water labor to once a week and eliminate wet bedding under cages.
Pellets stored in open bags or wooden bins absorb humidity and mold within days. Galvanized metal cans with tight lids, sized to hold a two-week supply, are the minimum standard.
In freezing climates, a heated line or insulated header tank is required equipment, not an upgrade. Does that go 12 hours without water in winter will abort litters.
Label each bin with purchase date and lot number. Tracking feed batches is how you catch a palatability drop before does start refusing feed and condition falls.
Every Spec in One Printable Checklist
Cage dimensions, wire gauge, nest-box measurements, water system specs, and feed storage standards — formatted for the wall of your rabbitry.