Whether you’re interested in raising rabbits for 4-H, or simply want to own one as a pet, you’re going to need a home for it. Spend a considerable amount of money for one ($100 or more) at a pet-supply shops, or do it yourself and save the money. Follow the steps below and build a rabbit hutch in no time!

Materials you will need:

• Length of chicken wire, 24″x96″
• 2 door hinges
• Hook and eye latching device for the door
• 2 sheets plywood, 24″x72″x3/4″
• 2″x4″s, 8′ in length, 8
• Two 1″x2″ boards, 6′ long
• Staples

Tools:

• Wire cutters
• Pliers
• Regular screwdriver
• Hammer
• 3″ nails, 1 pound
• Measuring Tape (Learn how to read a tape measure)
• Straight edge
• 1″ nails, 1 pound

Building the Frame:

1. Decide how big the cage will be. If your cage will be for only one rabbit, you might want to consider a slightly smaller hutch. Just make the dimensions smaller. This cage will hold two to three rabbits comfortably.



2. Construct the frame for the cage using 2″x4″ boards. Cut 4 boards to 48″ long. Cut 8 boards to 24″ long. Using the hammer, join one 48″ board to one 24″ board so that it forms an L.
3. Note: The end of the 24″ board should be joined to the 48″ board so that the 4″ widths are on the left and right side of the L. The 2″ width should be facing you when you are looking directly at the board.
4. The cage will be 48″ long, so the 24″ board will be on the inside part of the final frame - nail the end of the 24″ piece to the last 2″ of the 48″ piece.
5. Use nails and hammer to attach a second 48″ piece to the opposite side of the 24″ piece. Be careful to nail the end of the 24″ piece to the last 2″ of the 48″ piece once more. This will form an elongated U.
6. Nail a second 24″ piece to the last 2″ of the 48″ boards. This will form a rectangular frame. Lie the frame on the workbench with one 48″ board facing you and the 24″ boards pointing away from you.
7. Next, nail a 24″ board to each corner of the frame. The board should point upward toward the ceiling. Nail the boards so that the 4″ widths are facing you from each of the four corners.
8. Nail a 48″ board between the two 24″ boards facing you, so that the upright rectangle before you exactly resembles the one lying on the workbench but is perpendicular to it.
9. Repeat step 8 on the opposite side of the workbench - or turn the project 180 degrees and nail another 48″ piece between the 24″ upright boards.
10. Nail a 24″ board at the top of the two 24″ upright boards. Turn the project 180 degrees and repeat the same step.
11. The resulting shape will be rectangular on two sides, as well as the top and bottom. The ends will form a 2′ square.

Finishing the Frame:

1. Cut two 2′-square pieces of 3/4″ plywood and attach these to the square ends of the hutch with nails. Place a nail every 3 inches along the perimeter of each square so that the ends are securely attached.
2. Cut a rectangular piece of plywood 24″x48″. Nail this to the back of the hutch in the same manner as the ends.
3. Cut a 48″ x24″ pieces of small chicken wire. Staple or nail this to the bottom of the hutch.
4. Cut one 24″x24″ piece of chicken wire. Nail or staple this to the top of the hutch on the left half of the top. Cut a 24″x24″ piece of plywood. Nail this to the top of the hutch on the right half of the top.
5. Cut two lengths of 1″x2″ board to 46″ each. Cut two lengths of the same board to 24″ each. Attach the 24″ lengths to the ends of the 46″ boards to form a rectangle 46″x24″.
6. Cut a piece of plywood to 23″x 24″. Nail the plywood to the right half of the 1″x2″ rectangle.
7. Cut a piece of chicken wire to 23″ x24″. Nail or staple the chicken wire to the right half of the rectangular door.
8. Attach the hinges to the 46″ long top of the door. Attach the other ends of the hinges to the 2″x4″x48″ board that faces the front so that the door to the cage swings upward.
9. Attach the hook and eye latching mechanism. The door should now open and shut freely, and be secure when it is latched.

Adding the legs:

1. Turn the cage upside down. To the corners of the 2″x4″ frame, nail 48″-long 2″x4″s so that they reach upward toward the sky. Be sure that the legs are of equal length, so that the cage sits evenly on the ground.
2. Turn the cage right side up again.

Finishing touches:

1. Stain or paint the outside of the project if desired, or allow it to weather naturally.
2. Add partitions or accessories to the inside of the cage as desired.
3. Don’t forget to add food and water for your rabbit.
4. Invite your rabbit to take possession of its new home!

Resources:

None. I made one once myself with my dad. These are the plans we used. It looked great. He did most of the work.

* A good rabbit hutch will be snug for your darling bunnies, but if you’re the Kentucky Joe type, maybe you’re more interested in building a chicken coop. Need a home for Lassie? You can also build a dog house with your own hands. Pole barn construction is also a good idea, so the other animals in your barn will have a shelter.

Images of a Rabbit Hutch

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