Easy DIY Rabbit Tractor (full build)

When we started raising our Silverfox rabbits out on pasture we wanted a way to dramatically cut down on our feed bill and provide all the health benefits of natural grazing. We have a small scale backyard homestead and we raise our rabbits as a meat source for a family. You can see our first and second generation DIY rabbit tractors and some modifications we made from one to the next as well as a full build of the tractor. Where we live, our rabbits can be on pasture 3 seasons, so we make the most of it. Our design uses hardware cloth to protect from predators and a roof and wrapped tarp to give them the feeling of being in a rabbit den of sorts.
You can also find us at www.PurposeDri... for details on the specs (coming soon).
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Items seen in video:
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Tarp - amzn.to/30Ag6cL
Porter Cable Drill - amzn.to/3nTmJ3c
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Hinges - amzn.to/3DPE022
Screws - amzn.to/3FWPQJB
00:00 First Gen Tractor
04:09 Second Gen Tractor
08:47 Build
14:42 Use as chick grow out cage
15:47 Wrap-up
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[@lmcguire9233]

I love this idea! We are using your 2nd gen for ours! Thanks for the great video! I'm wondering what the width and the length are? I saw in one reply you said 3x4, but I wasn't sure what that was referring to . But I'm very interested! We will be building this hopefully this week!!!

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the comment! The dimensions are 3' deep, 4' wide, and 2.5' tall. I hope we weren't too late to help you on your project! Did you get one built already?

[@lmcguire9233]

@@purposedrivenhomestead we have one built, but we repurposed our old Milking stantion wood for that one! We plan on building one like yours, so you're just in time :) thanks for the reply!

[@faiz-ow8bx]

Such great information! Will certainly check out the dimensions on the website

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

We'd love to hear how it goes if you decide to build your own!

[@hands2hearts-seeds2feedamu83]

Nice, I am about to build a portable lawn cage for birds and rabbits. We have bought 40+birds and are hatching put 40 eggs, so we need cage room. 😆

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

This will work great! Our pullets did really well in this while we acclimated them to the rest of the flock. It virtually eliminated the pecking from the older established hens. While it was made to be a rabbit tractor, this goes to show that its versatile in a pinch.. We're working on our quail tractors as we speak! Lol

[@Sour_Owl_Pellets]

What an outstanding video! I've been waiting on one for a "chicken tractor" but I think this will suffice for now!
Questions:
1) how often do you have to move the location to keep the rabbits well fed?
2) Do you bring the rabbits into a different setup for winter?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

Thanks for the great questions!
1. It depends on the season. During spring and fall we move the rabbits once a day because the rainfall supports much lusher grass and weed base (yes the rabbits love dandelions, lol). During the dry spells in the summer we may move them twice a day. It also depends on how many rabbits you have in each compartment. If we have a doe with kits in one, the grass cover will run out much faster than a single rabbit, and the growing kits tend to eat more than adults.
2. Yes we do. Since we raise our rabbits for meat, we typically cull the herd down to a smaller manageable number that we can afford to feed hay to. Also, here in the Midwest we tend to have colder winters with snow on the ground, so we have raised enclosures (still outdoors) that keep the snow and winds off them during the coldest portions. Our Silver Fox breed is well suited to cold climates, so they do very well outside all winter long.
Hope that helps!

[@joshhudak2604]

What dimensions are the second gen sections? 2x4?

[@purposedrivenhomestead]

We're working on getting all the dimensions together for a rough set of plans that we'll post to our website at PurposeDrivenHomestead.com but high level the overall dimension is approximately 3'x4' for the whole tractor.

[@brandonhackett9989]

@@purposedrivenhomestead Do you have the plans available anywhere yet?