Best Nestbox Design

I've been breeding rabbit for quite a spell.  I had meat rabbits as a child and sold them at the market.  Took a hiatus over my college and single years, then started back with rabbits when I got married.

I have used a wide variety of nestboxes.  There are pros and cons to every style out there.  

Yesterday I was out washing up my boxes to let them sanitize in the sun and though I should talk about nestboxes with you. 

The Style that I prefer

It took me quite a while to figure out the style I liked and a lot of my decisions came from watching my rabbits.  I lose less kits out of this style of box then any other style. 

The high sides are what my does (90%) of them will jump over to get into the box and the height seems to encourage latched on kits to unlatch into the safety of the box. Kit safety is the biggest reason for nestbox design. 

Standard Design

This is the only one of my original nestboxes that is still in use.  It has a loose front panel now and is getting rather stained and battered.  I'm looking at getting rid of it.  I only use it for small does that are shy.  They seem best suited for this type of box.   I will build one to replace it.  Like this one, it will only be used occasionally.   I find does like to perch on top of the box, I'd rather they not do this as some does are clumsy and apt to fall on kits causing damage.   Again, kit safety is more important to me.   For does that like to perch I can always give them another box to sit on if needful.  Never in, only flipped so they can sit on the underside which keeps boxes clean inside for kit health. 

The Step away from lidded Nestboxes

Here I simply removed the lid and had the same basic design as the standard box.   It was a good inbetween step for me.  Still had more kit loss than I liked since the does like to jump out the side and the lower side didn't help kits to fall back into safety. 

Straight Sides Lower Front

This design helped... a TON.  I was shocked at how a simple change would make such a huge difference.  I did note that a few of my does liked to go in the front, and that would result in kit loss.  This led to my next design change. 

All Sides Equal

I made two variety of this style.  One with very light wood (which I LOVE but they don't hold up well over time.   The does seem to love the light weight wood as well.  They are excellent to nibble on, cheaper wood to use, work equally well summer/winter.  Don't work well with heavier, confident, like to throw things around does.  But most of my does aren't like that.  :)  

Their lack of longevity had to creating them using  thicker wood.  Does still shove them around til they are in just the right spot, and they last longer, but still had more kit loss than I liked to have. 

Other Designs

Over the years I've tried other styles.  Metal means cold kits in the winter unless lined with paper and some does would eat the cardboard which was just irritating. 

A white plastic box, I can't remember what the plastic is called.  I told the person who designed it that I would give it a trial run for a discount.   HATED that box.  Wet kits, no drainage, I use it for keeping spare fur from the does.    So it's still worth something to me but not as a nestbox. 

Mandarin orange crates.  These work really well for polish.  It surprised me how well they worked.  Kits stayed in, perfect size to keep warm.  If I still had polish I continue using them, but the mice my son raises use them as hidey holes now. 

Other world-wide designs

On the rabbit boards that I am part of there is a lot of debate about having wire bottoms on nestboxes that you cover with cardboard when kits are young.  Helps with drainage and keeping kits cool.   Opinions run across the board. 

Other people use old cat litter tubs or plastic square pails.   

I've seen heavy cardboard boxes used successfully.

There is a world out there with creative ideas for nestboxes.   Watch your rabbits, analyze the results of your builds and let them do their job.  Be as helpful to them as you can be, that is your job as a "rabbit herder".  :)  Then stand back and let them be the mommas you know they can be.  :)