A question about the winter

[Daesy]

My three live outside in a big run with an upstairs hutch - this is a pic from the website that i bought it from, its this hutch

at the moment they are able to roam around the hutch/run as they please - I have an extra wooden bed area in the actual hutch that is full of straw. Should I trust that in the winter at night time they will make their way up to the cosy area and therefore leave them to decide if they are cold or not, or should I shut them up in the hutch so they cant use the run?

The old hutch/run that i had was square and I used to cover that at night in the winter with tarpooling (Sp) so they could still use the run area...so im just not sure what to do now with the new bunny palace. The hutch area is quite small for three buns to be shut in for 8 hours i think

 

[HS]

My bunnies live in something similar, and I leave them to choose.
Their hutch is in an enclosure, and they all sleep on top of the hutches. They have lots of warm snuggly places to sleep, but they like it where they can see I think! I do put lots of straw up their for them but they do throw it off!

 

[rabbitmum]

:wave: if you re worried about them being cold why not put a cover/tarpaulin over the outside area and then they can choose?

 

[JLG]

I do like that, very smart! where did you get it from?
Might not be big enough for my 2 rex bruisers though

 

[Blackberry & Co]

Mine have hutches inside an aviary, and the hutches are left open for them to come and go as they please.

So long as they have a bedroom that's out of draughts and well padded with hay/straw then it's good to let them have the freedom to out out into the run if they want to

 

[Stator]

Leave them about unless it drops below -5 and then lock them in is what I would do.

 

[Daesy]

Thanks - I'll give them the choice then. They have a small bedroom inside the hutch part filled with straw

 

[beccimarie]

where did you get your hutch i love it ^^

 

[pennypoos]

I love your hutch. It`s lovely and very different. I`v not seen one like it before. Where did you get it ?

 

[Amy104]

I think its from a company called Framebow.

http://www.framebow.co.uk/rabbit_hutches.html

I love it, but too rich for my blood.

 

[janice]

To reduce the wind chill factor, you could attatch using the turn catches some perspex or acrylic sheets to the straight mesh areas. For really cold days and only if they have access to the run have perspex to cover the the mesh of the hutch.