Extending this hutch?

[sarahsarah]

Hello, I have this rabbit hutch

http://www.justrabbithutches.co.uk/...rabbit-guinea-pig-hutch-with-run-199x146x93cm

(I didn't buy it from there that was just first picture I found!)

Anyway I have 2 bunnies living in there and I am hoping to extend it in some way to make it big enough for 3..

What I am thinking is a hutch on the lower left hand side joined on to make a dowstairs bedroom area, and a run on the front coming out from the bit which is underneath the current hutch bit?
I probably make no sense whatsoever, but I know how I want it to look in my head!

Anyway, anyone have any experience attaching bought hutches and runs together? My diy skills are not up to much!

 

[Stator]

What I would recommend is to convert that whole hutch/run combo into one big hutch by screwing some plywood to the outer frame. Then you can add a new run using the existing door into the new run. Securing them together with some more screws.

 

[sarahsarah]

Ooh that is a good idea!

My other idea was to get another one exactly the same, and then build it the other way around and join them together end to end. I can't remember if it was possible to build it the opposite way on though.

 

[The Duchess]

Ooh that is a good idea!

My other idea was to get another one exactly the same, and then build it the other way around and join them together end to end. I can't remember if it was possible to build it the opposite way on though.

Hi

I think that the plywood idea would be great, but buying another one would be a lot of money for not much 'return'. You could do much better by adding permanent plywood sides to the back, and sides and then adding an additional run. You might also want to consider adding boarding to the floor to make it totally all weather and in effect just a large hutch.

 

[sarahsarah]

Hi

I think that the plywood idea would be great, but buying another one would be a lot of money for not much 'return'. You could do much better by adding permanent plywood sides to the back, and sides and then adding an additional run. You might also want to consider adding boarding to the floor to make it totally all weather and in effect just a large hutch.

Thankyou I was planning on getting some boards for the bottom anyway, or maybe lino. Or both?

Now I just have to decide what size run to get..

 

[Lops]

I did this with mine...

Bought this...

and added it to this (same as yours)... Tho it's not quite finished yet!

 

[sarahsarah]

I like it

And do you know what last week someone on my street was selling a wooden wendy house for £25 but someone beat me to it!

I will file everyone's ideas away in my head and then in the new year will put my master plans into action heehee

 

[Lops]

I like it

And do you know what last week someone on my street was selling a wooden wendy house for £25 but someone beat me to it!

I will file everyone's ideas away in my head and then in the new year will put my master plans into action heehee

Awww shame you missed out on that eh? What a bargain!

I thought mine was a bargain at £140 reduced from £220

 

[*lily*]

I too would use your existing setup as the "hutch" and extend by adding a large run

 

[TeflonsShadow]

Some great ideas here, I think the most important thing you need is someone DIY savvy I always have fab ideas but they never seen to turn out as sturdy as I hoped Lol! Good luck with your project! Make sure you test its strength, especially if you have foxes in the area :wave: Cant wait to see the end product!

 

[sarahsarah]

Some great ideas here, I think the most important thing you need is someone DIY savvy I always have fab ideas but they never seen to turn out as sturdy as I hoped Lol! Good luck with your project! Make sure you test its strength, especially if you have foxes in the area :wave: Cant wait to see the end product!

My dad was a joiner, thankfully I really don't know how the skills skipped me as my brothers are all fairly diy savvy but I can't even put together flat pack furniture lol..

When I visit my parents next week I'm going to have a look through my dad's woodork bookshelves, he says there are plans in there for making various different hutch and run combinations, woohoo!

 

[Simon]

if u want to make the hutch bigger then you could clad the hole frame with the same timber cladding thats been used on the shelterd area and attache a 6x4x2 run to the front of it.

 

[sarahsarah]

Thanks guys

Do you think it makes a difference that the back of the whole thing is against a fence and the left hand side (the side without the top hutch bit) is against my house? So it's only the front and the one side that's open anyway, so it's kinda just like a giant hutch anyway..

In this case would you still put the wood all around it?
At the moment i have a 3ftx3ft ish little pen coming out from the bottom, but it's only one that's meant to be pegged onto grass so I only let them into that when I'm around and can see them Which is every afternoon from lunchtime and then I close it off when it starts to get dark..

 

[molly_p83]

hi there, I'm going to keep an eye on this post as I have the same hutch and am looking to extend it too. Can you post photo's once you have completed (I'm being a copy-cat!). I've got my sights on buying a shed, adapting it and adding the hutch to the side...but it's my partner who will have to make it so we will see (he's brilliant at DIY but doesn't have alot of time to spend on doing it)!!

 

[janice]

Thanks guys

Do you think it makes a difference that the back of the whole thing is against a fence and the left hand side (the side without the top hutch bit) is against my house? So it's only the front and the one side that's open anyway, so it's kinda just like a giant hutch anyway..

In this case would you still put the wood all around it?
At the moment i have a 3ftx3ft ish little pen coming out from the bottom, but it's only one that's meant to be pegged onto grass so I only let them into that when I'm around and can see them Which is every afternoon from lunchtime and then I close it off when it starts to get dark..

Draughts will not be stopped by placing the hutch near a wall. Also water will still ingress.

 

[Simon]

hello again. I'm not a chippie by trade but i am a builder, i'm very good with wood and i have 6 rabbits that live together. I looked at the dimensions of your hutch and its ample for 2 rabbits but tp add another i agree that u would need to extend it. It is a very nice looking hutch too so if you are going to extend try to be carefull not just to do it with plyboard as it may end up looking botched. As a previous post said u will need to cover all the sides to draft proof it. U will also need a floor in there raised about 4" from the ground to prevent damp. The overall length seem to be about 2m or just over 6' so if you either buy or make a run the same length by about 4' then you will have a very nice set up big enough for 3 or 4 rabbits. The only concern you will have is access for cleaning the hutch itself. If you cant make doors on the back or a flip top roof then put doors all across the front and have big double doors on top of the run so u can get in the run to clean the hutch. You have a big advantage by having a chippie in the family. I'm sure that if you put your heads together you will make a lovely job of it.

 

[sarahsarah]

Hello, am all ready to start this now, maybe around march time if it's not too rainy.

Can anyone advise me on what kind of wood would be best, and what to treat it with? I am wanting it to match the orangey colour of the rest of it really!

With regards to flooring.. I was thinking decking with lino on the top.. not priced this up yet though so not sure.