Building a hutch?

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Jane

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If anyones read my other thread you will know that I'm interested in moving my piggies outside for the summer.

Just wondering if anyone has built their own hutch? I think we're gunna attempt to make one next weekend or something.
If you have built your own any pics?

No idea how it's gunna turn out but hey, we're gunna try :P It will be about 5ft x 2ft with 2 levels...have finally found a place for it too :)

Any tips? Idea? Plans? Good luck? haha XD

Jane
 
Hi Jane,

My boyfriend built me a hutch for my piggie Tomato a few weeks back. Its a standard hutch so not as fancy as the one you're planning. Although we are adding a run to the front of ours to add more space. Tomato currently has a separate run on the grass but I want him to have a covered one as well for bad weather. I guess the best advice is to measure the wood, measure it again and again before you cut it. Here are some pics of the one we made. Its 4ft X 2ft, the front mesh comes off so we can easily add the run and the lid lifts up for easy acsess. Very useful for cleaning out as the cage is quite deep and low to the ground.

We used 2" X 2" soft wood for exterior use from B&Q for the frame and 4' X 2' exterior plywood for the base, sides and roof. I can't remember off hand what thickness it was but as long as its not too flimsy it shouldn't matter. Then there is a catch to keep the roof secure from foxes and brass hinges for the nest side door and the roof. Those little swivel catches to hold the mesh panel in place. Oh and a whole load of wood screws!

We have some roofing slate that I'm hoping to use to finish it off. We're just looking into the best way to attach it securely and make sure its not to heavy to lift. Although the blue sheeting we used is quite thick and very water proof even if its not that attractive. Another tip is use silicone sealant (you can get clear stuff) around any edges you think might let water in but of course not on the inside in case your piggy chews it. I think on most hutches the roof tilts backwards but if the roof over hang is enough then it shouldn't matter as water shouldn't drip into the hutch. We certainly haven't had any problems so far and the hutch is situation under the over hang of a large shed and protected from the prevailing wind and rain.

The hutch was inside to dry out so we could apply the silicone and Tomato now has a water bottle as he was always chucking bedding into the bowl. He also has hay for a nest as its much more tasty!

g-pighutch.jpg


g-pighutchopen.jpg


DSCN3329.jpg
 
That looks really good, I like it :) I'm not going to comment on everything you said because that will take ages, but what you said is really helpful - thank you. Did you paint (or whatever) the inside to stop the wood rotting? Would I need to do that?
 
it doesn't look like the inside is treated,
I got a new hutch recently for 2 of my guineas, and it wasn't treated at all, I didn't do the inside at first because wasn't sure it would be ok, But I asked everyone on here and they said it was important I did, or the wood would rot, P@H sell safe Hutch stain, and I used this inside and out.
XPaulaX
 
Thanks, I guess we will do the outside and inside then.

Do you think it will be easier to build the frame bit first then add wood to it instead of making all the sides seperately and struggling to put them together?
 
yes i have seen this on a different forum, they built the frame first then added the sides etc:
 
Thanks - we were thinking that would be the easiest option otherwise it would be very fiddly to put together.

Any ideas what would we should use to build the frame? Where can I get it from? Wickes? B&Q?
 
when my dad built his hutch for the rabbits, he built the frame first then added the sids, roof etc onthe frame. It's best that way. :)
 
not sure what wood is best, but b&Q probably have a larger selection.

If you type into google Building a rabbit/guinea pig hutch, it should take you to some useful websites, and tell you the best wood to use.Should get some great ideas.
 
kezza30 - thanks, I think we will do that, do you have any photos of the hutch? :)

maisydaisystar - will have a look in B&Q next weekend probably, thanks. Yep I've searched good but didn't have a proper look, will have another look later though :)
 
I only have a pic of it finished (except the windows weren't putin yet)

DSCF0161-1.jpg


It's 2 floors and upstairsis a bedroom place, the bottom is like an indoor run.

DSCF0163.jpg


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Me and my dad are making one sometime soon aswell, just brought ack an old crate type thing, he's going to make it up properly and build the hutch out of it. It's a 4ft x 3ft base and where going to se if we can make 2 floors :)
 
Yep i don't know what it is. Dad said pine cladding about £4.00 a pack from B&Q, he just cut it down to fit. It's got grooves in so you slot it together and put little nails in to make it stronger add paint and tadaa. it has a flap door on the roof to clean the bedding and 2 windowswhere put in for light, aswell asremovable mesh on the door so i can leave it open for fresh air :) I think it took nearly a month to make this as he could only do it on week-ends off work but it came out good and keeps them dry and cozy on bad weather days O0
 
How many packs of the pine cladding did he need to make that? How big is it? :)

What bedding do you use?

Sorry for the questions :D
 
Oh lol i never measured it, lol. i think it's 3ft ide and over 5 ft long with 2 floors. I just use paper for bedding cos there long haired rabbits, get straw stuck in thre fur but i give them some in winter but the hutch keeps them warm enough anyway.

He said it was about 10 packs but thats for the floor, ramp and roof and for rabbits it had to be huge so it would be probably be less for piggies :)

When it's done make sure you post some pic :D the hardest part of that onewas carrying it from under the drive into the garen, lol it was heavy i tell you :o
 
Yes it's sort of like that but the grooves are much smaller, my dad used a hamer to push the grooves together then used small pin nails to give it stenth.

My dad said it's called tongue and groove i think but therereally simple to put together but need weather proof paint if it's going outside. We put 3 coats of paint on ours to keep it weather proof. :)
 
Yeah tongue and groove, that's what it's called - couldn't remember :P

Would it need to be tongue and groove or could we just overlap the peices of wood? I made a pic, tongue and groove would be the first one and I'm talking about the second one. The sizes are exagerated of course and are what you would see from the side ;)

https://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n117/rainbow-twist/hutchsides.png
 
I'm not sure on the over lapping one, i'm not DIY intelligent, lol but tongue and groove is the easiest i guess except if you just nailed boards of wood together, lol :P
 
We're gunna buy a thing to make the tongue and groove cut out thing ourselves - I know I make no sense :P Dad has wanted one for a while and it will be used in the future so we're going to get one ;) We're going to start building the main frame tomorrow hopefully, dad doesn't know that yet though ;) :D
 
Oh where starting ours tommorow to. Lucky for me my dad managed to get an a load of crate wood that was scrap. Theres some nails to be taken out and smoothing the wood down and then were painting it over tommorow and Monday and we can start putting it together on Wednesday :D All i need to buy is mesh and secure bolts to keep them safe when they go outside for the summer :)
 
Nice hutch Tomato. Wish I could make things like that. Just out of interest, what is the stuff you've got on the floor (not the shredded paper obviously!). Always looking for ideas!
 
Yep i'll get pics We painted the inside of the wood today and started putting the sides together but my dads drill battery died, lol so we have the back up and waiting or it to charge. It's exactly 47 1/2 inches long (1/2 an inch under 4ft) and 39 inches wide i think, lol so just over 3ft wide :)
 
Sounds good. Have built the frame of mine, the floors are done and the ramp is in too. Now we have a problem - what if it rains before next saturday? (can't do it until next saturday) have found some plasticy stuff I'm gunna try and cover it with but not sure how good it will be. Not sure how big mine is, will have to measure it. I know it is 2 foot wide....maybe aobut 6 foot long? and 2 levels LOL. not sure, will have to measure.

The thing is, it looks kinda tacky at the moment, so there's no photos until it's finished and stained/painted ;)

Someone mentioned hutch stainer from PAH - how much is it and how much do you get? Anyone any ideas?
 
I've not seen it in my P@H we got some animal friendly stuff from B&Q . I just need some security bolts, mesh and the wood for an extra floor and paint the outside and it's finished and they can go in this week-end hopefully :)
 
Do you mean next weekend? This weekends nearly over :P

I need to buy mesh and wood staining stuff. Think we will just get some stainer from B&Q - will most likely be cheaper from there than stuff from PAH?

Do you think I should put the lid on hinges or just have it fixed there? If I'm having it on hinges I need another latch thing and another padlock :P
 
Oh lol i don't know. Is it 2 floors, does it have opening front doors on both levels? If it has opening doorsyou could keep it fixed but maybe hinged wouldmake it easier to clean the top level :)

Oh and yes i meant next week-end, lol ;D
 
Yeah it's going to have opening doors on both levels..just thinking that if the roof is hinged it would be easier to clean the top like you said...but then it is adding more work :P hmmm...
 
Yeah it would be easier to clean out, my dad just made mine solid so i need to strech inside a 3ft deep hutch ;D
 
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