Space for more pigs?

[Dill&Pepper]

I’ve finally bitten the bullet and accepted that with a baby on the way, there isn’t enough space for my 5x2 C&C cage in my tiny house and they’re going to have to move outdoors permanently in the spring time.

I think I’m going to go for the 6ft Chartwell hutch 2 level hutch (unless there is a better recommendation - price/size not really an issue within reason) Home & Roost | 6ft Chartwell Double Rabbit Hutch Rated No1 By Customers

I currently have 3 girls. If I got a hutch this size is there space for more piggies in there? Generally I think that the bigger the (stable) herd the happier they are, as long obviously as there is enough space for them all. I don’t want to leave them rattling around if the hutch is on the big size for 3, but equally don’t want to stress them out. They’ll also have a run on the lawn for when the weather is nice.

 

[Betsy]

Congratulations on your pregnancy you must be so excited!

I have that hutch and I can't recommend it enough its very good. Also you will need the covers for it. I have the hutch snuggle with bye bye fly screen and the Hutch Hugger. I leave these on all year round. The hutch snuggle is designed to under the hutch hugger. I'm sure you will (as you are a caring owner) but make sure the temperature is 15 degrees and above at night before you put them outside usually end April/beginning May time. They will also need a snugglesafe each in the winter. Pop some carpet on the ramp too so that they find it easier to go up and down it. Make sure you have lots of fleecy stuff too for the winter.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I’ve finally bitten the bullet and accepted that with a baby on the way, there isn’t enough space for my 5x2 C&C cage in my tiny house and they’re going to have to move outdoors permanently in the spring time.

I think I’m going to go for the 6ft Chartwell hutch 2 level hutch (unless there is a better recommendation - price/size not really an issue within reason) Home & Roost | 6ft Chartwell Double Rabbit Hutch Rated No1 By Customers

I currently have 3 girls. If I got a hutch this size is there space for more piggies in there? Generally I think that the bigger the (stable) herd the happier they are, as long obviously as there is enough space for them all. I don’t want to leave them rattling around if the hutch is on the big size for 3, but equally don’t want to stress them out. They’ll also have a run on the lawn for when the weather is nice.

That is a good hutch and what I have for my four piggies. I would personally just stick with your three as I do notice in winter it is a bit more difficult for them as they very rarely separate out on levels (i.e. 80% of the time all four are on the same level). In the warm months mine have grass time. In spring and autumn (either side of the warm months) I turn the heating off in the kitchen and leave the door open to cool down the room to outdoors temperature and then let them free roam in there for an hour or two to get more exercise. I would definitely recommend getting the insulating cover and the weatherproof cover as heatstroke in summer is just as dangerous as them getting too cold in winter. I find that the weatherproof cover allows water to sit on top too much which was causing a bit of mould to grow inside the hutch on the roof, this was solved by placing a couple of bricks on top of the insulating cover and under the weatherproof cover to give it more of an incline for the water to run off, I haven't had an issue with mould since.

 

[Dill&Pepper]

Congratulations on your pregnancy you must be so excited!

I have that hutch and I can't recommend it enough its very good. Also you will need the covers for it. I have the hutch snuggle with bye bye fly screen and the Hutch Hugger. I leave these on all year round. The hutch snuggle is designed to under the hutch hugger. I'm sure you will (as you are a caring owner) but make sure the temperature is 15 degrees and above at night before you put them outside usually end April/beginning May time. They will also need a snugglesafe each in the winter. Pop some carpet on the ramp too so that they find it easier to go up and down it. Make sure you have lots of fleecy stuff too for the winter.

Thank you! Yes, really exciting (though also terrifying!). Really pleased that you have got on well with the hutch, carpet for the ramp is a great idea. I was planning on getting the covers though hopefully they won’t be too exposed to the elements - the space I have planned for them is on a sheltered, covered patio.

In terms of acclamatising them I was planning on getting the hutch in the next month or so, then putting them out on mild days and bringing them in at night for a few weeks until it’s consistently warm enough at night to leave them out. They’ve never lived outside before so it might be a bit of a shock for them!

That is a good hutch and what I have for my four piggies. I would personally just stick with your three as I do notice in winter it is a bit more difficult for them as they very rarely separate out on levels (i.e. 80% of the time all four are on the same level). In the warm months mine have grass time. In spring and autumn (either side of the warm months) I turn the heating off in the kitchen and leave the door open to cool down the room to outdoors temperature and then let them free roam in there for an hour or two to get more exercise. I would definitely recommend getting the insulating cover and the weatherproof cover as heatstroke in summer is just as dangerous as them getting too cold in winter. I find that the weatherproof cover allows water to sit on top too much which was causing a bit of mould to grow inside the hutch on the roof, this was solved by placing a couple of bricks on top of the insulating cover and under the weatherproof cover to give it more of an incline for the water to run off, I haven't had an issue with mould since.

Thanks so much for the advice and tips. Hopefully I won’t have too much trouble with water collecting since the area’s mostly covered, but if I do then the bricks sound like a great idea. Interesting about them all staying on the same floor during the winter, I think that probably does mean I should stick with 3 since one of my girls is quite stroppy and doesn’t take kindly to having anypig in her personal space!

 

[Betsy]

My piggies go all over the hutch all the time much more so now that there is carpet on the ramp. They sometimes use the top part for time out. In the winter they can often be found upstairs on a snugglesafe or in a hidey or even in a hidey on a snugglesafe!

 

[Dill&Pepper]

Update - my Chartwell hutch arrives on Tuesday! Getting quite sad that I won’t have my girls in the living room for much longer, but they’ll have more space in the hutch I think than in their 5x2 c&c. Have been carefully tracking the sun in the place I want to put them and it only comes out of the shade from about 5pm onwards, so it will stay cool in hot weather. Because it’s mostly covered rain will never drive in the front, and the worst will be a few drips in the worst weather, and it’s sheltered enough not to suffer too much if it’s windy.

Off to find a guide on how to acclimatise them to outside and bedding options - I’m so done with fleece!

 

[The3LittlePigs]

The chartwell hutches are great, just be wary not to have the plastic front down in hot weather, and be careful as the inside can get quite hot even with the front rolled up without the insulating cover underneath. Adding a run would be great for piggies