Building a starting pen???

[BCBeagles]

I am going to invest in a 1.5 to 2.5 acre starting pen.

It will be the fall when the land is ready after being clear cut timbered. Great access in and out so that wont be an issue.

I would prefer to have someone build it for me. I am very busy with my kids, sports, work, and running dogs, so I would like to look at someone to just come in with experience and put it up.

I would like it to be 450ft long, by 300ft wide. Have an 8 ft gate on each end for tractor and/or truck access. Near one gate have a small entrance area for walking access.

I will buy wire, posts, and other needed supplies.

If anyone has experience in this or knows someone reputable please PM me. This is a project for around September.

Thanks for any help!!!!

[sammiller03]

around our area this guy builds the best fence i have seen. i have seen where people put up high tensile and j clip the netting to it.he probably hasnt done a starting pen but im sure he can do it.

Martin's FencingMartin High Tensile Fencing,
415 Hersch Road
Meyersdale, PA 15552 - View Map
39.79963 -78.95303
Phone: (814) 634-9129

[BCBeagles]

Thank you!

[BCBeagles]

Spoke with a Gentleman in Ohio about this today.

He was great to talk to, he is gonna build my pen when the time comes.

Thanks for the replies and PM's, even got pics of his work, which was GREAT!!!

[Rcoff]

Easy part is putting up the pen; hard part is keeping the preditors out.
Thanks,
Bob

[Casey Harner]

I have a dream that once I win the lottery I am gonna build a 60 acre running pen in the middle of nowhere. Stock it with cotton tails and swampers. Then I will build a cabin with a wood stove and a bed, with dog kennels on both sides of the kennel. Trade dogs in and out, run all day long. Hopefully hide from the wife and that honey to do list.

[BCBeagles]

243 winchester, fly bait......should help

[rabbitatfarm]

Good luck with that, Casey!!!

[rabbitearl]

Amen on that one Rcoff, A lot of pens that are put up just don t understand that it don t matter how nice it is.Is not worth nothing if there s no rabbits in it.Another thing is don t put to many rabbits in it. I learn in the last three pens that I put up.That one nail on the post is all you need.Deer hits it its easy to fix back.Alot of deer will get to know the pen but some will not.To walk around the pen everyday to check it out.15 to 20 ac is big enuff.I tell all the ones around here that wants to put a pen up.Do you know how to catch rabbits.If not and you don t know anybody that does.Don t build one.Its unreal this year at how many people were looking rabbits for there pens.Had one guy that would pay 400 dollors for 10 rabbits.That right there would cost on a pen.Another thing a lot of people don t understand some of your rabbits will climb out if you put a lot of pressure on them.Don t thing they want climb or chew out.Over the years when the pens get old they will find that weak spot and chew out.I ve got place in all of my that the rabbits have chew the coated off and now the wire is weak A pen is nice but a lot of head ak in it too. But that small of a pen I would go with tame rabbits and just pups too.i hope I have made some of you that are looking at putting a pen up that just putting one up is all you need.Thats not true.Alot of luck and work is coming.

[Bradh]

It's a lot of work keeping up with a pen I'm to hard headed to just send my pups to someone else and I like to work with young dogs thats the only reason I built my pen. I think your going to find though after you get one built your going to want a bigger one my first pen was 2 acres I hardly even use it now it's more for trying to get rabbits to breed in. I built a 10 acre pen a few years back and I have already been kinda having that itch to make it bigger and expand it to 20 acres when I can afford it. On the predator thing I have had great results running electric fence around the outside of my pen a few inchs off the ground and at the very top.

One thing I can tell ya if your not prepared to walk your pen fence pretty much daily and spray the outside and cut back small tree's non stop all summer while continuesly finding ways to keep predators out and restock rabbits don't build a pen it's alot easier to just pay someone else to do it.

Not trying to discourage anyone don't get me wrong if you like working with pups and seeing that first time when everything clicks in a pups head and they take off on there first track then it's well worth it and if you raise very many pups or have friends that do it can be a lot of fun. I still havent figured everything out with my pen there's a lot to keeping up with one and a lot to learn.

[BCBeagles]

Thanks for the feed back.

I will be there regularly, have a couple buddies retired that will be there regularly. We are probably just gonna use some type crossed rabbit. I have a buddy breeding them as well.

I know it will be work, but the driving all over to take pups to pens is getting to be too much. Gonna make the investment, going to put it around 3.2 acres in an area that has easy in and out. We will see how it all works out.

Again thanks for the comments!!

[Bradh]

You should be fine then if you have a good breeder to use and friends that are willing to help don't forget to set up a good food and water source for the winters it's pretty key to saving a lot of time and money.

[BCBeagles]

In learning how to do this correctly.

What type of water source do I need and what is the most efficient type of feeders to use??

Also for 3.2 acres or roughly that, how many rabbits should I use in it??

thanks for all the help, why I enjoy this board!!!

[rabbitearl]

Jim I would not worrie to much about the water unless it gets very dry. I used anything that will hole water that the rabbit will reach.Some say rabbits get all the water they want off the grass in the mor dew,but I ve have seen them used a bowl that I put water in but then it was dry that time of year too.as far as feeders I used anything that the feed will not get wet.Anything will work.The rabbits will find it. 4 inch Pcv pipes,Campers,that fix on the back of a truck or you can build anything that want get wet. I ve always try to keep three rabbits per ac if the pen is thick.Thats a big different there.Thick or thin..this time of year rabbits are easy to find.But come in late aug or sept you will say.Weres my rabbit.They do get gone around here that time of year.But that's wild rabbits.Tames rabbits is the way to go in getting a dog started. That wild rabbits is gone before the pups even know whats going on. Wild rabbits are the best I ve seen in dogs that are already running.Good luck with your pen.I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

[Rcoff]

Starting pen you would want 9-11 rabbits per acre; conditioning pen less than that, you want lots of scent. You don't have to put them all in at once because after a while they will learn to set tight and let the pups run right past them. That's when you should put in fresh rabbits that will run. I use short rubber tubs and keep water in it year round, they only use it when needed, but my rabbits get run hard. By the way, since you are using cage rabbits make sure they have water all summer long as they need more water than wild cottontails and will die without it. I learned the hard way. One pen I just throw in 2-3 cups of corn every day as I'm out there anyways. Cats will clean you out, owls will clean you out without you even knowing they are there. It's a lot of expense and work but can be lots of fun as well. I never regretted building mine. Plans are to start a 9-14 acre pen in the spring for myself. Good luck.
Thanks,
Bob