New to rabbits. Need advice

[Alexz7272]

I'll attach some pictures of our hutch setup. Here in Northern Colorado we can get some brutual cold and winds as we are on the plains at the foothills, so we decided to keep it only open on side. The hutch was here when we moved in 3 years ago but the previous owner had used it for 6 years prior to that, so it's been standing for 9 years now with no real damage. We coated it with primer and then put another outdoor specific paint on the wood outside. We will eventually re-paint the whole thing with deck paint that is super grip and thick as er have done inside our duck & chicken houses. It holds up AMAZING. We also have our hutch in with our chickens, they love going through the rabbits poo, gross but whatever, haha! We raise rex's or rex mix. We are not specific about the breeds, I am from Lithuania and we never cares abour breeds, although I know it is different here! So sorry I am no help with breed suggestions. I love to help any way I can, good luck!

Oh and ignore the mess (especially the wire on the bottom) we are in major construction this weekend

 

[samssimonsays]

They make electric water bottles and bowls but .,... cords! Ugh. curse rabbits and their urge to chew cords.... In my experience, twice a day in that temp did not work. 3 times a day minimum did ok. A thirsty rabbit will not eat and they go down hill fast. I lost one before I knew that. Basically, what Idid was buy some dollar dishes. Enough for two per rabbit. I also bought a bucket they could fit in. I would go out and place the frozen dishes in the bucket and replace them with fresh, bring the bucket with frozen dishes in and let them thaw and by the time I had to water again they were ready to go. It makes more dishes but it makes it way easier in the long run from what I have found.

 

[samssimonsays]

I started giving warm water to them and they would suck it all down by the time I was done watering. So I would go back and give them more but even in a building (not well insulated) that kept it maybe 10 degrees warmer than outside (-40 + windchill it at least blocked the windchill) it would freeze within minutes.