Figure 10.

(a and b) Example of an outdoor housing system, which also belongs to the niche systems. No standards are available but, as a rule, animals have the possibility of accessing an outdoor area, which is not necessarily pasture. The example in the drawing is used in the French Label Rouge housing of growing rabbits. Rabbits are reared in groups from weaning onwards and they can access an outside area. This area is protected from wild animals with mesh. It includes a solid floor, and it can be equipped with a shelter as well as a rack to provide hay (Outside, Figure 10a). An opening in the wall permits the movement of the animals between the outside and the inside of the system where large pens with wire mesh walls are present (Inside, Figure 10b). These pens have plastic slatted flooring and are equipped with an automatic nipple drinker for water distribution as well as feeders for feed provision