want your ideas on lovely hutch set up

while I am not new to having rabbits I am rethinking some things. We just built their enclosure so now they basically have a covered run build around 2 hutches. I think all in all the total living space measures about 7'x7' or thereabouts some of which is sheltered (i.e. in hutches) the rest is outdoors.

So I want your opinions please. Inside the two hutches should I keep filling them with straw as I always have done, or perhaps instead just line them with newspaper? Or maybe 1 hutch straw 1 hutch paper? Or something totally different!! They tend to sleep outside anyway so not sure they are really using the straw. They are not litter trained and I havent noticed (since the new enclosure) any particular place they are going to do their business.

Also I have always just put their hay/readigrass/veg in little piles around their hutches on top of the straw but I am thinking it might be better to get a low tray for hay, or a hay rack, mix readigrass in to it and maybe add a dash of herbs? Pellets will go in a bowl. As my 4 are constantly shifting allegiances should I have 2 bowls of pellets, 2 trays etc or 1 really big dog bowl? I was thinking one big bowl because my friend who has 5 rabbits all huddle around their big bowl and eat together and I would like to teach mine to do that. But I dont want the dominant ones to run the more submissive ones off their food.

Right - any other ideas on how you think I could make my setup perfect please please say!! xxx

Mine sleep in the living area of the hutch and use the bedroom area as a toilet. I put in two cat litter trays lined with newspaper and some hay and change them in the morning. The front end, I fill with straw in the winter for them to snuggle into and newspaper in the summer and they have a tray with their eating hay in. They have one bowl for their pellets. At night their greens are just thrown in for them to find.

I find that they don't tend to go into the hutch at all unless it is to eat the pellets. Once they are finished they shelter in the covered end of the run, or under the lean-to at the back of the hutch and under it. I put piles of hay there for them.

We went down to the woods and picked lots of sticks then OH wired them together and we leant them against the back of the hutch. They use this to shelter under, climb up to the top of the hutch and to gnaw on. They have eaten all the bark off the sticks. If you can get them fruit tree branches they love that too. We clip bits off the fruit trees for them and they get really excited when they hear up doing it. Lots of binkies.

I would personally continue using straw during this weather, I know mine do appreciate it at night when I see the little rabbit shaped nests they build in the morning. Have you actually tried putting some litter trays in just to see if they will use them...often lining them with hay encourages them to use them as bunnies tend to defecate where they eat (charming creatures).

Also, having just had to seperate my trio due to the smaller buns not getting their share of food, I would recommend having more than one feeding bowl at meal times.