Fire-man

[TerriG]

How do you have your screens mounted under your cages? I have seen them in your old set-up and your meals on wheels. I was going to do some kind of screening on the gutters, but your screens may work better. We used to do screen repairs as part of our business, so I can make them custom fit, just not sure how to mount them.

 

[Fire-Man]

How do you have your screens mounted under your cages? I have seen them in your old set-up and your meals on wheels. I was going to do some kind of screening on the gutters, but your screens may work better. We used to do screen repairs as part of our business, so I can make them custom fit, just not sure how to mount them.

The back of my cages are against the studs of the wall----on my first setup I bent a L shaped piece of metal(metal used with vinyl siding) for the back of the screen to lay and attached it to the wall 2" under the cage's. On the new set-up I wanted to use something other than solid metal which did catch and hold some urine and poop. I had some of the 2"x4" wire like I used on the side's/floor so I bent it into a L shape and attached it the same way and it works good. My screens are like this _-_-_-_-_-_ every other one overlaps and lays on the lower screen, so only the bottom ones are hooked to the cages. I bent around a 12 gauge wire into a J, hung the J(upside down) on the bottom/front wire of the cages. I closed up the curved part of the J loosely so it could swing /move but tight enough it would not unhook/fall off. Being my back L that the screens lay on is 2" below the cages I bent these hanging wires into a L shape where the screens would be hanging 2" below the cages on the front. I only use 2 of these wire hooks per bottom screen attached about 3" in from the sides of the screen. The reason I went 3" in is so that every other screen that lays on top of every other bottom screen has room to slide in without touching the hooks of the lower screen. Go back and look closely at the pictures now and you will be able to see the overlapping top screen and the wire hooks holding the bottom screens. When I get ready to dump the screens I pull out the top screens, dump, then lay them to the side till I unhook each lower screen, dump it and replace/hook it back into place then slide the top screens back into place. I use a big plastic tote that is wider than the screens to make it easy to dump them. If a screen needs to be cleaned I got a big tub that I put the dirty ones in completely under water to allow them to soak, then I can pull them out days later if I want and spray them off. I have alot of extra screens to replace the dirty ones when needed. Once the dirty ones are cleaned and dry I restore them for future use. If you will not allow the poop to build up into a pile very little cleaning is needed on the screens. I like everyone have some rabbits that poop in the same spot till it looks like a mountain-LOL. What I do for this is I got a flat piece of metal bent into a L shape that I stick this metal under the cages and spread the poop hill out so it does not become a mountain and hold urine which will cause the screen to have to be cleaned plus doing this(only with a few cages) keeps me from having to dump the screens as ofter. Hope this helps!<br /><br />__________ Wed Feb 27, 2013 8:26 am __________<br /><br />I wanted to say this, for the ones of you that are interested in the screens---I got my screens for free and I will agree that was nice, But if I had to find some more I would put a wanted add on craigslist and if that did not work I would go to Lowes/Home Depot and get what I need to make some. They are simple to make, even simple to cut down used ones if needed once you understand how they are made. This---in my opinion made cleaning up so much simplier. It takes me less than 5 minutes to dump all the screens in my 20 hole rabbitry and I do that once to twice a week.

 

[Happy]

What kind of screens do you use?

 

[Fire-Man]

What kind of screens do you use?

Just regular window screens like alot of homes have. The ones I use have non-metal screen wire(plastic or fiberglass). I got lucky and got mine free and they fit perfect. I been using them about 10 years. If a screen gets damaged I just replace the wire still using the metal frame. Look at this picture real close at the white framed screens under the cages. You can see the 2 pull up knobs on each one of them that actually latch them into a window frame. If you need a better picture I can take a picture of one. Just a regular old window screen.

 

[oliveoil]

LOVE your set up!

I bought a bunch of heavy duty fiberglass screen last year with the intent of making something that would catch poop and let the urine fall through, just like your set up, but haven't been able to decide the best way to build the frames and how to mount them.

I was thinking perhaps pvc frames. I would love to see a close up of your frames if you wouldn't mind posting a picture.

Also, I'm going to use the poop for gardening and worm bins too, do you feed hay to your rabbits? My rabbits always drop hay underneath their cages and it will get mixed in with the poop and I don't want hay in my garden (not sure what it would do in the worm bins). Just wondering if you or anyone else has a solution to this problem, obviously I could stop feeding hay.

Thank you for sharing your set up!

 

[Marinea]

Welcome to the forums Oliveoil!

I would strongly recommend NOT stopping the hay. The bunnies need it. If you compost the hay/poop mixture, it would be an awesome addition to your garden.

If you really don't want the hay in your garden, I'm thinking you could shake it off the screens. Hopefully, Fire-Man has some ideas I haven't thought of.

 

[Fire-Man]

This is a screen just like mine-hope this link works. http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/v ... 52GwrL8cl0 You can buy the stuff at Lowes/Home Depot to make your own screens if you can not find any used ones. Once you have the frame---if you needed to replace the screen in the future it would be simple. Using PVC would make it hard to change the screen and would not be as solid. Getting the most of the hay out the poop is easy. You can setup a fan on something where the fan is say 2 to 3ft high and scoop up a scoop of poop and pour it slowly in front of the fan. The air/wind will blow most of the hay away and the poop will drop into a container below. You could repeat if needed. I do not have huge amounts of hay in the poop so I do not worry about it in the worm bins or the garden. I place the hay on top of my cages(except for the young rabbits that can not reach it), The rabbits get a piece at the time so very little falls through to the screens. When I first starting using screens I had the screen at about a 45 degree under the cages, with catch bins under the edge. The poop would fall through to the screen then roll down into the containers. This worked good, but did take up more room in front of the cages and being I was using chainlinked dog kennels I could not angle them to the back. If you have any more questions feel free to ask.

 

[sommrluv]

Fireman I was looking at your pictures (forgive me if that's a no-no, the album was public, lol) I am SO interested in so many of your pictures...the solar powered thing with the seats, what do you use that for?

And any more pictures of your rabbit shed...is that an equipment trailer base or a mobile home trailer base? How cold does it get where you are?

You've got some great little creations and I really enjoyed your album, and I made my husband look and than HE really enjoyed your album. <br /><br />__________ Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:05 pm __________<br /><br />There was something else...like a bucket attached to a funnel attached to a solar panel...what's that?

 

[Fire-Man]

If you make screens, do not make them real big---makes them harder to dump. I think mine are about 30x32 and they work good.

 

[ladysown]

your buns will survive not having. But my hay goes straight into the garden with the rest of the compost. Any grasses/weeds that come up go straight back to the bunnies.

 

[Fire-Man]

Fireman I was looking at your pictures (forgive me if that's a no-no, the album was public, lol) I am SO interested in so many of your pictures...the solar powered thing with the seats, what do you use that for? ---This Is my P Machine. I built it to use in the garden for Picking, Planting, Pulling weeds Etc. I built it a little over a year ago. It has been in Farm Show mag twice since and several write-ups on different web sites.

And any more pictures of your rabbit shed...is that an equipment trailer base or a mobile home trailer base? How cold does it get where you are? There more pictures and all the info on building it under Meals On Wheels---Rabbitry In the Rabbit Care secton of THIS Forum We get some nights below freezing and have seen single digits a few times but rare. Rabbits can handle the cold better than the heat.

You've got some great little creations and I really enjoyed your album, and I made my husband look and than HE really enjoyed your album. THANKS, I Like To Play!

__________ Sat Mar 02, 2013 8:05 pm __________

There was something else...like a bucket attached to a funnel attached to a solar panel...what's that?

If you are talking about this---This is my homemade worm harvester. I put a scoop of worms in the castings into that bucket and as it turns the castings fall into totes that will be placed below it and the worms and unfinished things come out the end and fall into other totes. I have 14 worm beds right now-doing all them by hand is out the question--LOL. We use the worm castings in the garden and all yard plants/flowers as well as "worm tea" The solar panel charges the battery that runs the motor.

 

[AnnClaire]

Hi OliveOyl, as for keeping the hay on the screens to a minimum, try making hay racks that mount on the outside of the cage (for ease of filling) You could also consider topping the screens with hardware cloth big enough for the poops to fall through to the window screen below, keeping most of the hay on top of the hardware cloth.

 

[jollysrabbits]

Welcome to the forums Oliveoil!

I would strongly recommend NOT stopping the hay. The bunnies need it. If you compost the hay/poop mixture, it would be an awesome addition to your garden.

If you really don't want the hay in your garden, I'm thinking you could shake it off the screens. Hopefully, Fire-Man has some ideas I haven't thought of.

With all due respect rabbits absolutely DO NOT need hay. they will do just fine without out, many rabbitrys are run without. (including mine, minus nesting material) but everyone runs things their own way and it works. that being said I used to use hay and grass and never had a problem with miniature alfalfa and timothy fields growing in the garden.

 

[Fire-Man]

With all due respect rabbits absolutely DO NOT need hay. they will do just fine without out, many rabbitrys are run without. (including mine, minus nesting material) but everyone runs things their own way and it works. that being said I used to use hay and grass and never had a problem with miniature alfalfa and timothy fields growing in the garden.

I got my first rabbits in 1977 and have had rabbits in cages on and off since then until 2000 and I have had atleast several min since. I NEVER fed any of my rabbits hay until about a year ago---I started doing meat rabbits in larger numbers and "So Many" said I HAD TO feed hay so I been feeding some hay------Guess the rabbits I had for the first 35 years were Just "Lucky" they survived WITHOUT hay---LOL.

 

[AnnClaire]

The only breeds that actively need the hay are the wool breeds. The hay keeps the wool moving through their guts and helps prevent wool block.

For other breeds, hay is a "time filler" and keeps them occupied when they have eaten all their pellets ... keeps something in their tummy and guts.

 

[Marinea]

Wow. I want to thank you all for the hay update. I freely admit I have not been into rabbits for long. I continue to learn all the time.

I came here and read about the hay, and incorporated it into my feeding routine. I guess I missed the part about "wool breed only". I'll continue to give hay, but good to know I don't have to freak out if I run low.

 

[oliveoil]

Fire-man, thanks for the pics, will look for used screens since it appears to be pricey to buy the parts to build them myself.

Your worm harvester is AWESOME! You are so creative. Do you have a website so we can see all of your inventions in one spot for drooling, I mean, inspiration? Thank you very much for sharing. I think I read that you're working on a chicken trailer, can't wait to see that.

As for the hay debate.....I'll stay out of that one! Lol I know top breeders who feed hay and ones who don't. I started out with a wool breed and fed hay for fear of wool block. I still feed hay but it's messy and a lot is wasted. I will try the different ideas suggested, thank you everyone!

 

[AnnClaire]

I made this type of hay rack and it works really well at keeping dropped hay to a minimum ... especially for the angoras!

http://rabbittalk.com/hay-rack-from...ial-t11866.html?hilit=hay rack from cage wire

 

[Fire-Man]

Fire-man, thanks for the pics, will look for used screens since it appears to be pricey to buy the parts to build them myself.

Your worm harvester is AWESOME! You are so creative. Do you have a website so we can see all of your inventions in one spot for drooling, I mean, inspiration? Thank you very much for sharing. I think I read that you're working on a chicken trailer, can't wait to see that.

As for the hay debate.....I'll stay out of that one! Lol I know top breeders who feed hay and ones who don't. I started out with a wool breed and fed hay for fear of wool block. I still feed hay but it's messy and a lot is wasted. I will try the different ideas suggested, thank you everyone!

Thanks for the Good Words. I just Love to "Play/build" things but I do not have a web page except for CB Amplifiers that I started building 15 years ago. http://www.angelfire.com/sc/cherrybomb/page5.html They just do not have anything to do with Rabbits--LOL. I like to turn 'Trash" into working things. Take the worm harvester---look at it close, the big aluminum tapered thing on the ends was a big light fixture, the steel shaft through the middle is a Barbell bar, the motor came off a nonworking power wheelchair---LOL. I could tell you all kinds of things I have built but people would think I was bragging and I am not that way---I just Like to Share.