Yet MORE Growout Cages!

[MamaSheepdog]

Remember the aviary I was considering using as a colony pen or something? Well, I nixed that idea, and took it apart. I now have two 3' x 7' panels, two 3' x 4' panels, and the one 4' x 8' has been turned into a cage already! Well, two 4' x 4's, actually. I'm not sure what, if anything, I am going to do with the panel with the door in it. :hmm:

There was some minimal rust, so I bought Rust-oleum and spray painted it, both with primer and a top coat. I think it looks really nice, and it should last a lot longer.

I am not sure what I want to do for roofing, so as a temporary solution I made tarps out of feed bags, using my handy-dandy grommet kit! They are attached at the rear with twist ties (we keep forgetting to buy zip ties when we go to town- dang it!) and at the front I attached S- hooks to the cage doors so I can easily fold the tarp back if the bunnies need sun during cool/cold weather.

So without further ado, here it is:



Here are the residents enjoying the morning's buffet:



Here is the original growout cage (on the left) and the second one I built on the right. Bucks are in the lefthand cage, does in the right:



I now have two cages for bucks, and two for does. When the others get built I will be able to further separate them by those to keep, sell, or eat. I have enough panels to make six more good-sized cages, so hopefully crowding will not be an issue!

 

[skysthelimit]

how tall are the pens? I'm trying to cheat on my holland pens.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

They are 18" high on the sides and back, 10" fronts.

 

[siddsaysgimmie]

Love them! So jealous.

 

[fuzzy9]

I agree, very nice, and so well constructed! You've got some very nice rabbits in those pens as well!!

 

[skysthelimit]

i'm really going to look into your plant pot idea. These kits were having a blast jumping up and onto the nest box when I had it on it's side. they sure liked climbing and being up, and I'm doing nothing with that cage space. What is the diameter of your pots?

 

[Piper]

I am not one, that likes to re-invent the wheel. Since it seems possible, that you already priced these. Where did you get yours?

using my handy-dandy grommet kit!

Also, did you prep the cages

was some minimal rust, so I bought Rust-oleum and spray painted it, both with primer and a top coat.

How are they doing as far as rust coming back?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Piper,

I bought the grommet tool at Home Depot. The feed bags degrade pretty quickly in our hot dry summers though, so I resorted to zip ties instead since they are cheaper than grommets.

I have found that a wire bristle grinding wheel that can be attached to a hand held drill works very well at removing rust without damaging the underlying wire. No rust yet- but it is bone-dry here... results may vary with more humidity. Additionally, I think it is only when rust gets so bad as to create a sharp bumpy surface that it is problematic. Rusty tinged but still smooth wire shouldn't be a problem.

 

[MaggieJ]

MSD, I'll bet you could use the grommet set on that foil insulation that you were interested in. It would make it very easy to keep it in place.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Oooh! Splendid idea, Maggie! I originally bought the grommet set to repair the tarps we use on hay (and other things) stored outside- the wind eventually tears the tarps at the grommets.

 

[LauraNJ]

Very nice! Bunnies look very happy!

 

[fuzzy9]

Looks good MSD! Question though, how do you keep your food dry? Do you get any dewy mornings, or has it rained?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

how do you keep your food dry?

After these pics were taken, I ordered 12" feeders from Klubertanz (with optional lids),and the feeders only have perforated bottoms. The bread pans were only temporary feeders.

 

[ZRabbits]

Really looks good. And definitely some lovely residents.

Karen

 

[MKirst]

Mama great job making your own cage !! I made John a 40 inch by 40 inch run around cage from scratch yesterday and my hands are all cut up and today I have a headache - I never get headaches !!! All that twisting and cutting - anyone who makes their own cage has my respect. That is a hard task and I felt like quitting 1/4 way threw the ordeal - but I managed to finish.

John loves his new cage though ... last night I don't think he wanted to go back to his hutch. This morning he was so excited to be in his run around cage. Now if only I had 2 other 40" by 40" run arounds for Jane and Jill an Jack. Jill and Jack are stuck with Johns old runaround for now - they are easy to get outta the hutch they are both very tame rabbits. Jane doesn't like to leave her hutch.