Pink Fox: its Raining...IN MY HOUSE! :/

[pinkfox]

well today is actually quite nice, were supposed to be heading to the 60's and are currently hovering in the low 40's
its sunny, most of the April Fools snow has melted and mum seems onboard with my plan to move the rabbitry down close to the house. (this is a yay win for me a sit would make EVERYTHING (particularly in the winter) a ton easier).
so...given the go-ahead there...I might actually work on that today
ive got 2 does due early next week and id love to get this done before that (otherwise itll be 4 weeks or so before I can move those girls...)
im thinking of setting the whole thing up, im going to be putting my cages on the t-posts again like I had them (since I have the t-posts lol) and im thinking of getting a 500lb ratchet tiedown set...and literally ratchet the whole lot down to the t-posts which will eventually have about 80lbs of rabbits (plus cage weight) holding those groundwards too lol)

if it can fly away after that...ive got a lot more to worry about LOL!
I can get a ratchet set for $10...much cheaper than the ground anchor kits and ALOT easier to set.

I just need to absolute yes on position for them first...theres a spot at the side of the fence that the dogs use as a potty spot and the GSD has turned into a muddy mess, its next to the duck pen so she paces the fenceline making a real big muddy spot, but that spot is also right next to the gate into the backyard...so im not sure if dad will go for that...
or theres the spot BEHIND the shed/duck pen...the downside with that spot though is its slightly sloped so id need to level out...id rather put it right on the yucky spot, im planning on putting some planters around the walls anyway (in the summer itll just have lattice walls for airflow so im thinking beans, peas and sunflowers ) so I think I can make it look pretty enough...

anywho...I should at least get the ratchet straps and gather the pieces together and lay it out.

the other one is going to be the greenhouse and I figure that would go better up in the veggie patch where I was origionally gign to put the rabbitry back up...this just makes more sense I think.

 

[pinkfox]

I did it...
I made progress...
im now taking a coffee break, it took more out of me than it should but the frame is up.
I decided to put it behind the shed/duck coop, and I decided to leave the bottom 1/2 of the legs off...
seems strange to say that, but its one of those shelter logic 10x20's and the legs come in 2 pieces, the top andbottom...
tyou build the roof them lift it up onto the top 1/2 of the legs, put the roof on, secure it then lift it to put the bottom 1/2 the legs on...
so I did the roof and the lowr legs and im looking at it and I like it shorter...
the peak of the roof is about 6 1/2 ft high, with the walls about 3 1/2 ft...plenty tall enough for me to hang single row of cages along either wall, and have plenty of headroom down the center aisle...
BUT unlike when it has its full legs on...I can easily touch the ceiling (easier for me to put in insulation at a later time) and the peak which means in the winter it would be a lot easier for me to knock any snow off...
plus im thinking lower ceiling height would be much better for keeping the heat in and close to the rabbits since heat rises...right?
lower height also makes it a lot less obtrusive and would require a lot less insulation to do the walls in the winter im thinking...and id realy like to put up lattice walls which is expensive when you've got 20 ft long 8ft tall...suddenly that price halved

now lets just hope dads ok with it where it is and ok with the lower height...I much prefer it this way

I haven't put the roof on yet, nor have I gone for ratchets or put in the t-posts, I want to quadruple check first but *fingers crossed*
im thinking plant the fruit bushes along the fenceline the dog likes to tear up, and theres still enough room back there for my quail cages too...
close enough to water and power that I can run cords if needed...im liking this so far.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like a good plan!

 

[pinkfox]

mum was ok with placement, dads not impressed but hell get over it. got the 1st layer of tarps on the wall against the fence, that's going to get a layer of reflective foam insulation and a 2nd layer of tarps and get battend down TIGHT.
the roof got chewed up by mice so has a few holes...so right now my plan is to put a layer of bubblewrap over the whole thing then put the cover off the 2nd one ontop and anchor it down...thisll not only give me the insulative layer I want but it means the 2nd cover wont be wasted (that frame is going to be the greenhouse) and I wont have to cover it in other tarps just to keep the rain out...
I got some pieces of lattice up on the exposed side, looks good just need 3 more pieces...
and I need something for the ends/doors...not sure how I want to do those, im thinking just hang tarps split down the middle and pull them back like tent curtains during the day, cheap, easy...

the whole thing SHOULD be fairly secured at this point...if it manages to fly away...well it eserves freedom lol
ive got 6 t-posts inside, the 4 corner posts are tied down to the t-posts with ratchet straps, the center posts have heavy duty bungees...
then the fence side is also bungeed TO the main fence posts and the other side ive got 3 more t-posts on the outside and the legs are cable tied TO them to keep the legs from slipping/moving off the blocks. so in order for this thing to fly away it has to break loose from 9 posts and a fence LOL!

so sats goal is to get the ends on and the other lattice pieces up. and hopefully the 2nd roof layer...
then hopefully, sunday...start moving buns in

fingers crossed!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds great! Don'tcha just love it when things come together!?!

 

[pinkfox]

I realy do, wish my body was just a little more co-operative about it...but it certainly could be worse lol.
found a couple sheets of foam core insulation in the shed...1 more piece should do the back side that I need to have done before I can move buns in (that's the side I wont be able to get to once the cages are in...)
and I need to figure out the best way for this roof...
I can get the bubble insulation from home depot delivered to my house for $109...
or...I can make my own...Walmart has bubblewrap...buble insulation is just bubblewrap between 2 big plastic sheets.
double layer bubblewrap is just 2 layers between 2 big plastic sheets...
im thinking spend $40 on 3 200ft rolls of bubblewrap (which would also give me enough bubble wrap to add a layer on the back wall with the rigid foam too!
and make my own Double layer bubble insulation...
so, $40 on bubblewrap, another $12 for the piece of rigid I need to finnish the back wall and $20 for apiece of vinyl lattice to complete the front wall
ill also need a couple of tarps for the ends, which id prefer to be white...not exactly the cheapest option for the izes id need, BUT would look nicest, amazon has them for the least with fast shipping so...theres another $34...
so...all in all about $100 to get it ready for buns...

weathers nice right now so I got the 5 raspberry planted along the fenceline too...
weve got space for 3 more raspberry along there so thatll be a nice screen

got to run to town this afternoon for groceries...so ill probably pick up my bubblewrap them... but I wont be able to fit the rigid foam board in the jeep if everyones coming, will have to see if dad will take me in the truck for that in the morning (or go back later just for that but that's a long trip just for the 1 thing.)

anywho...back to it I guess.

 

[Britesea]

I'm trying to envision things... you didn't plant the raspberries on the same side as the dog, did you? You said the dog likes to tear things up along the fenceline there...

 

[pinkfox]

it is...she doesn't tear things up so much as she paces the line an has torn up/kille the gass in that spot.
ive put up a temp fence around the berries so they will be safe until they get established...after that hoping the combination of size and thorns will keep her off the fence lol.

picked up my bubblewrap...so gonna go try and get that done before the rain comes in

 

[pinkfox]

well, about 2/3rds the way done with the roof insulation.
got a layer on the roof, but it was too hard to reach the peaks so instea of doing 2 layers between the 2 roof tarps I did 1, got the 2nd roof tarp (which has NO holes in it) on and tightend down...and am adding the 2nd layer of bubblewrap Inside...
so 1 layer done, 2nd arp on and 1/2 way done with the layer inside, need another roll of double sided tape to finnish the other 1/2 inside...an I want some wide packing tape to secure the seams.

still need to get the rest of the lattice and another piece of rigid foam but ill do that tomorrow morning.
and still need the end tarps which ill order tomorrow, should be here Monday (yay prime)
if I can get the rigid up tomorrow I may start moving cages in the afternoon. just not sure if I want to start with the big/heavy cages or the smaller ones lol.
ill probably do the bigger cages since both the does due on weds are in those. but they are a big job as I cant move them in 1 piece...I clip all the ties, take them apart and rebuild in place...

otherwise...
body is aching...and the rain just arrived, but were having takeout for dinner so YAY!

 

[pinkfox]

wow its windy out.
need to make a trip to town this morning for more supplies...
and then got 1 bun going home today for sure and possibly the other 2 females too *fingers crossed* just tying to figure out pickup.
these buns going home today will pay for Aprils feed and possibly a little of mays, next round of babies due next week should be ready to go in june, so realy hoping for lots of healthy babies...

may try 1 more round of breeding before the summer heat comes in and then itll be break time again until fall...so I need to have lots of nice babies that I can sell to pay for the feed to see me through...
right now with the hard winter and the supplies for this rabbitry build the rabbits are in the hole about $300...we broke even last year but $150 in feed over the winter with no litters/lots of deaths, and supplies and picking up those buns at the show in feb have it hit hard right now.
we should catch up...but right now...who knows.