# Building new rabbitry area....



## wendymac (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm getting excited! Here's our barn layout (figured this would be easier than explaining everything).







Because the barn had a funky layout (which made more sense when it was a dairy barn), we put the stalls to the left. #1 was a mini stall, which is now being used to store rabbit stuff (nest boxes, carriers, etc). #2 is wasted space...it has stanchion bars and cement troughs (which we could maybe get out, but haven't needed to and never seeing us removing). #3 is a small aisle that goes up to the free stall barn (basically another barn, that's not used, either).

The empty space to the left of the #2 area is where we're moving the rabbits to. What we did tonight was run wire fencing (heavy duty stuff, used to be used in the one paddock) along the inside of the wall on the new rabbit area. My sons are working on building the new fence with gates (the blue areas). The one in the front will have an actual gate. The one in the back will be a totally removable fence (the one in the front will be removable, too, because that's how we get the skid steer in as needed).

That will give us approximately 12' by 60' to put the rabbits in. I plan to keep the bucks more towards the back and the does towards the front, and the Xpen in the center left. Like this:





THEN! #2 area will be made into 2 permanent runs. But that won't be until we get all of the rest done.

What I love most about this is that the floor slants just enough to the outside doorway that I can hose cages and floors without soaking the stalls. No more dragging all the cages out to disinfect. 

This isn't drawn even remotely close to scale, but was easier to draw it then explain everything. LOL

And for those curious, here's the entire barn building layout.  The black smudge between the barn and the free-stall barn is an aisle. The free-stall barn is actually on the same level as the hay mow...so you walk up a little walkway and you're in the free-stall barn.


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## majorv (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm jealous! I have a friend who lives on an olddairy farm. The barn still had old milking machines in it. I noticed how cool it was in there because the walls were tile. Would've made a good rabbitry. What was/is the free-stall barn used for?


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## wendymac (Jul 12, 2012)

We actually sold all the milking equipment along with the big milk tanks. This used to be a top-end dairy farm...had an actual milking parlor where the cows were run in the back (3 on each side) and they just put the milkers on (which were at eye level, in this pit thing). Everything was controlled from down in the pit, making it fast. 

The free-stall barn used to be where they kept the cows. Then they'd come down the inside aisle, through the back into the parlor, then out the front and back up to the free-stall barn (from the outside). Right now it's not being used for anything.

Luckily the barn is a bank barn, so the entire thing stays really cool. I'm not sure my rabbits would have made it through our 2 week heat wave if it wasn't.


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## MyBabyHasPaws (Jul 12, 2012)

I want a barn just like yours.. why dont you email me one? LOL!

I think it looks great!


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## wendymac (Jul 12, 2012)

If I could, I would! LOL Thanks! The kids, 10 years later, are still trying to figure out how to turn the milking pit into an indoor lap pool. LOL

We still need to put a few more lights above the rabbit area, and my daughter is still throwing a bit of a fit over losing the wash stall area. We had rubber mats in there and that's where we bathed the horses....supposedly. But the last few years we've just been bathing outside the main barn doors (it's cement outside the barn doors and a cement walkway to the other door, too). We never have mud in the barnyard area, even after a lot of rain.

I really love our farm, even though it needs a LOT of work (an unending project).

As soon as hubby gets back with the boys, we're heading back down to try to get it ready to move the buns. YAY!


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## LakeCondo (Jul 12, 2012)

Bank barns & other structures that take advantage of earth's ability to moderate temperatures, are an old solution that is current again.


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## wendymac (Jul 12, 2012)

I can't figure out why the stopped going with bank barns in favor of pole barns. The only thing I can think of is it's cheaper to build a pole barn than a bank one. Regardless, I love it, leaky stone wall and all.


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## LakeCondo (Jul 12, 2012)

Yes, people often are short-sighted.

A number of years ago I visited someone whose house was more than half buried. The above ground part started at the window level & I think the back rooms [bathrooms etc] were mostly buried. There was grass growing where the roof would have been. I imagine their energy bills were reasonable!


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## wendymac (Jul 12, 2012)

There is a house around here like that. Looks really neat, and I can just imagine the fun in saying, "I'll be right back. I have to mow my roof." lol


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## LakeCondo (Jul 12, 2012)

Or you could use sheep to nibble the lawn, & say, "Well, time to move the sheep off the roof," lol.


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## Nancy McClelland (Jul 12, 2012)

:clapping:


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Jul 12, 2012)

Very nice!! 

When I get back into rabbits full-scale I am definitely going to design a barn with a concrete floor. 

The barn my horse is at is concrete and it stays SO cool in the summertime. Literally about 10 to 20 degrees cooler than outside. It is really great. Plus it won't rot away like a wooden floor. 

Emily


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## wendymac (Jul 12, 2012)

I love, love, love that everything is concrete! On the horses' side, though, we had to buy a lot of mats...for the stalls and the aisles.

I don't think my plan is going to work. The bucks, even though they are on the far end with space between them and the does, are already spraying. And I still have 2 sets of doe cages to move.  So they may have to move to the the stall the does used to be in. Why, oh why, does buck pee have to be so stinky?


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## MyBabyHasPaws (Jul 14, 2012)

Yikes.. spraying really sucks. What if you built a 1/2 wall type thing, would that help?

I have Oreo and Bugsy pretty much across from each other with about 5 or 6ft in between them.. no spraying! Just today Oreo was roaming and decided to binky, pee, binky, pee.. she was going for Bugsy, so in return Bugs ran and sprayed and got Oreo, needless to say it.was.disgusting!!!


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## wendymac (Jul 14, 2012)

Figured out the problem. Agent Gibbs (Kitty's 4 month old Cal buck) is still housed with the girls. HE'S where the smell is coming from. UGH! So tomorrow, after the horse show, he's getting unstacked and stuck at the end of the buck's line. I spent a good amount of time walking up and down the aisle, sniffing...trying to figure out why it stunk so badly at the beginning, but not closer to the bucks. Then I'm like, "Wait...that's Gibbs still in that cage." lol


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## MyBabyHasPaws (Jul 14, 2012)

LOLOLOL! at least it was that easy!


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## wendymac (Jul 14, 2012)

Yes, thankfully! I wasn't looking forward to moving the bucks yet another time. LOL


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