Run, rabbit, run

Dig that hole, forget the sun

And when at last the work is done

Don’t sit down, it’s time to dig another one

-Pink Floyd

The posts for the rabbit run have been set. I am over the moon! I know that owning rabbits will come with its own set of challenges, just like the chickens have. But similar to the chickens, the rewards will outweigh those challenges. The run is 9×9 and will have a roof over it. I am planning on digging up the 9×9 space and laying goat fencing flat on the ground. I will then re-cover the fencing with soil and plant grass. This is to prevent tunneling out. The raised hutch will go inside the run. The rabbits will still have to be taken out of the hutch, but they will be let out almost daily. Their hutch will be accessible to them during their time outside via a ramp.

I bought the hutch off of Facebook Marketplace. It was made from recycled materials, which I love. The outside is made from weathered, discolored corrugated metal, and it looks so interesting and beautiful. There are few spots inside the hutch that have been chewed at, which I will sand down. However, the side of the cage with a wire floor was extremely rusted in two spots, so I knew I had to replace that. I immediately saw that I needed to disassemble parts of the hutch in order to reach that part. I also knew that disassembling it would allow me to clean the inside area much more thoroughly.

Boy did I open a can of worms. I ended up having to take apart the entire top section, so that I could access the rusty wire bottom. I ripped it up, and began cleaning the base and all the pieces with soap and water. I then sanitized the base and all the parts with a bleach solution. Then I let the sun do its job.

The next day, I laid new wire gauge on the bottom part, and I began reassembling the top section, and thankfully it went pretty smoothly. I have always been fascinated by carpentry, but it is quite difficult. It was very rewarding to “rebuild” this hutch. I remember hearing a dressmaker say that he learned to sew and make patterns by taking apart old clothes. This felt akin to that in way; it was far less intimidating than starting something from scratch, yet I felt I definitely grew my carpentry skills, if only marginally. I finished everything except the wire front and the corrugated metal.

These rabbits will provide so many wonderful opportunities for the children. We will observe them, grow food for them, feed and water them, cuddle them, and learn all about care and maintenance. We will also use their poop for compost, among other things! I found a local breeder named Celtic Glen Heritage Livestock, and am on a wait-list to get two does. They even offered to come out for an educational visit next school year. I can’t wait to see how much joy they bring to Blackberry Blossom!

Hare-brained Scheme

Here comes the sun . . .