30th December 2010

Another busy day

Posted 30th December 2010 at 06:10 PM by pisa

After the bad weather we've had, the last two good ones meant full steam ahead with building projects:
getting the junior run for the bunnies sorted, which meant putting posts in, chicken mesh up and piling bricks along the inside perimeter to prevent straightout escapes from underneath the railway sleepers.

And after two days of hard slog, lots of advisory comments from OH ( because he's building our bedroom) I'm done and the juniors together with dad have moved to their new accommodation. First they were absolutely terrified at so much open space available, but by now they're chilling and enjoying the evening breeze, bird song and food ad lib!
Next on the agenda was cleaning the cages and pen up at the house and give mum and her 10 babies more space to move around. Two wheelbarrow loads of bunny manure later, modified entry steps and they are all out stretching their legs. Mum did a top to bottom inspection and then retired to the bottom level, and has even snuggled up to some concrete blocks, which keep them cool and provide hours of entertainment.

I'm absolutely shattered, sun burnt and the household is in a moderate state of disarray, but looking at the animals in their new surroundings makes it all worthwhile. I really didn't want to bring up our meat bunnies in the classic small cages. I know putting the meat on them will take longer this way, but it's all about ethical husbandry, and we want to ensure a breed appropriate environment as close to nature as possible. Without harming the environment as well.

For the next weeks, it should take at least 2-4 to get them to a reasonable weight, they will be doing the test run and we will find out what kind of "holes" we've forgotten.

But for now I enjoy watching a relaxed mum enjoying space to herself, the babies stretching their legs and jumping with joie de vivre and the older ones being classic teenagers and eat, drink and lounge around.

Next project: milking stand and after that a proper duck area with a self cleaning paddle pool. Yeah, right!