Free ranging in a shed

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Claire W

Claire W

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My girls are due for a new hutch. Their current one is 6ft x 2ft by 2ft. I love the hutch but the sides have expanded meaning that there is a small gap between the back of the hutch and the floor.

Hubby has agreed that instead of them having a new hutch, they can have a shed to free range in. I have always loved the idea of this but wanted to know people's advice and opinions really.

The biggest we can buy is a 3ft by 6ft due to the space we have available for it. Would this be suitable for four girls? I have a spare 3ft hutch that I would leave open in there that they could hide in if they wanted. I would also provide them with all their hides etc.

I would want to cover the floor with something to help with warmth and to protect the floor. What would you suggest? I would then use a layer of newspaper, followed by wood shavings and then hay. This is what I use in the hutch now.

And how would I insulate it in the winter and keep it cool in the summer? We would put mesh on the top part of the door so it could be kept open.

This is the shed we are planning on buying http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co...h-200S-Classic-Pressure-Treated-Overlap-Apex#

Any advice, suggestions and opinions would be much appreciated :)
 
Sounds great :D My bunnies have gone to boarding whilst I go on holiday so my piggies are lucky enough to have their shed and run to free range in! :) Bet your piggies will love it!

There's lino down on my shed floor. :)
 
It sounds great with plenty of space. You can always add a higher level with a small hutch they can climb up into to make better use of the space. That would also provide extra insulation.
 
I use offcuts of lino in the hutch. Apart from when the girls pee up the wall, mallethead the wood is like new!
 
You could trh googling or searching on ebay for the rubber matting used in stables. I got some on a roll to fit my outside hurch/run, to prevent damp and provide insulation and it's great. It can be cut to size and is waterproof. It's also heavy enough to lay across an outside run to provide shelter from sun and rain. Not expensive.xx>>>
 
It's a super shed, Claire - is it to fit where their present hutch is?
 
Thank you for the advice and suggestions. The shed has been ordered and will be here on the 6th of August rolleyes

I have a spare 3ft hutch at my parents house which is virtually new Thai I can put in there. Great advice :)

Another problem I have now is hanging the water bottles or could I use something else?

They went in to boarding the other week and were in a really large space in a barn. As there were four of them, Kirsty didn't put them in a hutch and they seemed so happy running around. It seems a shame to keep them in a hutch when we are now in a position to do this.

I will start a 'progress' thread when it arrives.
 
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Sue G said:
It's a super shed, Claire - is it to fit where their present hutch is?
Click to expand...

Yes, the step will lead straight in to the door. Chris has told the neighbours our intentions as it may block some sun from their yard but they are fine with it :)

We saw a children's Wendy house thing in b and q yesterday but was 4ft so wouldn't fit.
 
I'm in the process of thinking out the logistics of making one of my sheds into a piggy pad for a neutered boar and wifette.

Planning to insulate the walls and ceiling, make a mesh door inside the solid door but leaving a foot that doesn't open at the bottom so would have to step over it, but handy that the Piggies arnt gonna leg it when i open the door.
I hope to run electric cable for light and heating too. and fit lino to the wooden floor.

I'd be interested to see your work in progress
 
As suggested above a little lip in the doorway might be good to help stop any great escapes. But a shed for the little guys would be awesome, and the hutch would be great for when they feel like snuggling up. Fill it with hay and that can be there bedroom lol

For water bottles you could try making little wooden holders. I have seen them in my local pet shop. Imagine a spice rack looking thing but obviously only wide enough to fit a water bottle in, so it stays upright. Then you can screw that to the side of the shed.
 
Salt n Peppers mum said:
Planning to insulate the walls and ceiling, make a mesh door inside the solid door but leaving a foot that doesn't open at the bottom so would have to step over it, but handy that the Piggies arnt gonna leg it when i open the door.
Click to expand...

I hadn't thought about them escaping so thank you for this. Good luck with your venture too :)
 
LittleEskimo said:
As suggested above a little lip in the doorway might be good to help stop any great escapes. But a shed for the little guys would be awesome, and the hutch would be great for when they feel like snuggling up. Fill it with hay and that can be there bedroom lol

For water bottles you could try making little wooden holders. I have seen them in my local pet shop. Imagine a spice rack looking thing but obviously only wide enough to fit a water bottle in, so it stays upright. Then you can screw that to the side of the shed.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea. Thank you :)
 
Hi - I have actually joined the forum today to try to find ideas for just such a project.
The shed that I am planning to get is
http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/Wooden-Storage/BillyOh-Pent-Premium-Bike-Store?oid=17241&gclid=CM7AjJ3R9bACFU4lfAodl1uvNg
My idea is to put their 2 storey hutch inside and give them the run of the floor. My question is really whether it would be easy enough to fit 2 mesh doors inside the proper wooden ones (if that makes sense?)? I would like to be able to throw open both wooden doors if it's fine, but have the option of shutting one or both of them if it's awful... Have any of you managed to do something similar? I also thought that some sort of see through covering for 1 door might be a good idea - so that one door could stay open pretty much all the time (I will probably only shut them both late at night in the winter and open them when I get up first thing?).
I hope you don't mind me joining (some may say hijacking) your thread, Claire, but thought you may have some ideas for me...? :)
 
Of course I don't mind :) the only problem you have with the shed you are looking at is it has no windows. I have noticed that you are
Poking at the same website as my shed is coming from. The shed I am getting is the same size as yours but has windows and a stable door in it. By the time I brought the tonge and groove floor (you have to buy the floor separate for all their products) it has cost me £144.

I want to use mesh too to put over the door so at least the top if the stable door can be left open but I still need to look in to it.

An advantage to the shed you are looking at though s that you will easily fit your hutch in.
 
The bike storage shed can be altered as this one has been for rabbits -

bikeshed1.jpg


bikeshed2.jpg


I was having another think about my design, and I thought the piggies would enjoy the runaround pipe system that can be attached to a run on fine days as I know my lot are much more settled when they can come and go from their bed area.

http://www.runaround.co.uk/
rumaround.jpg
 
I love the runaround pipe idea.
Yes, I am a bit concerned that there are no windows... Basically, their double storey 5ft hutch is in a 6x4 shed with a window at the minute (they don't have the run of the whole floor - their hutch is just in it for protection) and they also have a run, but with the weather being so terrible I feel that they are hardly really getting to go in their run. So, they are ending up just looking at a wall for much of the year. I liked the look of that little bike storage shed because it is front opening, so they'd have a more interesting view and be able to see us more.
The only other option is that they stayed in their current shed and I raised their hutch somehow (so that they were a little more at window height) and gave them the run of the floor also? That would also be the far cheaper option.
What do you think - how inportant is the better view?
 
I was having another think about my design, and I thought the piggies would enjoy the runaround pipe system that can be attached to a run on fine days as I know my lot are much more settled when they can come and go from their bed area.

http://www.runaround.co.uk/
rumaround.jpg
[/QUOTE]

I especially like this set up with the tunnel. Chris has said that may be next summer (as this summer will be spent sorting the shed out) we could put a cat flap in the side of the shed and provide them with a little secure outside area that they come come in and out of as they pleased when we are not in. Of course, they have a run at the minute but can only use it when we're in.
 
primrose said:
I love the runaround pipe idea.
Yes, I am a bit concerned that there are no windows... Basically, their double storey 5ft hutch is in a 6x4 shed with a window at the minute (they don't have the run of the whole floor - their hutch is just in it for protection) and they also have a run, but with the weather being so terrible I feel that they are hardly really getting to go in their run. So, they are ending up just looking at a wall for much of the year. I liked the look of that little bike storage shed because it is front opening, so they'd have a more interesting view and be able to see us more.
The only other option is that they stayed in their current shed and I raised their hutch somehow (so that they were a little more at window height) and gave them the run of the floor also? That would also be the far cheaper option.
What do you think - how inportant is the better view?
Click to expand...

How about you give them the run of the floor as well as their hutch? I don't think the view is all that important but they do need natural sunlight. Do you have a photo of your current hutch and shed? May be we could give you some ideas. It sounds good though as do your plans for the bike shed (if you choose that route). Decisions decisions :{ :))
 
Thanks for the advice - I've decided to stick with their current shed, but to somehow raise their hutch about a foot off of the floor so that they have the run of the whole floor. Hopefully, being raised about a foot will still allow me to clean under it fairly easily. Am definitely going to use the lino flooring and anti-escape ideas.
Am really looking forward to seeing the progress of all these sheds.
 
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