Hutch in the garage?!

You might have read that we're moving. Yesterday I had a moment of realisation....the garden might be bigger than our current one, but the gate to get into it is miniscule.....! There's no way the hutch (three storeys, 7ft long) is going to fit through it.

Tom, being wonderful, has agreed to get me a playhouse... Does this one look ok? :?

I'm putting the hutch into the garage (well the movers will...I can't even pick up one corner of it :lol I was thinking that if the weather got really really bad, as per previous years, I could put them in the hutch in the garage as an extra barrier from the elements at night/when it snows etc. The only natural light would be from the small door into the garage from the garden. There is a strip light in there.

Is it a good plan, or is it better to just use it as an expensive hay store?! :lol::lol:

It would be ok - as long as the car's not in there. The fumes aren't good for the buns.

SamanthaJane said:

It would be ok - as long as the car's not in there. The fumes aren't good for the buns.

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No, no car. It's just to be used as storage.

My hutch wouldn't fit through the side gate either - we had to take it apart and rebuild it on the other side! We used metal brackets and similar things to make it easier to dismantle again when we move, as we're only renting! My OH was very fed up by the time it was finished, but it was worth it - it was built by a friend's dad and kindly given to us for free, I could never have afforded to buy one like it!

sierra*323 said:

My hutch wouldn't fit through the side gate either - we had to take it apart and rebuild it on the other side! We used metal brackets and similar things to make it easier to dismantle again when we move, as we're only renting! My OH was very fed up by the time it was finished, but it was worth it - it was built by a friend's dad and kindly given to us for free, I could never have afforded to buy one like it!

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Unfortunately there's no way we can take it apart. It was made as one structure, and so we'd have to take every single piece of wood apart. It's a Ryedale hutch, so very solidly built, but unfortunately doesn't come apart.

Could you just put it over the fence? or next doors fence? :wave:

rabbitdan said:

Could you just put it over the fence? or next doors fence? :wave:

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It weighs about the same as my car (or so I imagine.) The movers are going to have a hard enough time lifting it a foot off the ground, let alone 8 foot over the fence :lol::lol:!

http://www.rehutches.com/triple-rabbit-hutch-super-whopper.php
It's this hutch...!

I always wanted a playhouse for them, but there was no space in the garden in my current house. I think they'll love a playhouse, and it'll be easier for Oliver to sit in with them.

Do the panels in the fence slide out of their concrete posts (if they have concrete posts), if so, if you can get it through the neighbour's garden and into yours by lifting the fence panel that would be an option.

Joanne Jenkinson said:

Do the panels in the fence slide out of their concrete posts (if they have concrete posts), if so, if you can get it through the neighbour's garden and into yours by lifting the fence panel that would be an option.

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The back of the house backs onto heathland, and I doubt it'd be possible to carry it all the way around the heath, through the bushes and in through the fence...I don't even know if the fence panels will come off....don't want to try it, as it's a rented house. The neighbours have the same problem as us getting into their garden so that's not an option.

Thanks for the ideas though!

Mine will be going in the garage if it gets worse than last year. Sometimes it's a trade off and sometimes a small sacrifice, short term, isn't a big problem. I don't see a problem with doing that for your bunnies- in fact, in light of the weather predictions recently, it seems sensible to have a plan in case we do get very cold.

On the other hand, if you're looking to sell it, I'm sure we could find it a home here!

RubyTed said:

The back of the house backs onto heathland, and I doubt it'd be possible to carry it all the way around the heath, through the bushes and in through the fence...I don't even know if the fence panels will come off....don't want to try it, as it's a rented house. The neighbours have the same problem as us getting into their garden so that's not an option.

Thanks for the ideas though!

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Ah! Not such a good idea! Hmmmm it is tricky.

garage querie

hi ya. i'm new to the site. i just read your post. my rabbits are going in the garage in their hutch in the winter as a few years ago i made the mistake of just using a hutch snuggle during a really cold winter and lost my beautiful black male rabbit jaques. my other two rabbits now go in the garage during the winter. theres no car in there, just used for storage really. i let them out in their run in the garden daily so i think if youre doing the same you'll be fine. ps. the play house looks amazing! :thumb:

Oh thats awful that you lost a rabbit bacause of the cold. I thought rabbits were okay with cold weather? I put mine in the summerhouse last winter and I was going to keep them out on the patio this year but now I am having second thoughts

Rabbits are better suited to the cold than the heat anyway. alot of rabbits on here spend their time in the run when it snows even when the hutch is attached. Aslong they have got a snuggly retreat with straw or hay in it then they will be fine :wave:

My winter care thread is a sticky on the outdoor housing thread if you want to take a look :wave: