What can I do? *Bit of an Update!*

Just taken a few pics of the hutch, not easy to really c the probs, but the roof wasn't fixed on (?!) so I managed to get pics from above...

The floor is supported underneath but I'm worried about all the gaps and unevenness around the edges, and keeping it clean...







The bed area, I asked him to leave divider out but he put it in so there's no way of getting a decent sized litter tray I'm there as the door is too small. If they start to use that as a toilet it's just going to stink and get damp. Even painted I'm not sure it'll be enough protection?





What would u do?? The more I look at it the more upset I get because I just don't c it working once I start using it. I got it cos I thought it would be better than the one they're in now but every day practicalities are important - easy access and being able to keep it clean r the main priorities. Any help appreciated :wave:

I'm so annoyed for you :evil: he should give you some money back.

Lino on the floor and up the sides slightly?

Could a 45L (I think it is) storage box fit in the bed area? That way you can cut a hole out of the shorter end and keep some hay in there? The door wouldn't be blocked then.
What are the measurements of the bed area from the wood bits that stick out? If that makes sense!

Aly&Poppy<3 said:

I'm so annoyed for you :evil: he should give you some money back.

Lino on the floor and up the sides slightly?

Could a 45L (I think it is) storage box fit in the bed area? That way you can cut a hole out of the shorter end and keep some hay in there? The door wouldn't be blocked then.
What are the measurements of the bed area from the wood bits that stick out? If that makes sense!

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It would fit something up to 44x80cm in bed area but its whether I would be able to get it in and out? I am annoyed. He has offered to fix it when he's next in area but who knows when that might be, it'll be a state by then. I said could he knock something off so I can get materials to fix floor but looking at it, unless I get it specially cut to fit around all the batons, there's no point, and that won't be cheap I'm sure and I don't trust my own skills to cut like that! Otherwise it will just be worse as they'll be even deeper gaps around the edges. I just feel like there's so much I would change, I don't even want it! I don't want to do Lino as that was a disaster in the other hutch, all the silicone came away and I pulled it up just recently and it was all soaked with wee underneath, I felt awful that I hadn't known I may be able to put some plastic corner strip things around the edges but its all extra money and work that I shouldn't have to do. I can't get the divider out either cos its screwed then the front and back of hutch is nailed on top. I mean, as it is, the layout is the same as their current hutch, they have their bed at that side and they don't wee in it so there's a good chance they wouldn't but it only takes one wee to start them off then its a right mess. That has happened in Summer and Skye's when they started weeing at the entrance to the bed/litter tray, it got in nooks and crannies, and once the smell is there its impossible to get rid of it's so annoying. I am going to repaint Summer and Skye's and change a few things. Anyway that's a digression!!

Ive just measured the buns 62L storage box litter tray and thats 79cm x 40cm from the overhanging bits so that might be an idea?

Grrrr :evil: sounds like a nightmare! With our lino we used strong double sided tape and stapled it to the sides x

Aly&Poppy<3 said:

Ive just measured the buns 62L storage box litter tray and thats 79cm x 40cm from the overhanging bits so that might be an idea?

Grrrr :evil: sounds like a nightmare! With our lino we used strong double sided tape and stapled it to the sides x

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Thanks iv just measured their litter tray too :lol: theirs will fit so will see, might be able to get another one so its clean and hope they just use it as bed, but its there in case of wees then use their existing tray in the main bit of hutch equivalent to where it is in current hutch. It's just hard cos I don't feel like I can just lay it out how I planned now iv got to think about covering all potential wee seeping!!! Going to have a wander round b&q in a minute and c if anything inspires me... What a fun Saturday afternoon :lol:

A little update, I'm feeling a bit more positive after my trip to b&q :lol: I've got some wood filler which I'm just going to use all around the edges and in any gaps to make the surface as smooth as possible before painting. Hopefully then, there won't be anywhere that wee could start soaking into the plywood floor. As for the bed, the entrance is pretty much just half of the divider cut away so in a way it's quite good. The back part of it is the perfect size for a cosy bed to snuggle into, and they r unlikely to use it as a toilet fingers crossed, so I'm going to put another divider (so splitting the bed area in half) then the front part will be like a corridor and I can have the runaround pipe coming out of the side there. They will just have their litter tray as the do now in the main area. I'm also thinking of putting a small platform in. So hopefully if it all turns out how I'm picturing then it will be ok! I also need to somehow make it taller, as that's making the small doors even harder to use as its also quite low down. I can't remember if I said 1 or 1.5ft legs and they're 1 but would be better 1.5! So I may attempt to put longer legs on, or just get some breeze blocks to stand it on. Will post (hopefully positive!) pics when I get started :thumb:

I'm glad you feel better about it now. If the roof is not attached would it be possible to fit hinges to it so you could clean it out from above? Obviously you would need some way of locking it shut. Then you wouldn't need to alter the legs.

Zoobec said:

I'm glad you feel better about it now. If the roof is not attached would it be possible to fit hinges to it so you could clean it out from above? Obviously you would need some way of locking it shut. Then you wouldn't need to alter the legs.

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I was thinking that but it's too tall as it is, but I could possibly chop the legs down instead (much easier :lol then do that. Although the roof is really heavy I'm not sure how easy it would be! Worth thinking about tho thanks :wave: Just want to get started now but pretty busy tomorrow and my day off is normally Monday but this wk it's Thursday

Not sure if you can buy them off the shelf but one of our sheds has gas piston hinge thingys for the lid. sorry dont know if thats what they are called. :lol: They hold it upright while you are doing stuff, not sure but they might work with the heavy roof ?

Don't do a hinged roof or you'll be creating a bigger problem.

Daniel said:

Don't do a hinged roof or you'll be creating a bigger problem.

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Why? I probably wouldn't anyway as its too big, I think I'll manage if the litter tray is in main bit and hopefully that'll be the only place they wee!

Summer&Skye said:

Why? I probably wouldn't anyway as its too big, I think I'll manage if the litter tray is in main bit and hopefully that'll be the only place they wee!

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A some point a hinged roof will leak. If the roof is not fixed down then it will warp, bow or cup.

Daniel said:

A some point a hinged roof will leak. If the roof is not fixed down then it will warp, bow or cup.

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Ok thanks for the advice :wave: