Pets – Page 70 – Alan Mackenzie's Blog

Animals

Holly

Pixie

Holly and Pixie

Luna, Phoenix and Milo

Chester

Elvis

Dusty

Chooks

Actually this was more like a rebuild. We keep a few Bantams in the backyard and here is how the run looked in November 2006. It was simply star pickets with wire framing to support the chicken wire. I later realized the 25M roll I bought was actually bird wire which is a lighter gauge so it deteriorates more rapidly than chicken wire.

The above photos are taken from the kitchen meals area window (two story house).

Cara doing what Maremmas do and guarding her livestock, in this case three little Silkie bantams. RIP to all of them.

Later on I added a tarp for some cover. They don’t last long in the weather.

The new chook run

I screwed pine poles to the existing pickets and added a some additional poles. The centre half round poles support the ridge board (eave board from demolished house) and secured with brackets/screws. Roof framing is 100×75 pine and everything was cut with a mitre saw sitting on a BBQ bench seat – LOL. Wire is expensive! a 25M roll of this stuff costs around $225 bucks – ouch. The picture on the right shows some PVC pipe that is the overflow from the rainwater tank.

Need to paint everything before any thoughts of roofing…buy can of mission brown for about $60 and apply with Taurus paint compressor gun. Did I say wire is expensive…so is laserlite roofing, bought 10 sheets for about $220. Box of 250 self-drilling roofing screws for $12 and don’t forget the noise stop adhesive tape AKA purlin tape, they come in 24M rolls and I need three rolls – this is crazy. I made do with two rolls, in the pictures you can see where I have cut the tape in half and applied to some battens and rafters.

Finally we can do some roofing! I bought 10 sheets and two of them are clear and to go at the front of the shed to provide some extra light.

This picture shows where I have stopped near the gate, the next two will be the clear sheets and then back to the green to finish off.

All done…hope the girls like the renovations!

Rabbit hutch

Chester’s new home

Right pic: Chester waiting for the cleaning lady to finish chats to Milo who is trying out his clean bed; kitty litter tray filled with hay.

Rabbit Hutch

Chester our ‘dwarf’ rabbit is growing up quickly and will soon need larger accommodation – like a hutch!

He loves his outing’s in the cat run, everyone has fun.

Having a rest and catching up on backyard gossip with Holly our Golden Retriever.

Down to business in the garage workshop. I have a good supply of laminated chipboard from a shop refit so that’s what the hutch will be made of – easy choice.

The boy will have a two story dwelling with sleeping quarters upstairs and daytime lounge on the ground floor.

Adjacent to the spacious private bedroom is a balcony area that will have a nice view of the entry foyer.

A ramp provides access down to the ground floor.

For added entertainment there is also a play shelf that extends into the bedroom.

All this ex-shop timber is taking up a lot of room, need to move it out of the way – somehow?

The doors are ready to install. Waiting or the iron to reach ‘cotton’ temperature.
Applying the iron-on edge tape requires some patience

The boy has just moved in – lots of excitement!

View from the stairs landing. Chester having a chat with Milo while he waits for mum to finish the house cleaning for the first time.

Chester photos

Above: Chester with MK my older daughter in the lounge watching Foxtel.

Above: Going out to the backyard cat run.

Above: Chester and Phoenix in the cat run with Holly looking on.
A $39 gazebo from K-Mart converted into cat run with extra poles and chicken wire all around – plus gate.