New Cages Installed

I have this small barn since the early 1980s.   It was originally built for my French Lops, see 

https://ncag.blogspot.com/2007/08/remember-when-bettys-french-lop.html   The upper right corner cage has the most history.   It was where my first English Angora resided, see  

https://ncag.blogspot.com/2006/09/how-to-start-wrong-way.html .   In 2012 when I had my first French Angora Meara, she also went into that upper right cage, see https://ncag.blogspot.com/2014/02/meara-plays-mom-to-all.html

In the above photo, sitting in that cage is Rayna.    

These old cages are still in OK shape except that the floors could use replacements.   In 1980s, it's pretty common to hang the cages.  These 8 cages were tied together and hung from the ceiling of the little barn.  It's next to impossible to separate them to change the floor wire.

I got 8 new cages from Randall's.

After removing the old cages, the little barn is power washed then re-painted.     Still wishing to hang some of the cages but wanting to have flexibility to remove the cages individually, 2x4s are installed in the little barn.   The 4 cages in the bottom are hooked on the 2x4.   Each cage is equipped with a peg board as a divider to avoid rabbits chewing on each other or getting boo-boos from shows.

The top 4 cages has legs and sit on the 2x4.   The plastic trays fit in perfectly.  The bottom trays don't need to fit because they are more for safety than catching poops and pees.   The raccoons and skunks could reach the bottom wire if they try, the trays will prevent that from happening.   

Six of the cages are occupied by French Angora and two in the upper middle are English Angora does that are no longer showing but ready to be mamas. This barn is cooled by a mister, French Angora wool can take moisture better than the English Angora wool.   The English Angora with show coats are in the big barn that is cooled by a swamp cooler.  

Here is a close up showing the bottom cages hooked on the 2x4s.   There are 6 hooks for each cage.  If needed, each cage can be unhooked and removed.

The top cages are  installed with legs and sit on the 2x4s.   Two chains hooking the 2x4s to the ceiling of the barn for stability.    The line at the top is the mister hose when turned on can reduce the temperature by at least 15 degrees during the heat.

Hopefully this set up will provide more flexibility in cleaning and adjustment.   Maybe another 30 years?  A gal can always dream.