Cleaning of the Big Barn, Day 3

Early in the morning, cages are dried, time to get them back.   Though the stacks have wheels, the wheels no longer work due to the corrosion from the rabbit pee pee.   Each stack is over 50 pounds, it's time for serious muscles. 

Five stacks are in the barn.   

  

In addition to these five, there are three stacks behind them that are not visible in the photo.

More stacks on the right side are moved in.  It takes several hours to get to this point, it's already well into the afternoon.    The next task is to put back the trays, hang the blinds, drapes, water bottles, feeders, ...  those "little things".
 

It's already night time when the "little things" are done.  The "little things" takes over 3 hours, believe it or not.

 

Another three hours or so to carry the buns back to their condo.

Some of the condos do not have water bottle and feeder.  Why?  Because the residents are yet to be born.   

The buns finally can stretch and enjoy their water and feed in their familiar home.   It's not easy for the buns, it's not easy for the humans.  In order to keep things in top shape, a bit of sacrifice is all worth it. 
With both the small barn and big barn thoroughly cleaned, it's a big relief.   Hopefully with careful maintenance, the cleanliness can be sustain until the next big wash.

 

Cleaning of the Big Barn, Day 2

Day 2 is the power-washing day of the empty barn.

Power washer is a must, a bit of guilty feeling using water but what else could be used to get rid of a whole year of dirty stuff?

Exterior cleaning.  

Looks so much better.  

Ladder is needed to reach the higher part of the barn.

The barn is in pretty good condition now.  

Some of the stacks are cleaned and dried in the sun.  

More stacks being dried.  

Condos are ready to be moved back but humans are too exhausted.   Day 3 will be needed.  

The empty spaces will be full the next day.   If you notice the stain glass on the upper right, it's the prize of my first all breed Best In Show in 1985,  won by my tort doe Chu's Erica.   In the 80s, there was about one show date a month or even other month.   Each show date only had one show.  Yes, I'm talking about maybe 10 shows in the whole year.   When there were 1800 entries, there were 1800 rabbits in the show room, and that was the number in that 1985 show when Erica won Best In Show.  The prizes were really good ones as it was a BIG thing to have won it.  

 

Cleaning of the Big Barn, Day 1

Buns from the big barn are in carriers, why?  

It's the annual deep cleaning time.  They will be in the carriers in the garage for 3 days and 2 night, no fun at all.   

Their condos have poops and wool stuck on the wire.  They are pulled out of the barn and waiting to be flamed and power-washed.

Waiting to be flamed and washed.  

Washing and washing.

And washing.  

Trays washed and spread out to dry.

Wool and poops are flamed off, waiting to be power washed.

More trays spread out to dry.

 

Handsome Boy Everest

Handsome boy Everest is carrying a full coat.

At 8 months, it's a prime time for showing, but... 

..as we know,  no show for more than 2 months.

Everest wish he could be like his cousins to play on the lawn, but ...

... with a full coat, he can only watch and dream that one day he'll be joining the group exercise.   

 

English Angora: A Live Coat vs. A Dead Coat

We have seen this photo earlier to illustrate a proper English Angora texture.   This is also a good photo to show a prime live coat.  Wool is freely separated from each other and the ends are all present.   The crimps are visible.  

 

This is a photo from another exhibitor.   It's an English Angora that won on that day.   What are we looking at?  The texture may have been good at an earlier stage, but this coat is definitely not in prime.  The wool are clumped in strands.  If an analogy is used, it's like a loose dreadlock.   A good grooming may help a bit but this coat is way past prime.  This coat is quite lifeless.  

Small Barn Cleaned, Rabbits Returning Home

While the small barn is being flamed and power washed, three French Angora Monique, Simone and Lipton are in three exercise pens.    The five English Angora are staying in show carriers waiting to return to their condos.

The trio for sure enjoy the good weather and the good exercise.  

Five English Angora and three French Angora are back to their condos.  One may wonder why there are only two trays in the lower level.  These trays are not necessary for catching poops and pees as the ground is soil, can be raked easily.   However due to the height of the lower level condos, there is potential for wildlife attacks.  The trays provide the rabbits a hiding place.  

When the small barn was built in 1982, there was no shade.  The barn was very hot during the summer. After 39 years, the trees have grown to 40-50 feet high.   See
Northern California Angora Guild: My Little Barn, 38 Years Apart (ncag.blogspot.com)

Now the barn is so shaded that a mister is enough to protect the rabbits during the summer.   

             

 

Small Barn Flaming and Power Washing

I have three areas for my Angora rabbits.  One is a small barn with 8 condos.  This is my first barn built in 1982 when I was still raising French Lops.   The cleaning is relatively easy comparing to my big/main barn.    Some of the poops are dropped to the ground so some shoveling is needed.   

The line going from the right to the top is a mister that can reduce the temperature by 10-15 degrees.

Blow torch is very effective in removing the wool on the wire.

Another view of blow torch at work.

 

 

After flaming by a blow torch, a power wash enhances the cleanliness.

Power wash at work.

 

Condos after flaming and power washing.

Trays washed and being dried.

These condos are used in a separate patio area that houses four rabbits.

Power wash is a must-have equipment.