Paybacks after Pa.

Bluebells junior buck.

Ashley looking at his neighbor.

Wool and bunny pops for sale with interested bunnies looking on.

My husband really does help me out with the bunnies while I am away by feeding and watering them. One of the ladies at the show got a phone call asking questions about feeding the bunnies and I asked who that was. She said " That's my barn boy." What barn boy? "My husband". We all had a good laugh and I told my husband he was now my barn boy. He had a good laugh about that too.

Anyway, he will feed and water but not really clean so I had lots to do when I got back. The does with litter generate a huge amount of poop and since they are in my laundry room, I can't tolorate any odors. Over many years I have come up with a quick and easy cleaning system and I clean 9 cages in 45 minutes. It goes like this:

1) Have you supplies on hand.

Spray bottle with 1 cup white vinegar to about 32 oz. of water.

Spray bottle with Vanodine with 2 tablespoons of vanodine to 32 oz. water.

Newspapers, I prefer the N.Y. Daily News or N.Y. Post as they are small, fit the pans almost exactly and have great gossip pages.

Trash bag, bucket, dust pan and brush plus a sturdy wire brush ( I use a long handled plastic grill brush with a scraper end) and throw away gloves.

2) Put on gloves. Use the dust pan and brush to scoop up all of the poop and spilled food from the first pan and put it in the bucket. Roll up the newspaper and throw it in the trash bag. Take the wire brush and scrape under and on top of the floor wire. This drops any remaining material into the pan. Sweep this up and spray the pan well with the vinegar water to dampen. Let sit and go to the next pan. Repeat above.

3) While pan #2 is soaking, go back to pan #1 and wipe down with paper towels including edges of pan. Spray with Vanodine and cover with newspaper overlapping it so it is easy to roll up next time. I also put extra layers in the back so it will absorb more. Plus it's fun for the bunnies if they have some interesting pictures to look at through the floor wire. Repeat with the rest of the cages.

4) I put the contents of the bucket in my compost pile and use it in the garden. It makes the most incredible black rich soil and there is less trash to carry out and less going to the county landfill.

I know this probably all sounds very simple but you would be amazed how no one even knows that I have bunnies in my house. It is quick, easy and I can even get it done before I go to work in the morning. More on spring cleaning next time.