End of Season Report on the Bunny Proofed Raised Bed

[countrygrrrl]

Well, I labored all last spring to build a bunny proofed raised bed (attached to composting/potting shed with grape arbor).

The bunny proofed raised bed was essential built within a kind of maze I constructed --- high wood on the outside, drop, then brick barrier, then cinder blocks.

It worked fabulously for most of the season.

Now, however, a bunny has moved into the bunny-proofed raised bed.



So it's back to the drawing board.

[ed/IL]

One a season is not bad.

[southerngurl]

a dog

[countrygrrrl]

I have two dogs. When it comes to the bunnies, they're useless.



That said, I now remember that, during most of the summer, I used to spy on the bunny --- he was coming into the yard every evening around, say, 5:30-6:30 and carefully position himself in the same spot about four-five feet away from the bunny-proofed raised bed.

This to me, at that time, was evidence of the effectiveness of my bunny-proofing.

I now realize, however, that the bunny was cogitating on the best way to make it past all the bunny-proofing and set up camp.

*sigh*

[chickflick]

Cgrl...... Aaaaaa... maybe this is terribly presumptuous of me.. but .. have you attempted a two foot high roll of chicken wire on rebar posts to surround your 'garden' to bunny proof it?

None of my bunnies chew wire, or jump over 18".

[countrygrrrl]

But CF - that would be too easy.

:haha:

How about giving permission to a friendly hunter who would like to do a little rabbit hunting on your property and politly ask for your permission?

[southerngurl]

I have two dogs. When it comes to the bunnies, they're useless.

Ok, make that a useful dog. :haha:

A border collie could not leave something that moved alone.

Might also look into those motion activated sprinklers?

[countrygrrrl]

r.h., my neighbors train dogs by setting them loose on my property. Which is fine with me --- I like those hound doggies running around out back. Somehow, though, this bunny has figured out the yard area is the safe zone.



SG, the dogs are useful in their own little way. They hold the couch down. :haha:

[Tango]

LOL You have to admire bunny cognitive feats. Whatever you do - don't acquire a Catahoula Leopard. Mine sniffs them out of the nests and brings the kits to me so I can spend the rest of the evening searching for the nest site. We've got bunnies all over. I imagine an open garden would be a "BUFFET" sign. cg, my gardens are merely fenced in with cattle panels (to keep the piglets out) lined with chicken wire. They are not on posts. They keep themselves straight and I merely clip them together. Course it doesn't look as nice as yours probably does

[southerngurl]

SG, the dogs are useful in their own little way. They hold the couch down.

That is an important job.

[countrygrrrl]

Tango, I had to put cattle panels OVER :no: my newly constructed raised bed for daylilies, iris, flowers and whatnot. I have the cattle paneling OVER the bed and leaning onto the cattle panel fence because:

1. The dogs were using it as a pedastal to bark at anything they heard out on the road;
2. One of the dogs found the materials used in the bed (straw, horse poop, goat poop and whatnot) a wonderful after-dinner treat, and was quickly ridding the bed of all the beneficial goodies inside which I intended to be going to the plants;
3. The neighbor's horses were coming over and leaning over the fence and eating the flowers, just to bug me --- just like Mr. Ed, I'm telling you!

*sigh*

In any case, i have some little brown hens coming to live here in a few days. And I'll be enclosing the raised bed in plastic, in order to winter over some plants and also provide my lovely new brown hens with a little place to nest and roost, til I get the other shed cleaned out and turned into their permanent home.

The bunny's fixing to have competition, IOW. We'll see if the bunny can withstand the chickens! :yeeha:

[Cyngbaeld]

There is a LARGE squirrel that likes to come into my yard. The hens love to chase it back out. :haha:

[countrygrrrl]

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

There is a LARGE squirrel that likes to come into my yard. The hens love to chase it back out. :haha:

He. The bunny is VERY cute --- and fat --- but that's kind of what I'm hoping.

It's me or the bunny, plain or simple. And the chickens will be on the job here pretty shortly. :yeeha:

[deberosa]

I have one big black and white yard bunny left from my bunny nightmare this year. The neighbor had turned loose 4 bunnies right before I moved in here. He gets along really well with chickens so your chickens will be no help. This bunny (and his 100 odd other friends!) would go into the chicken coop all day and eat the chicken feed. I had bunnies and chickens - each of all different colors and sizes all over the place. Picture white bunnies sitting in your lawn chairs, hopping around under your vehicles, piled everywhere you can see and you would have my place back in June! Every week a dozen more babies would come out from under the barn!

Make sure your one bunny is a boy and is alone!!!! One bunny doesn't eat that much and is cute.

I had my garden inside 4 ft welded wire dog yard and then the garden itself has 18 inch electric mesh fencing. The bunnies munched it all down - and I have a Basset hound!!! Didn't help much.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by countrygrrrl

The bunny's fixing to have competition, IOW. We'll see if the bunny can withstand the chickens! :yeeha:

CG, the hens will be roosting and getting into their pj's when bunnies come over. No competition The compost you''ll get is beyond excellent though :yeeha:

[Mel-]

tango, what kind of clips do you use to clip the chicken wire to your cattle panels?

tia,

mel-

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Mel-

tango, what kind of clips do you use to clip the chicken wire to your cattle panels?

tia,

mel-

Hi Mel,
I clip the cattle panels to each other with quick release clips. The chicken wire is secured to the panels with plastic all-purpose ties.

[countrygrrrl]

deborosa --- I had a basset --- he was sooo wonderful! You realize, tho, that bassets are bunny hunting doggies?

Which makes tour *situation* even more hilarious. :haha:

Tango, yes, I'm looking forward to some powerful compost.

[gobug]

CG
did the rabbit go under your construction?