We will be redoing our barn this spring and need ideas on the best set up possible. The barn is 30 x 40 and I also have a 20 x 20 area attached. I have to do a 2 tiered system. Ideally it would be better to do 1 tier but I wont have enough room. The cages are 10 feet long, and 2 feet wide. There is 5 holes in each cage. I deffinatley want worm beds underneath the cages. What I want to do is use something like corragated alluminum places on a slant under the top tier so wastes would slide into the bins and I would not have to empty trays everyday. My DH is very handy and is willing to tackle this project. Pictures of different setups would be ideal. Havent had much luck finding any. Also we will be installing automatic waterers and need to find something that wont freeze in the winter. Any suggestions?

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), February 09, 2002

Answers

Couldnt you take a hose and hose it off? Would that make to much moisture in the worm bins? From what I have been reading worms need a fairly moist soil. I was thinking heat tapes also but what about the valves that go into the cages? Will those freeze? There is no way I can heat that big of a barn.

-- tracy (murfette@stargate.net), February 10, 2002.

You have to be careful with metal plates for waste to slide on. The acid in the urine will corrode. You would do well to use plastic, such as some type of house siding.

My local Fleet Farm sells water dishes for dogs and cats that have heating elements. I've used one successfully with my dog for the last 3 years.

-- John Littmann (johntl@mtn.org), February 10, 2002.

Tracy...

Like you, I had also used the corrugated siding for the slanted trays between the top and bottom tiers. I assure you... they DON'T work! You will need to have something devised to help push the manure down far enough to fall off the end. Since the metal is corrugated, a hoe may be used, but is wieldy, too wide and even shaped wrong for this purpose. Yes, the metal will also rust, and urine can run down between the overlapping sections.

Automatic watering systems can be fitted with Heat Tape for preventing the lines from freezing up. Available at most feed and supply stores, or through rabbit equipment catalogs.

-- Pat Lamar (fuzyfarm@3-cities.com), February 10, 2002.

Tracy... sorry for the delay in replying, as I have been quite busy, lately.

Anyway... the heat tape warms the water so it won't freeze, and the warmed water in the nozzles will *usually* keep the nozzles from freezing, too. Keep some water crocks on hand just in case, though!

From everything I have read on raising worms, they do best in outside bins, and particularly if your barn is fully enclosed. A friend of mine happens to be a "Master Worm Farmer," and he also raises rabbits. He also recommends outside bins rather than under the cages. Hosing down the slanting trays would definitely add too much moisture to the worm beds. You will also have problems with "hot spots" from the rabbit urine when kept under the cages. When kept under cages, the beds need to be turned almost on a daily basis. That's pretty labor intensive, if you ask me!

-- Pat Lamar (fuzyfarm@3-cities.com), February 11, 2002.

http://www.cyberstreet.com/kwfarm/wormsandrabbits.htm

Check out the above website for info on raising worms and rabbits. Excellent site.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), February 12, 2002.

Hi Tracy, For the waste panel between the cages get a strip of stainless steel from a scrap dealer (sure to cost more than al or plain steel). Stainless steel will withstand the urine and if placed in a steep angle pellets should roll right down. I wouldn't hose the panel down as I think that the urine would keep everything wet enough. Good luck!! Stuart

-- Stuart Hall (stuarthall@farmerstel.com), February 14, 2002.

Double decking rabbits produces too much ammonia per cubic foot,but if your going to do it any way,use fiberglass panels under the cages and make a scraperfrom a piece of fiberglass to fit the corrugations. Heat cables inside the water pipes work great-check any rabbit supplier.

-- Ozark Hal (butch13280@aol.com), October 10, 2002.