My Aviaries

Reeves

In the Brooder
10 Years
Dec 23, 2009
76
2
31
Note: some of these pictures/info date back over five years. Changes have been made and more changes are on going.




This picture is looking north, at the south side of the pen. The first 12' is treated wood and will be stained this summer so it matches the rest of the wood. You can see some lath in the pen, it is covered with wire so the Con Easter will survive the Amherst. When it has grown high enough the wire/lath shall be removed.
Note that the wire is just normal 1" chicken wire. I am installing a chain link predator fence at this time. The posts are concreted in, around the whole front yard. The 6' fence goes up this weekend, and the 3' bottom underground will be installed this weekend as well.
The "house" is 5'x8'. Tin sides and roof. The sand bath and grit area is covered. The Amherst side starts at the house, extends 36 feet out & extends away from you , in an L shape. They have 576 sq. ft. run.
The ribbon has been put all the way around. It is so Deer can see something & not blow through the pen. When the fence is done, the ribbon will come down.
Note the gillotine type door on their house. It is closed each night, opened in the early AM. Not even a mouse can get inside at night.
House is wired, so heat/light. Also a heated water dish for the winter.
Both pics taken May 1st.
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In this next picture you can see that on the inside of the L shape, I built a run for my Quail. The small "house" is 10'x4'x2'. The green covered part is heated. The next section, where you see clear plastic is their food and water area, next a grit area, next their sand bath. From that end the can enter their grassed and landscaped area. The "house" is devided down the center, so 20 sq. ft. , then the run for each side is 72 sq. ft. = 92 sq. ft. for each pair of California Valley Quail I have in there. In there runs I planted Dwarf Mugo Pine(one side) and Dwarf Cedars(other side) and red and black Currants in each side. Grass & clover base. I replced the wire on this small pen with welded wire, after the Badger attack last year. Stainless screws and washers to attach it.
This picture is looking south, at the north side of the pen.
QuailAmherst110606.jpg




Since it is mainly the wife that has to deal with my Reeves, I built a guillotine style door. (I also have them on all my bird "houses", as they are locked each night & opened each early morning, year round)
In this first picture is the east side. When we want him inside, we just walk over by the window, in he goes & up on a ledge. We then lower the door to keep him in , so we can do what is needed in the run. To keep him out of the "house" we just stand next to the wire & while he tries to remove my knee caps, close the door. We can then work inside without him ripping our legs off.
Reevesdoor2.jpg

The next two pictures are how the door was made.
Reevesdoor4.jpg

Reevesdoor3.jpg

In this next one the door has been opened, with me in the pen (fast picture !)
Reevesdoor5.jpg
 
I moved to this place about 3.5 years ago. So much has not been finished & much has to be planed out, and too many projects on the go. Priorities have to be set...like my shop. Woodpeckers have made a mess of the north and east sides, now I have to replace 10-15 sheets of plywood, fix/replace some insulation, then get the siding on. So money spent there delays other things , like pens...
Anyway, this is the Reeves (near side) and Golden pen. I plan on where the pen will be, plant trees etc so all will get established before birds are there. Note the flagging tape. Had Deer blow through the pen twice. I have chain link up now & it has kept Deer, Coyotes etc out (3' underground all around).
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Another pen and building. I had a Yellow Golden trio in when I moved here. Sold them: down sized till I can catch up.
The trees in the foreground have been removed/trans planted. The two rows of Cedars have been added to. In this picture you are looking south (at the north side of the building).
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In this next picture, you are looking sort of north west(ish).
The run is 12'x12' then the sand/grit area = 280 sq. ft. (includes inside of house).
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The 8'x14' building came with the place. I moved it to where I wanted it. I then built a floor on the floor, insulated R-20 in the floor, walls and roof. I installed a 110v base board type heater, lights etc.
Yellowhouseinside2.jpg

As well as two sliding double glaze windows.
Yellowhouseinside3.jpg




Don't forget that part of a play ground needs a sand box !
I build a 2x4 frame, put in and stomp down 3/4" drain rock, till level with the top of that frame. Cover/attach a filter cloth (like thick felt) . Then build another frame. This allows it to dry fast. Although this area is covered, the sides are not. They use it year round.
In the picture, I have just changed out the sand and grit. The near hen is in the sand, far hen standing on the grit. Grit is 1/4 minus gravel, with #2 granite grit mixed in: they pick what they want.
Tabo to disturb a Reeves hen sand bathing ! They'll stay put, but they (sort of) growl at anything that gets near.

IMG_0605.jpg




Seems I missed a couple pictures, of how I did the front yard perimeter chain link fence. It is all 9ga galvanized wire. Three foot underground. I used a garden tiller to loosen the soil, hand shovel, till some more.....till I had a trench 12-16" deep on the outside. The 3' wire was attached to the upright 6' wire with stainless bull rings every 4".

IMG_0194.jpg


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This was done in 2006. So far no Deer have jumped the fence. No digging critters have tried to get in. Yet.
 
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The first two pictures. I've gotten out of Amherst. I want a species I've not raised before, for that aviary.

I've also gotten out of Quail.
That Quail hutch will be moved and used for meat Rabbits.
I've opened up the area that had been used for the Quail.

Now the aviary run is 720 sq. ft. (not including the "house").

Next spring I'll re-stain the wood and make a couple other changes.

It will then be ready for Satyr Tragopan's.
 
Do you mind explaining the door a little? I love it! Want to add one to my chicken house. How did you attach the rope or cable to open or close? Any additional pics are appreciated!
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If you look closely at the pictures, you'll see an eye screwed into the top of the bolt door. I attach a rope , it is made the same as a climbing rope, but a small cable can be used as well. Something like the wire used for a (fishing) down rigger. It needs to flex over a long time. Run it straight up, through another eye. Mine, I then drill a hole through the wood towards the outside, at a downward angle. Put an eye hook and a loop in the rope. Adjust so it will not allow the bolt door to lift out of the slots.
Don't know how else to explain it.
 

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