Need ideas for a Aviary for my Peafowl, bunch of questions,I picked up most of the Lumber today.

[Joe.G]

Hi, I already have a idea in my head as to what I want to do, It is going to be 20x16x8 or 9 ft high I have Pressure treated lumber, the frame is going to be 2x8 and 4x4 posts, there will be some 2x6 and 2x4 for bracing and what not.

I am going to put a door on one of the 16 ft sides in the corner and on the opposite end on the other 16ft wall I am going to sometime over the summer add a small coop just so they have some place to go to get out of the weather, this coop will be build outside of the Aviary with a small entrance for them to go back and forth though, the coop will be prob about 6x8x8 or something along those lines.

I plan to wrap the whole thing, sides and ceiling in 1/2x1/2 hardware cloth, Figured this stuff is pretty strong and should hold up well, I thought about using 1x2 welded wire but I think it is going to cost a bunch, I plan on buying 2 100 ft rolls. I'll prob also put one layer of hardware cloth down on the ground on the inside of the aviary, prob just one pass on the outer edge.

I may cover the top with a tarp for now , and maybe add a roof down the road or cover half and leave half open.

I would like to add some stuff in the inside, I don't know if I should leave the grass, or put wood chips or sand.

What about plants or trees? bushes? How many Peafowl could I keep in this size aviary? I have 2 Males and a female at the moment, I would like to add another female. Thanks

 

[Joe.G]

Would it be ok to add either a Pheasant or 2 or maybe 2 Pigeons?

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Well I don't know about pens, but there have been some really interesting threads here about them.
You have probably looked at these two examples, but just in case:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/704066/ill-show-you-my-setup-if-you-show-me-yours-heavy-pictures
And of course FBC's building saga:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/637251/the-building-of-pea-palace-pic-heavy
I can't find it at the moment, but I think destinduck has some other birds in with his green boys, you might take a look.

 

[Joe.G]

That was a lot of reading, But not the info I am looking for but non the less, Should I put a roof On mine or do i want to keep it open? Is it ok for the birds to get rained on?

 

[destinduck]

Joe, you might want to put what state you live in in your avatar.You will get better responses for your areas climate. I dont cover any of my birds because Im in Florida.But there is shade. Peafowl need sunlight as do most birds. And they like to get out of the wind or cold I would imagine. Of course its fine for the birds to get rained on. But build you a cover if you like, Most people have them for peafowl for sure. Im an exception to the rule Everything pretty much gets rained on in nature..Same with my birds

. Maybe you could add pigeons and pheasants. But what kind of pidgeons or pheasants were you thinking on? it sounds like you have a good pen idea. What info are you looking for exactly? I keep my birds on sand. Because every time i have tried grass they eat and end up trampling it nohow . As far as plants go I dont do em much for same reasons. But others may help you on that end. Also edited to say I dont know how two pairs in that size pen during breeding season would work out. I just know I wouldnt go there.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Hardware cloth is like using wet paper towels against predators. Welded wire is better but still can be ripped apart by racoons.Burying hardware cloth to bury against predators soon will be no deterrent because it will eventually rust and because it is such a small size of wire to begin with if you get a lot of rain yearly it will be a lot of work for little long term use.
If you sakrete your 4x4 posts they do not need bracing if 2' is in the ground.In my 48'x48' aviary-breeding pens all I used was CCA 4x4 posts and CCA 2X4"s,nothing bigger is needed.Peas are not constantly trying to break free or test your equipment too much.Course hardware cloth can be used if you have 0% predators and like paying extra for less. I can get a 100' roll of 60"welded 2x4 wire for $76.00 here.I've purchased 6 rolls so far with more to come.Your seriously going to use hardware cloth for the top of the pen too? A good ice storm or large amount of heavy wet snow and you'll be replacing it.2" knotted netting (NOT KNITTED) will allow snow to fall thru with minimal buildup amd will stretch when a bird possibly tries to fly upwards and hits the net.Hardware cloth would likely break the birds neck since it is more solid with no room for the birds head to go thru.
Adult peas need about 100sq ft per bird in a breeding pen arrangement. Some of my pens have less sq ft per bird but they all get along well and have had no problems so far with pecking order-ect. I think if you used zoomthelist and searched craigslist close to you for used chain link fence this would be far better to use.I located a person who had possibly 250' of mostly 4' high chain link fence they had as a horse corall and wanted it taken down.I have cut it into 2' wide and will bury this all around my perimeter this spring hopefully on the finished east side.
My pens are all grass and last until maybe July before the heat finally makes the grass go dormant and it dries up.I built perches in my pens which they live on most of the time.My breeding birds are outisde or will be outside from April to October.I did take some scrap sheet metal and made some cover for them to get out of the rain and sun-heat which they do use especially if it's windy outside or pouring down rain.

 

[Joe.G]

Hardware cloth is 1/2x1/2 galvanized metal, I can see though it and it seems pretty sturdy, I used it over the windows of my chicken coops and used it as the flooring for my rabbit hutches. I don't see it as being weak, I used 1"x2" welded wire on other parts of my chicken coop. I found 2x4 Welded wire around here for around $100.00 for a 100 Ft and that is 72" high. But that is a pretty big gap for weasels and other animals to get in, the 1X2 Welded wire is pretty expensive. Also Hardware cloth is suggested a lot on the chicken side of this site.

I see a lot of people use chicken wire and to me that offers no protection.

Now I am not trying to argue just don't think I agree about the wire not being strong enough. Maybe I can use chicken wire on the top.

I live in NY.

 

[Trefoil]

It takes the 1/2" to keep weasels out. You could go up 4' with the hardware cloth and the rest of the way with 1" x2". I went up the whole way with the hardware cloth. I used chicken wire for the top of 2 of my pens, on one of them I have a tarp over it. I have the tarp over 1/2 the pen so they can be out without getting wet or snowed on. We had 6" of snow the other night and I did shovel it off, to get the weight off the chicken wire and also so it didn't flood the pen when it melted. Year before last we had a lot of snow and the weight broke my header, so make sure you use heavy duty support, its a lot easier to do when building than to try after its up. The next run I make I'm going to try the knotted netting, I'm a little worried about the coons getting through it, but so far they haven't climbed and bothered the chicken wire so maybe it'll work. If you want to try grass or some other ground cover, you can always use mulch if it doesn't work.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I have had a racoon tear to shreds a ornamental pheasant pen I had. Yes,the smaller dimension welded wire you buy,the more expensive it will be but because there is more wire per sq ft,It is tougher than say 2x4 welded wire.Hardware cloth is excellent for above ground pen floors as it allows poo to fall thru.I can break chicken wire with my hands but it is strong enough to keep chickens inline.
Hardware cloth seems sturdy as you said.But if you had a 12"x12" piece of hardware cloth held tight within a framework,and took a steak knife you could easily saw your way all the way down the piece.Take that same steak knife and try to saw thru the wire used in 2x4" welded wire and I think your knife would be dull or you'ld give up after awhile.Tearing strength between the two wire types is huge because of the wire size,,not how many strands of wire in a 1" square.Window screen has maybe 16 wires weaved per 1"sq,,but a butter knife will tear it up.Your hardware cloth will have 3 strands of wire horizntal and vertical in a 1" square.But because of the wire diameter it too can easily be ripped by strong nails and teeth of a weasal or racoon.$100 per roll of 72" welded does not seem outtta line.600 sq ft per roll,,16 cents per square foot of coverage.

 

[Joe.G]

I am sure Welded wire is stronger, but 2X4 wire, a lot of stuff could prob get though with out having to tear anything. Where do you guys get you netting from? I may use that for the top.