New outside pen

[raywri]

I saw a pen on facebook from "made new homestead" I need more pens so I decided I will put my community pen outside. The breeders get a nice insulated poultry building. I just finished new call duck pens for my wife so now time for a little me project. The actual pen size will be 6x3x14". It will have 3x3 outside on 1/2 x 1/2 wire and 3x3 inside with a removable solid floor for easy cleaning and a sandbox.
I plan to keep 12 to 18 quail in it maximum. It will also have a shelf on top and a tin covered metal roof. Overall the size is 7 foot in front sloping to 6 foot in the back. The pens are 44 inches off the ground. Framing entirely with 2x4s
Here's the start. Last picture is the call ducks watching me from their new apartments.

 

[raywri]

Framed

 

[Finchbreeder]

Wow duck apartments with pools.
Of course if you were a duck an apartment without a pool would be totally unsuitable.

 

[gummylick]

I saw a pen on facebook from "made new homestead" I need more pens so I decided I will put my community pen outside. The breeders get a nice insulated poultry building. I just finished new call duck pens for my wife so now time for a little me project. The actual pen size will be 6x3x14". It will have 3x3 outside on 1/2 x 1/2 wire and 3x3 inside with a removable solid floor for easy cleaning and a sandbox.
I plan to keep 12 to 18 quail in it maximum. It will also have a shelf on top and a tin covered metal roof. Overall the size is 7 foot in front sloping to 6 foot in the back. The pens are 44 inches off the ground. Framing entirely with 2x4s
Here's the start. Last picture is the call ducks watching me from their new apartments.

This sounds awesome! Since you're quite handy with wood might consider placements of the water pipes and bucket. Will your open side just drop to floor or trays? Interested to see final product!

 

[raywri]

Getting the walls covered for the inside part. Checking the slope of the roof to see if I like it. The doors will drop down on in the front on both sides for easy cleaning.

 

[raywri]

This sounds awesome! Since you're quite handy with wood might consider placements of the water pipes and bucket. Will your open side just drop to floor or trays? Interested to see final product!

The water will go on the back side of the open area. I'm leaning towards putting a bracket for the bucket just off to the right of the open area for easy filling. The open side will drop to the ground where I'll put cedar chips and shovel it to compost pile. I'm building this outside so I don't need trays. I get so tired of cleaning those things all the time

 

[raywri]

I think I'm going to drop the front of the roof about 4 to 6 inches

 

[raywri]

Got the doors on.

 

[catesquire]

Fair warning that if it's an outdoor cage, you might get cats and raccoons reaching through that door wire to pull off heads. I've read some horror stories on here. You could always double layer with hardware cloth as a fix. If it's going in a garage or something, should be fine.

 

[raywri]

Fair warning that if it's an outdoor cage, you might get cats and raccoons reaching through that door wire to pull off heads. I've read some horror stories on here. You could always double layer with hardware cloth as a fix. If it's going in a garage or something, should be fine.

I appreciate you looking out. Where they are located there shouldn't be an issue with raccoons and my cat doesn't care about the birds. My dogs keep stray cats away. If I find it to be an issue I'll definitely add 1/2 x 1/2. The cage is 3 foot wide and deep and the other side is completely covered in wood. I'm more worried about a rat getting in than coons or cats. But I've never lost a bird to any of those things so far.