Peafowl Housing Question

[Haunted55]

FBC used wire cable, not welded wire fencing. I think I'm going to use cable as well for mine.

What is the wire cable? Is it the same as airplane wire? About an 1/8" twisted wire? Over my ducks and geese I have woven old electric fencing wire through heavy duty plastic garden fencing and attached it to the welded wire fence held up by T posts. Oh darn!!!!! In thinking about this, no way is this going to hold up this winter. Gotta figure this one out too.

Also, I can't seem to find FBC. Does anyone have a link?

 

[new 2 pfowl]

Here's the thread that will reveal FBC's construction artistry!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/637251/the-building-of-pea-palace-pic-heavy

 

[frenchblackcopper]

And Pea Palace will be getting some additional work done on it yet this fall.I've located someone who has several hundred feet of like new 8' high chain link fence that also has bought several German Shepherd puppies from us,,I see some trading going on here.Plus I need to tidy up the palace part before those cold winter winds starts blowing.

 

[Haunted55]

Thank-you so much for the link!!!! Gotta love any post that says pic heavy!

 

[Haunted55]

You have a beautiful set up!!!! I hope you don't mind if I add you as one I follow? I do not want to miss the updates to your Palace.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

No,I don't mind at all.I just started that thread becaue I knew it was going to take some time and I was about the only person involved with the labor force,so I could go at my own pace.It's only about 1/3 complete as of now.I will build an identical pen size on the west side of the Palace next spring and I will need to put a new metal roof on the existing corn crib part of the setup.
Some things I will do diffrent on the west side,compared to what was done on the east side.I'm wanting to add Peach,White,Cameo,Violetta,and just a plain pen of Purple B/S,,plus one big pen for loud pieds,I've almost exhausted my supply of metal used around the bottom of each pen so something else maybe needed instead.I started building with the intentions of only making 3 pens,each 10x30,,,but as you read thr the thread overall size was dictated by the sizes available for the top netting.I currently have 7 breeding pens with room for 3 more and the east side will be at full capacity.If you have any questions,just PM me here.It's construction and design is not perfect,there is some things I learned as I built that will be changed on my next attempt on the westside.If you think you need 3 pens,plan to build 6 pens,,it never hurts to have seperate pens for new birds,sick or problem birds to be kept away from others until the issues are resolved.You can build pens cheeper and faster than the way I did.But at present I have 37 breeder birds in these 7 pens,,not counting my charcoals which number 6 altogether but are on a completely concrete based pen-building so nothing can burrow under the fence and get at my valued Charcoals.Next spring I will have another 10 birds of breeding age to add into the already 37 breeder aged birds,,and plan to keep 20-30 chicks from this years hatch,,so expansion is being planned years in advance here.When I initially set up Pea Palace I had plenty of room and still do for these future expansions in population,but if set up wrong I would have really limited my numbers and colors for breeding.Plan ahead,,then plan some more.

 

[Mmmatt13]

Randy I'm so jealous, I wish I could build for as many as you are! Right now I'll only end up having enough room for ten birds? No breeding pens. Maybe a little while down the road.. I've got a couple years, anyway, I guess.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

FBC used wire cable, not welded wire fencing. I think I'm going to use cable as well for mine.

We used wire cable for the top of our pea pen to support the wire top; it has been up over 2 years now & still looks like the day we put it up.

 

[Lil Zoo]

Zaz when you said wire my head old head had a brain malfunction, not thinking. That is what we used for sides. I wish we would of now used it for the top. I just had read that they could break their necks if they got scared, but since have seen it used. I guess I was thinking of FBC's cable.

I'm not sure how cold it gets in Maine. I know you are a lot further north but the ocean tends to keep you warmer doesn't it? In 1996 it got down to -47 degrees F here. Though that is a record if it would get even -30 degrees and mixed with wind I just would feel safer having a place for them to get into.

The heaters you are constructing sound like an awesome idea and sounds like they'd be pretty safe. Some people keep their birds in buildings during breeding season. I just love to watch mine though.

Like I said there is a wealth of info on this sight and links to some helpful sites. Some people have really taken the time to show and give us newbies information. Like FBC said we can learn by others mistakes also. Yes sometimes it is confusing cause not everyone agrees all the time, but you just have to weigh out what you feel is right and what works for you.

I know I sure enjoyed Minxfox's thread and her first year following her bad luck on hatching peachicks. Then it happened to me and I didn't feel so alone. I sure got addicted to these peas, and though I wanted 2-3 of them all my life. I decided to invest in a few more to teach my g-daughters to learn responsibility and maybe have a little income to save for college, while I enjoy them. I think you will find your men folk will enjoy them as much as you do. My son brings everyone to see them. I see my husband sitting in a chair watching them as much as I do and trying to get them to call and display.

 

[Yoda]

here's what my pen looked like. I also want to stress that your peas will not stay on the floor, they will be up as high as they can go and I believe the turkeys will do the same. You will not have problems I believe until breeding season as the male turkeys will start to fight with the peas. Here are some pics, please note the tree is no longer inside the pen. It fell down last October.