Planning a Flight Pen. Need ideas

[mrbstephens]

I'm planning a flight pen for my bobwhite quail. I'm going to have plywood along the sides about 2 feet high and above that, 4 feet of hardware cloth. Not sure about what to do for the top. Hardware cloth is super expensive, but if I build a roof it will need support for snow and that will also bring up the cost. What do all of you use for the top of the pen?

 

[mrbstephens]

What about that corrugated plastic roofing? Could that be predator proof?

 

[Tony K T]

Why not use netting on most of the top and put a metal roof on part so they can get under it when they want to?How many birds are we talking about?Some bobwhites choose to roost so you will need a roosting area,not to close to the top,about 2' down so predators can reach down and grab them.And also have wood or something on the ends of the roost so predators can't reach thru the wire and grab them,
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[the outdoorsman44]

my cage is like a flight pen but smaller and it is just wood, pvc, and hardware cloth

 

[Sister Mary Michael]

I used 3 cattle panels and netting over it. covered the ends with chicken wire and an old window for a door. Planted tall grass in and around it. They love it!

 

[Peacerose]

Sounds lovely -- pictures?

 

[UndergroundQuailRoad]

I'm planning a flight pen for my bobwhite quail. I'm going to have plywood along the sides about 2 feet high and above that, 4 feet of hardware cloth. Not sure about what to do for the top. Hardware cloth is super expensive, but if I build a roof it will need support for snow and that will also bring up the cost. What do all of you use for the top of the pen?

I use hardware cloth for the floor, 4 ft of plywood followed by 4 ft of chicken wire for the sides, and chicken wire on the roof. I did not have a problem with snow on it last year w/o a roof, not that there was much here after October, and the bobs had a coop to retreat to for cover.

Here are my tips from my first year of having my mini-flight pen: In building mine I learned if you build in 4' increments for your sections there is less cutting; I made it 8x4x8 (LxWxH) and I would stretch it longer next time and maybe wider (16x4x8 or 32x8x8); I had a 4x4 cube for a coop that I would shrink in both height and depth as there is a lot of space for them to heat up in there in the winter; I would retain platforms up at 4' tall and put treats/cover/dusting tubs/maybe food and water to encourage flight up to these points.

 

[Sister Mary Michael]

I need to know how to get the pictures from my page to here! Any suggestions?

 

[Sister Mary Michael]

I think I have the pics....It's about 6'H x 6'W and three panels long, about 14'. I built the frame then bent the panels inside to hold and used fencing staples. Wired the panels together where they met. Built the end frames out of scrap 2x4's, 1x4's, what ever was handy. Wired chicken wire on the ends as I didn't have hardware cloth, then put bird netting over the panels, wiring every second strip over the top. Make sure the netting overlaps where two pieces need to be. Little buggers can hit that and stretch it to sneak thru.
So far, the cats, who like to sit outside and watch the quail, the turkeys, who cruise by often, and the dogs have not bothered them. I will use stronger netting when I can get it, and cover it with plastic this winter. Not sure if they will stay out there. anyway, here it is!
.

 

[Peacerose]

Nice! Your birds look very happy in their grass.