So I am getting ready to start construction on at least one new aviary. The problem is my imagination is getting too big and after finding a video on youtube of an amazing tropical parrot aviary, I went crazy with ideas for aviaries I probably won't be able to have anytime soon, if at all... Most of the aviary sketch designs I have are too complicated and large and while that is fun to think about possibly doing someday, right now I just need a new pen before breeding season....
I have the location selected. It is going to be right next to my current aviary. I was wondering about blinds though...I noticed some people put up tin so that the peafowl in a neighboring pen can't see the ones next to them, but some people have it so that all the peafowl can see each other even if they are in seperate pens. I don't want them pacing the fence...I guess I will just have to see what happens... We already have some fencing I just need to buy some netting for the top. I guess I also need to build some shelter for them....
Here is the area I am planning on building the new aviary. I don't know the measurements yet but I took Peep out of the pen so that he could be a size reference...
Front
Back
We would leave the plants that are there. One is a plum tree and the bush is a blueberry bush. We were also thinking about including the large green bushes because when I free-ranged my first peafowl they liked to hide in those bushes and also I could see it being a great place for a peahen to nest.
Now Peep will kindly give you an idea of how much space this is. There is plenty enough for an adult peacock to display.
Here are just some plant photos of my current aviary...
The clumping bamboo has come a long way since it was when I first got it when it was three little small canes. It is growing through the netting and I love it! I might plant some bamboo in the new aviary...
This is where all of the plants that the peafowl will eat go. If I get a new plant I put it in their pen in the pot for a few days to see if they eat it up. If they eat on it then I take it out of the pen and plant it on the side of the pen far enough that they can't reach through and grab it. If they don't eat it up I take it out of the pot and plant it. They will definately tear up bananas, although there is a breeder who kept bananas in her young peachick pen without problems. Each bird has a different taste. Some will eat more of your plants than others. With the bananas, one of the leaves is very close to the pen and Peep likes to reach through the fence and eat on the leaf. I guess if you had a large enough banana and you planted it in the pen that might work. In the winter around here just the leaves die off of the banana and the trunk stays intact. Anyways I am always experimenting to see what plants the peafowl will not touch and which ones they will. They are finally starting to eat on the cast iron in their pen which is upsetting. I am thinking the whites are to blame. They eat just about anything. Also, the peas will eat pink flower pettals but not white flower pettals...I tried that experiment today...
Hopefully I will eventually update this topic with photos of building the new aviary and stuff....I really need to pick a day to start building....
I have the location selected. It is going to be right next to my current aviary. I was wondering about blinds though...I noticed some people put up tin so that the peafowl in a neighboring pen can't see the ones next to them, but some people have it so that all the peafowl can see each other even if they are in seperate pens. I don't want them pacing the fence...I guess I will just have to see what happens... We already have some fencing I just need to buy some netting for the top. I guess I also need to build some shelter for them....
Here is the area I am planning on building the new aviary. I don't know the measurements yet but I took Peep out of the pen so that he could be a size reference...
Front
Back
We would leave the plants that are there. One is a plum tree and the bush is a blueberry bush. We were also thinking about including the large green bushes because when I free-ranged my first peafowl they liked to hide in those bushes and also I could see it being a great place for a peahen to nest.
Now Peep will kindly give you an idea of how much space this is. There is plenty enough for an adult peacock to display.
Here are just some plant photos of my current aviary...
The clumping bamboo has come a long way since it was when I first got it when it was three little small canes. It is growing through the netting and I love it! I might plant some bamboo in the new aviary...
This is where all of the plants that the peafowl will eat go. If I get a new plant I put it in their pen in the pot for a few days to see if they eat it up. If they eat on it then I take it out of the pen and plant it on the side of the pen far enough that they can't reach through and grab it. If they don't eat it up I take it out of the pot and plant it. They will definately tear up bananas, although there is a breeder who kept bananas in her young peachick pen without problems. Each bird has a different taste. Some will eat more of your plants than others. With the bananas, one of the leaves is very close to the pen and Peep likes to reach through the fence and eat on the leaf. I guess if you had a large enough banana and you planted it in the pen that might work. In the winter around here just the leaves die off of the banana and the trunk stays intact. Anyways I am always experimenting to see what plants the peafowl will not touch and which ones they will. They are finally starting to eat on the cast iron in their pen which is upsetting. I am thinking the whites are to blame. They eat just about anything. Also, the peas will eat pink flower pettals but not white flower pettals...I tried that experiment today...
Hopefully I will eventually update this topic with photos of building the new aviary and stuff....I really need to pick a day to start building....
Go for the gusto. 
