The building of Pea Palace(Pic Heavy)

[frenchblackcopper]

All posts used was 10' in length,I dug holes 2' deep and used sakrete around every post,even the posts inside the pens for perches.This leaves 8' of post abpve ground. I then used 2.5" long sheet metal screws with washers and a hex head to attach 2x4's all along the ground,and then up 3' from the ground.I also had to cut pieces 30.5" long to screw to each post so this framework would all be the same for attaching the sheet metal to.Sheet metal was 3' high so when I attached it to the top 2x4 board I screwed it so 1/2 of the width was still available to put screws into for holding the 2x4 welded wire up with.The sheet metal is 36" wide and I then bought 2x4 welded wire that measured 60" in width,thus covering the 8' of posts to the top of the netting.You will see in the pic above what I done is use sheet metal screws that have washers with a rubber gasket under them.On some of these I added another flat washer and when the cable was thru the hole I would then tie a small loop in the cable to use for the bottom screw,and would use the top screw to hold it while I was pulling it tight.I only used screws on the outside perimeter 4x4 posts,,see below a post that is somewhere inside the pens,

 

[frenchblackcopper]

The inside posts have cable running north-south,east west,,then both ways diagonal.I bought a 8" long 3/16" drill bit and just drilled thru the post near the top trying to come out in the middle or corner edge of each post.I used 1/8" steel cable ,bought 1000' of it but ran about 200' short so finished up using electric fence wire.I have had to go along now and pull the cables and re-tighten some of them because the posts have finally settled,ect,,I still need to work on that so the netting stays tight across the top.I am going to get some old used disc blades from a farmers scrap pile and attach one of them to the top of every interior post so the netting is not sitting on wood where it can get snagged.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

One end of the netting you will need to secure or you will be fighting it all daylong.I had several deck 5-6 treated boards that I cut about 2" wide and then we wrapped about 8" of netting around this board,then used the roofing screws to hold to the top of the outside posts. I only did this on 1 of the 4 sides. You can then pull the netting tight in all directions without it pulling inwards on you or sliding along the top cable. I am going to get hog rings before wintertime and go along every foot across all the pen wire where it meets the top netting and secure with rings,,just in case the zip ties don;t last like their supposed to.Here you can see how the pen wall wire meets the cable at the top,,I used zip ties to go around the 2x4 welded wire,,then thru the top netting,then around to cable to keep all things tight and together

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I would add your first obstacle is to find a top net size that will work for you.Many sizes was 15x150 in length,,or 100 feet long,,I didn't want to roll the extra up on one end,rather find a size that would be easier to work with and I found a 50x50,,giving me 2500 sq feet,and if each adult bird needs 80 sq ft,,thats enough room for about 32 birds.When I originally,,Originally started this I was only going to make 3 pens,,each being 10' wide by 30' long,,on both sides of the building I put up,,but realized I needed at least 5 pens to seperate colors and breed them the way I wanted to.Well,those 5 pens now are 7 and still room under the net for 2-3 more good sized pens.
I went waay overbudget on this because of the extra size I ended up with.But I will have plenty of room this year for all my seperate colors,and the chicks that I'm hatching now to be moved into later this summer.And then,next year I can start all over on the WEST side of the building,,for now I would like to just build 1 large 50x50 pen to move all birds to after breeding season,,I can then divide and build pens inside this 50x50 large pen early next spring again before my new colors arrive.

 

[judyc]

Wow! This has been an amazing thread! I can't wait to see the palace! Your birds are so beautiful!

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Judyc,,now you understand why the visiting fee of two bags of microwave popcorn and a loaf of bread is required? Peas are living large here,,but are "High on life" all the time.I'll make sure Roadtrip,UPS,Opie and Majik are all on their best behavior when you come,,they love showing off and opening their lungs,especially to strangers.

 

[AugeredIn]

Pea Palace is a money pit,,and still have the west side to do next,,,I sold all my RC Airplanes and equipment to build this one side,,

Sacrilege! I just saw this. I don't think my wife would like for us to meet. We share too many of the same hobbies! I sold most of my large scale stuff to finance a bunch of my farm improvements. Could not get rid of it all though. I have a couple DA's still for sale and I could not get rid of a helicopter.

Great job on the pea palace. I can appreciate the expense having built the latest 60 by 36 during the winter. I really like your method of wire supports. I probably missed this somewhere, but do you provide cover on the pens away from the building or do all of the pens terminate with cover at the building. So many people around here provide pens without cover, or any significant cover, but I have been hesitant to do so. It would save a bunch of money if you could just tarp a corner space.

 

[judyc]

Ha! Will be sure to bring the admission fee with me. Can't stay too long though. Little sister has to get home in time to milk...I keep telling her to buy some little calves...

 

[frenchblackcopper]

AugeredIn,,just ordered a 40x50 blue tarp today with 100-9" bungee cords,,I will need to improvise the tarp and probably use plastic PCV pipe on one end,so I am able to roll the tarp up when a bad storm is coming.I'm afraid of water pooling in low places on the tarp causing it to cave in and ruin the top netting,,kinda like a awning on a camper,,if it isn't set with some slope to it and a rainstorm comes,the weight of the water will rip the tarp and ruin the brackets,,so I'm going to make my tarp so it can be rolled up,kinda like whats on a semi tractors dump trailer ,,the tarp can be rolled over the load,and then rolled the other way before loading. Yes,RC airplanes was a moey pit as well,,I had several 86"-90" wingspan planes,,and a nice JR XP 9503 radio I sold,,with a new aluminum case,,also with the fm module,,one plane I sold bought all the 4x4" posts for Pea Palace,,what a deal!! Never had the skill or guts for heli's,,crashing $1200 model airplanes gave me enough gray hairs,,peafowl are much more easier to control,,yes?

 

[AugeredIn]

Without a doubt. I will be interested in seeing how you tackle the tarp installation. The breeder I got my midnights from used tarps on big open pens, but I did not get a good look on how she did it.