The building of Pea Palace(Pic Heavy)

[frenchblackcopper]

WestKnolAmy,,please keep in mind I have the space to build a pen exactly like I completed this spring on the west side of Pea Palace.I could easily have 20 seperate breeding pens but with that comes a bigger incubator,more pens for peachicks to grow in,ect! I had to complete the building as well this spring so if I do expand more next spring all I will do is build pens,,no building.I also will rent a post hole digger and get me a high school kid to help me.I could dig all holes and place-sakrete all posts in one day,let them sit a day,then start ataching wire and metal along the bottom.Doing Pea chores now takes me over an hour each evening with 8 seperate breeding pens but soon that will be narrowed down to just 2 pens.The daily responsibilty and time I have but not always convenient.I've thought of building self feeders and using water drinking cups next year to save a lot of time daily,,more money tho..

 

[Mmmatt13]

I was thinking about automatic drinking cups, too. The only thing I'm not sure about is using them in the winter.

 

[Lil Zoo]

I was thinking about automatic drinking cups, too. The only thing I'm not sure about is using them in the winter.

The only thing with automatic drinking cups is they have a fault of sticking on because of lime or feed build up, or winter freezing conditions. In confinements it goes in a pit but in a shed it goes on the floor. That little trickle of a leak can make a pretty soggy mess fast.

 

[Haunted55]

This picture was taken in front of the corner Bronze pen.You will see I nailed a 2x4" all along under the rafters as a nailing point for wall studs and to secure the welded wire to.You can see the gap between my board and the width of the 2x6" rafter.I'm using OSB to close these openings in as well.
One thing here on BYC that really roasts my peanuts is when someone writes how a varmit got in their building and wiped out birds.Or when birds have been killed in flight pens.My feelings are that if your taking a bird that is not domesticated,,providing all it's food and water and health requirements,you should also ensure it's safety.Granted not all peafowl chummy up easily to people but we choose to keep them for their beauty,And keeping them safe while in a cage,flight pen or aviary should rank right up there with everything else.They are basically defensless against any animal attack especially after dark. There are so many ways at everyones disposal to ensure their birds are not victims of an overnight coyote feeding frenzy or stray dog attack or minks.I still am not 100% varmit safe in Pea Palace,,but before fall season comes to and end it will be.

Oh I sooo agree with this! There are many ways to do this even if you don't have a lot of money!

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Haunted,,we as humans are supposed to be intelligent above all other living beings.And when it comes to wild animals needing to survive during wintertime,our weaknesses are exploited in our building techniques.Once the ground freezes this eliminates dgging under a pen but climbing or ripping fence to gain access for a meal is still within a racoon or coyotes realm.Anything here wants a pea for lunch,they have their work cut out for them.We have 7 female German Shepherds outside in their kennels that have a very,very keen sense of smell and eyesight,let alone they aren't afraid to open up when they see something that doesn't belong here.And they have the bite to back up their bark. sent you a PM,,call me with any questions you have

 

[frenchblackcopper]

With the first snow forecast for tomorrow eve and temps dropping down to the upper 20's I've been working inside the Palace to finish up pens.I've also had to finish adding the cca splash boards along the outside walls that are directly under the sheet metal that touch the ground.I've changed my original plans somewhat as far as interior pen size.I'm keeping the Bronze,Opal,BSSP,Purple,and Midnights all inside the building here at the Palace.I moved all my IB birds along with my Thang pen of 3 back to the front pen.
My OpalB/S an Bronze has thier outside run adjacent to their inside pen but since I hadn't finished the inside pens they have been 100% outside all summer.At this time I now have the Bronze pen 100% done,,I constructed a 8x10' pen on the west side and another pen the same size in the middle.I was going to have a 4' wide alleyway but figured that would eat up a lot of inside real estate,so instead of an alley,i now will have pen doors that can be opened that are 4' across still giving me room with a wheel barrow.I hope by tomorrow morning I have 4 inside pens 100% completed and get the Purple pen with 6 birds,and the mdnight B/S pen with 5 birds inside these two new pens.
I've had the small door open all day for the Bronze birds to come inside but they havn't came close to it,so I will get them inside tonight and secure the door to their outside run so they have to stay inside when it begins to snow tomorrow.The Opal B/S pen should be completed tonight as well,and they too will be brought inside and their door shut so they cannot go outside in their run.I'll try to get some pics in the next few days when the suns out.I need to build 2 more inside pens,one for the BSSP and another for the 30 young peas we kept from this years hatch.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Glad that I found this thread. Good job!!! Can't wait to see more pics.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I worked until 2:30am Sun morning and until midnight last night.I now have 4 inside pens complete along with their inhabitants,the Bronze,Opal,Midnights and Purples.I still need to build at least 3 more pens.One for my 4 BSSP birds,another for my 6 2011 hatched birds who are now in a diffrent pen,,and one more pen for my Cameo group to be delivered this month. Two of these pens will be 12x8 and the last will probably be 7x8 still leaving me room for one more inside pen.I'll try to get some pics up in the next day or so.I have 1 piece of sheet metal to add on the west wall and it will be finished and still have 2 pieces to add on east wall,and it will be done.I've purposly left these off for easy access getting thru the building and bringing in plywood sheets and building materials.The cold temps upcoming with a very bad winter dictates it's time to get this project done. 26 Peafowl will be inside this 24x30 building,not counting 4 Cameos if they arrive.30 birds,7 seperate pens,in 720 sq ft.= 24 sqft per bird.

 

[Mmmatt13]

I'm glad you finally got your hands on some Cameo.
Are you keeping your white Thang baby for a future white pen? My white Thang is absolutely beautiful, and is a little bit of a trouble maker like "his" father, but I love him. *Hoping for a boy here*

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I've located a quad of 3 Cameo w/e along with a cameo pied hen,,now to cough up the cash for all of them and the male is 3 years old so his price is high.Yes I still have the all white "Thangette" but he, or she, is still with the first group that hatched and their pen floor is about 5' off the ground,so I don't pay to much attention to it. I have another solid white bird in the same pen that came from my Purple pen so distinguishing between them both unless I catch them to read wingbands is impossible.I know I have at least 2 other solid whites that hatched from my BSSP pen.