The building of Pea Palace(Pic Heavy)

[frenchblackcopper]

On the east side I have constructed a total of 7 breeding pens.They range in size from the largest being a 20x20,,3 pens 10x30,,and 3 pens 10x20.Here are pics of space I still have to construct 3 more breeding pens on the east side.Each one can be 10x20.This would be a total of 10 breeding pens consisting of a square footage of 2500. 35 breeding aged birds was kept in the 7 pens here this past year.using 1900 sq ft.This averages to 54 sq ft per bird but I assure you they were not overcrowded to the point they fought or wasn't able to get away if being dominated.My India Blues were kept in the large 20x20 pen,9 hens and 3 males.Occassionally the Blue Pied male was seen chasing the IB B/S male around but only in the late evenings when it was cooling off.We did hatch ourselves and was told from buyers of eggs that b/s chicks was hatched so our IB B/S male did breed hens in this big pen.Here is pictures of my space left to build 3 more breeding pens on the east side.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Here is another view of this area still to be used only looking to the east.the pen directly behind the trash barrel is where the BSSP are.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Now for the inside updates.If you look back a bit I had already started building the Opal B/S and Bronze pens on an earlier rainy day.These are now completed and are both on the east wall inside the building.On the left side of this picture you will see the Opal hens on their perch and the pen behind theirs is where the Bronze are.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Here are the Bronze in their corner pen.Once I remove a piece of sheet metal the Bronze and Opals can go outside in the pens they stayed in all summer.I plan to keep them confined for a few days until they realize food and water will now be inside.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

In post 223 above you will notice there is a pen entry door.I decided to utilize more inside space by not having an alleyway 3' wide running the entire 30' length of building.After all,this would eat up 90 sq ft which can much better be utilized by peas.Directly behind the entry door is the Midnight B/S pen.First pic is of Majik still exploring the pen.Second picture is of 2 midnight hens happily perched 6' above the floor and not very willing to give up ther roost spot.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Now we move to the other corner adjacent to the Midnight center pen where my Purples are now calling their winter home.The entry door to this pen is thru the Midnights pen.The pen door pictured again in post 223 above must first be opened to get into the Bronze,and Purple pens

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Now to show what space is left.This picture is what space I have left on the WEST inside wall.The Purples are in the corner and that pen is 10' wide,so this leaves me an area


that is still 20 feet long.I plan to make 2 pens here each being 10' wide and at least 12' long but if I decide not to have an open alleyway these two pens can be made to be 15' long.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

This is the space left on the east inside wall. I already have the Opal and Bronze pen constructed here and those pens are only 8' wide since only 3-4 birds are in each one so I can still make 2 small pens here or one large one,

 

[frenchblackcopper]

This is the final picture taken today. I am backed up next to the Midnight pen door located in the middle and I am facing North looking at the existing corn crib slatted wall.I'm still undecided as to what to do with this.I can strip the boards off this old crib wall and put up plywood or osb to completely cover it,or leave a 2' wide alleyway all along this old wall and build a new wall.My concern here is the strong,cold winds we get here in the wintertime that sometimes lasts for 2-3 days before quitting..This part of the farmstead property is very exposed to the full wrath of 30 mph winds or more.We get terrifficly super cold wind chills here in the wintertime because of this,sometimes exceeding 30 degrees below zero.I want the ability to stop all drafts possible because when we get some snow it's inevitable that the wind will blow it all over and thru every nook and cranny possible.The ribbing in the sheet metal is one area that I will address once pens are finished.There is 4 ribs per sheet about every 8" apart and everyplace these ribs are is a place for snow to blow into the building.I'm thinking of using something like an old car seast cushion cut into pieces that can be shoved down these ribbed openings.It would take tube after tube of caulk to fill these and I think it's too cold now for the caulk to set up and stay.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

I forgot and fibbed,,this was the last pic I took today and it was of Roadtrip,,his tail will be enornous next year.You can already see the white tips coming in.He will be 6 years old next spring and is really becoming a ham when he sees me coming.He is number #2 bird here,beauty wise.My Charcoal dark pied male is fast becoming poster taking quality.Everytime I see him it seems more white eyes are starting to show.