Possible Mews Idea

[raptorred]

I personally am not sure this would work, but I figure there is no harm asking around anyway. Anyway, there is this old building behind our house, a little older then me. Its made sort of log cabin style, with logs stacked together and nailed. It has an enclosed area out front of livestock wire of some sort. We currently use it to store old rabbit cages, but I thought maybe with some renovations it could make a decent falconry mews. I would have to replace the wire, its rusty, and the inside walls would be covered over in solid wood to start with, and all the rabbit cages would be taken out. Anyway, the building, because of a slanted roof, is at the back, is 5 feet tall, and the front its 6 feet. In the enclosed area, the height is 7 feet. The enclosed area is 12x9. The building is 12x7. So, do you think with a bit of renovating, I could fix it up into a falconry mews? (one that would pass inspection) Here are some pictures:

Side view: img301.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mews50sq.jpg

Front/slanted view: img162.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mews31jd.jpg

Inside the building: img162.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mews22ct.jpg

[m4tt]

by the looks of the inside.. no offence here.. just make a new mews.. haha... a stronger one.. it wouldnt be worth it in my mind to renovate that.. i mean.. maybe you can use that to store your stuff? but i would just make a new mews.. one to ur exact specifications! IMO

Live stock wire? you mean CHICKEN WIRE?! stay away from that stuff bro! Galvanized steel thats in that square pattern (lol) or just the steel type work well.. personaly id probably go with galvanized.. but i plan on using aviary netting on my Weathering yard.

[raptorred]

Yeah, I figured that would be the response, but my mom wanted to know for sure it wouldn't work for me to convert it. Oh well, I was just hoping to save a little money.

And no, its not chicken wire. Its steel wire in a square pattern. I know better then to use chicken wire on a Bird of Prey.

[Ryan]

You could still use it as a workshop type of place. You could add a freezer (Power too), and put your scale and furniture in there.

[morganf]

from the dimensions it seems to be rather small for a BoP. Though i would also suggest it to be a workshop type area and you could modify it to build the mews off of it.

[m4tt]

raptorred said:

Anyway, the building, because of a slanted roof, is at the back, is 5 feet tall, and the front its 6 feet. In the enclosed area, the height is 7 feet. The enclosed area is 12x9. The building is 12x7

Morgan.. besides the 5-6 foot tall roof... thats amazing big for a raptor on the 12' part.. the basic you need is 8'x8' for a raptor.. 10'x10' weathering yard.

[morganf]

I know... But i was specifically referring to the height lol... To an extreme version it doesn't matter if it is 26' long and 2' tall lol.

[raptorred]

Ok, I just showed my parents this board to prove we couldn’t use the building out back as a mews, and they insist I ask if I raised the roof and solidified the inside by putting up ply board or some other wood sheets over the inside walls it would work. Or if taking out the front wall and making it a mew/weathering area hybrid like one I showed them on another site would work. *Sigh* they really don’t want to spend the time help me build something as big as a mews if there is another option.

[raptrlvr]

Any thing is possible. It certainly is going to take a little work on your part. Your mews doesn't have to be real fancy, just functional. Start by clearing all that stuff out and then take another look at it. You will have to find a way to seal off all those gapping holes in the wood. Your RT will be tethered most of the time and you don't want animals getting in there. Looks like you have plenty of room, just get busy figureing out how your going to make it work. Ask the falconer that you talked to at the Lake Ming mini meet to check it out and give you some advice.

[raptorred]

I know its going to take a bit of work on my part. Building a new mews from scratch would also require a bit of work on my part. I’m not afraid of a little work. And I just need a functional inspection passing mews that will last the two years of my apprenticeship. After that I’ll be moving out on my own, and will probably build a much nicer mews. Also, I would seal of the holes by putting up inside walls of plywood. I’m only leaving the log walls as they are because it might help in case of bears. A friend of mine who doesn’t live to far away had a bear pry off the plywood walls of her chicken coup like he was opening a tin can. And no animals would get into my mews once I was done, I wouldn’t leave enough space for even a squirrel to get in (Although that would be amusing to watch…) The log outside wall would make it a bit more difficult for the bear. Also, I didn’t speak to any falconers at the Lake Ming mini meet, as I wasn’t there. I was just starting the drive back from a vacation two states away when it started, and returned well after it was over .

Here is a basic diagram I did on MS paint of how the mews would look like (minus the out logs) if I fixed up the weathering area wire, take out the front wall, and raised the roof a bit. (Something I may or may not do): img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mewssketch9ih.png

[raptrlvr]

raptored, what state are you in?

[morganf]

I might work... but my major concern is for the building.. no offense, but it looks like it would collapse at any moment, and I'd be worried about the logs rotting, creating an enviroment for aspergillosis (if it isn't there already). but if you can find some way of protecting and treating the logs and you stabilize the structure it should be good. No offense to your parents, but to me, I would seem like more work trying to stabilize it, raise the roof, and expand it, than to just build another one.

[raptorred]

First, that building has weathered ice storms, wind storms, thunderstorms, earthquakes, and practically everything else nature can throw at it without damage. Odd since several newer buildings have required more repairs then it has. The Plywood building have had rot probablem, yet this once hasn't. Technically, under the specifications in my falconry packet, the shelter would be adaquit without raising the roof, as long as I Put up plywood inside walls. But I might just go buy this shed I found called the Arrow
Ezee Shed 8 Ft. x 9 Ft. Its a big enough building, and only costs $500. I would have to set up a window and cooling system for the summer heat, but I would be able to pack it up and take it with me when I moved out. And I could still block of the building and simply use the fenced in area for a weathering yard.