Bedroom converted mews?

[tumbledown]

Hi all! Nice to meet you guys. I'm a pre-apprentice with a sponsor and I'm not far from taking my test. My weathering facility is already built. I'm just wondering if anybody here has legally converted a bedroom into an indoor mews and if so, how you did it. I'm a builder by trade and can certainly build a fine mews outside if necessary. But whereas I live in the cold of Maine and my current house is rented, I'd think there would be many benefits to converting my 12x10' second floor room if legally possible. Flooring seems to be the only real concern as far as I can tell. It's hardwood flooring and I could cover it with suggested materials if I know this is an option. Any thoughts?

[morganf]

the only problem i can see, is that the room is on the second floor so drainage may become an issue, but it's possible.

[Jay]

Tumbledown welcome to the forum. Where in Maine are you from? And who is your sponsor? I am a MA falconer currently going to school in VT but am good friends with the Maine crowd.

The cold of Maine really isn't a problem, as long as the mew shelters the bird from direct wind and weather you won't really have a problem. If it really gets cold like it did 2 years ago just pull the bird in on a bow perch for a few days.

[m4tt]

i think the main problem he has here is the house is rented, not many are willing to allow stuff to be built on property like that.

do you have a garage?
you may have to scroll down all the way. but its always an option. seeing as my dads a... well lets not go there, but i may have to do that, we have the room i believe, only problem i think would be if its legal in the state, and if you have any odd fumes etc in your garage.

[tumbledown]

Morgan- Yeah, that's the only thing I was thinking too. I'll bet there's a good work-around though! Thanks.

Jay- I live near Sebago Lake. My sponsor (who is officially signing my application this weekend) is Larry Barnes. I mentioned the cold just because I was kinda thinking that a "bedroom mews" might make weight management even easier, just as an added fringe benefit. Not a big deal though. If it's not an option it's ok. I'm a builder and could probably get a very passable, safe hawk house up in a weekend. I'm curious who you know up here. Are you coming to the hare meet in Febrary?

[tumbledown]

Matt- You posted as I was typing. I have my landlord's full support. He has been helping the USF&W with Peregrine banding for 12 years and can appreciate a person's love of raptors. Plus, anything I build will be something I can take apart later by using threaded fasteners.

[jfneumann57]

I did it for a temporary mews after i moved

[m4tt]

ok i have a question about this... would a bowperch, in a corner, away from walls, with like... tarp on the wall etc on it work for a mews? im calling the falconry person at Olympia to find out, youd think inside your house would be the safest mew possible... well if you dont own cats....

[Master Yarak]

It would not be my first choice. The lack of visual stimulation, the smell of mutes, the mess and of course the air inside a home is never as clean as the air outside. But hey thats just me.
Yarak

[tumbledown]

Yarak...I am in complete agreement. I can't trap until next fall anyway so I'm pretty much just trying to pass inspection for now. I doubt very much that it would actually be used. I just want to make sure I have my licenses by the time I actually need a quality mews. I'm not by any means a corner-cutter by nature. And I will do everything in my power to ensure the safety and comfort of my hawk when the time comes. But that time won't come for about 11 months. So for now, I need to show the biologist that I'm ready.

Maybe I'll just go ahead and build one outside. Better safe than sorry, eh?

[Jay]

Sounds like things are going well. I met Larry at the Hare meet last year and he seemed like a great guy. I will be at both the Long wing meet in January and the Snow Shoe Hare meet. I'll be sneaking around the salt marshes with the Fannings for some of my winter break.

[tumbledown]

Nice Jay...I'll probably meet you then. My name is Tom Gagne. And I imagine I'll be within earshot of Larry at least some of the time.

I think I have a solution. My weathering structure is pretty big as it was originally intended for something else. Most of the yard on our rented property isn't good for building anything even temporary on. So I think I'll just attach an enclosed, insulated mews to the entry side of the weathering building which is 12x24x10. It looks like I still have some good level ground space there.