Needing Advice on Mews

[meagan]

Okies dokies guys/gals,

Here is the thing. I am ordering all of my equiptment today and will be taking the test, hopefully next week (if my conservation agent ever calls me back!). But the question here is this....well let me try to explain real quickly my problem. I am no carptner, I wanted to build my mews but after reading several books on how to build your own "shed" I have realized that I will not be able to do such a thing and instead thought about buying a shed kit and converting it into a mews.

I know that sheds get hot...very very hot in the summer time. I thought about buying a shed kit that is about 8'x8' or 8'x6'...depends on what my boyfriend thinks would fit best in the yard. Anyways I am going to be cutting on a window for the back, adding the vertical bars and then adding another window to one side that faces out to our backyard. I will also be buying a shed that comes with two vents.

So here is the questions...would this work? I am building person and I can do everything but that...I can add the perches and the windows but its building the darn thing that I will fail at and I do not want it falling down when the first big snow storm comes through. Any comments would be awesome...thanks sooo much in advance for replying.

Thanks,
Meagan

[Falcon Boy]

8x8 is minimum legal size in most states

[meagan]

Oh okies...I was not for sure...I have been told soo many different things....MFA president told me that here in Missouri its 8'x4'....I guess it differs in the states but I still want it as big as I can get it in my backyard....I was going to go about 8'x8'...I want the best thing for the bird....thanks...

[miket307]

Well you can get most of your lumber in 8' pieces so that will have your cutting down to a minimum and should make for easy assembly. Make an 8' square with 2x4's for framing and use 4 or 5 (to frame the door with) 10' 4x4's in the corners burried a couple feet deep. Use 8' 1x4's for your bars on the sides with plywood on the back and then all you need to worry about is the roof.

I stick to the K.I.S.S. way of planning and assembly.

[meagan]

Thanks...you make it sound so much easier then those darn books. LOL!!! They have all these directions and pictures and I'm like... "Ok I'm lost..." on the first page...lol...

[ikcus]

For heat control, I run an 18inch fan, and a five nozzle misting system. A couple of days ago, temps in my area were up to 104F\41C I have a remote thermometer with hi and low memory. On those hot days, the mew never got over 89F\31C on the high perch, and the window perch with the misters are mounted never got warmer than 79F\26C. I did not go with a roof vent being I was able to control the temps without one. The one thing I will add is a temp switch to turn the misters off and on.

Joe

[meagan]

Awesome idea...yeah I was thinking of getting a fan and placing it someplace inside the mews.....some place so that the bird cannot harm itself....and the temp control is an awesome idea as well as the misters...thanks.... ;D

[basenjishunt]

Hi,
I'm modifying my mews this year to make it cooler for a Finnish Gos. I have a converted 8 x 12 shed with 2 windows, like you mentioned. I have a large roof fan with a thermostat that goes on at about 85-90 degrees, but it's still concistently 20 degrees hotter in there, even with the fan. I'll be putting in an insulated ceiling, and adding vents to the peaks. Also painting the shed white will help. I will also insulate the walls if it does not cool down enough. I've been told that the single best thing you can do id have an insulated ceiling....Tim

[meagan]

Thanks alot for the great info...all of your input if awesome....it really helps me out....now to take the test next week...my conservation agent finally called me back today!!!! YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!!

[chrismt89]

Anyone can be a carpender if you have enough wood It shouldbnt be that hard to build something though if its only 8X8 and remember youll probably have to build something onto the shed if you buy one anyways for the double door requirement i think?

[rrcoati]

I am no carpenter either but I will tell you this. Plan plan think then re think. It may not be how a real builder would do it but it will work in the end.

Consider moister, water run off in your planning. It is a doable project. The state test was easy for me compared to my worrying about the mew and weathering area

Size no smaller than 8'x8' regardless of regs if possible I would go 10x'10' ceiling 10". I plan to extend mine out to 8'x18'. To allow for a weathering area while free lofted.

Suggestions: Make 4x4 windows cover them with mosquito netting and make in so that you get most consistent breeze through it. If you can place a fan to push air, do it. Mosquitos do not like moving breezes so it may help on west Nile. If you aren't putting in a sky light (with netting) put in ceiling ( along with a ridge vent it keeps the heat radiating from the roof out of the mew) My mew has a fan to push air through the windows and does not exceed outside temp and it is cooler than standing in the sun and we get hot hot hot.

What made like real easy for the non builder was a nail gun. See if you can borrow a compressor and framing nailer, carpenters square, circular saw. Then just think. With you lumber cut and a nailer you will move along quite quickly. Build it in sections then erect then on you foundation. If you can make your side out hardi plank or a non wood product.

It took me 3 weeks to make a 16x20. 8" above of the ground with pea gravel (mistake dull talons and small sores from bouncing around when free lotfed). I now have the bottom covered with indoor/outdoor carpet (Wallmart) 2"x3.5" mats. That way I can pull them out as needed and clean and return when dry. I have a two chambers and 6x16 work shop, with a freezer, fridge, along with my papers. I took the advice of the modern apprentice and made my mew self contained.

The only reason I went as big as I did is I did not want to build twice. The plan was to always go 8x16 just started to get tiered and ran out of cash. Build it right the first time Make it DRY and well drained.

It was a good lesson for my son to do well in school her learned he didn't like concrete work ( foundation) or roofing.

Good luck.
Sorry for the essay

[meagan]

Thank you for the advice...all it greatly appreciated. We are building mine 8' x 8'...we do not have a huge backyard...I plan on having only one bird....I have been planning everything out to get ready to build my mews....buying a pre-made shed kit and then will be adding everything else...its a better idea I think for me...lol.....I am taking my test next week then its off to worrying about the mews....wish me luck!!! THANK AGAIN FOR ALL THE AWESOME ADVICE...I take whatever I can get!! It means much! ;D