Just wanted to post some pictures of what I have been working on for the last 6 weekends. I made my mews 8x8x32. The weathering area is 32x12x8. The front is 12ft high the back is 10ft high. I put 8 ft drop ceilings in it. The two chambers are 8x8x12 and the work area is 8x8x8. I covered the backside of the window frames with black aluminum screen before I put hung them. The inside is plywood and the outside is hardie siding. I built it for two birds my son will be able to get his permit in one year and I did not wont to have to do this again in a year.
I’m just about done with it I still have a few things to do. I need to cover the chamber floors with wire, fill them with white sand, also put wire around the weathering area to keep out predators, cover the perches with astro turf and build the feeding platform. I have a refrigerator/freezer and a desk and shelf’s to put in the work area.
I will also need to put my refrigerator/freezer and a worktable in the work area. Just have to work on it when I got the time and funds. I have 176 days before trapping time. September 15 ;-)
I had my inspection and passed it. I talked with FWC in Tallahassee last week and they said my paperwork was sent to Atlanta the day before. I then spoke with them in Atlanta and she said to send my check and that would help it go faster. So I did.
Very nice. Is the weathering separated into two chambers as well? If one bird's leash broke, it could attack and injure/kill the other. Also pea gravel is generally a better choice of flooring material than sand, because sand can 1. wear down the talons very quickly, and 2. get under the scales and cause damage. Not likely if you're going to free loft, but something to consider.
Aurelia - General I ------------------------------------------- "It's not about the style of the flight; it's about the blood on the glove"
Desperate to become an apprentice very soon! Any buddy in the Denver CO area I would love to connect with and maybe a little guidance as I head it the direction as a Falconer
Wow! You put in a LOT of work and materials just for a couple of birds! It's a Taj Mahal!
And good on you for installing bug screen on the mews windows to prevent West Nile Virus. I'd highly recommend that you staple screen over the entire w/y too -- where the birds' exposure to mosquitos will be the greatest. You can buy rolls at Hansen Screening online. thescreenplace.com/ScreeningAluminumBlack.html
I concur with Waterbug... nix the sand for the reasons she gave, plus the sand sticks to the birds' food (risk of GI impaction).
Any plans for intalling some kind of material over the w/y roof? You know... so birds don't cook in the sun, or get pelleted by hail stones during a surprise storm. Just a suggestion. Does your lawn mower fit through the w/y door?
Wow! You put in a LOT of work and materials just for a couple of birds! It's a Taj Mahal!
And good on you for installing bug screen on the mews windows to prevent West Nile Virus. I'd highly recommend that you staple screen over the entire w/y too -- where the birds' exposure to mosquitos will be the greatest. You can buy rolls at Hansen Screening online. thescreenplace.com/ScreeningAluminumBlack.html
I concur with Waterbug... nix the sand for the reasons she gave, plus the sand sticks to the birds' food (risk of GI impaction).
Any plans for intalling some kind of material over the w/y roof? You know... so birds don't cook in the sun, or get pelleted by hail stones during a surprise storm. Just a suggestion. Does your lawn mower fit through the w/y door?
I’m going to get some shade cloth like they use for green houses for the roof of the weathering area. I never thought about covering the whole weathering area not a bad idea. I will have to look into pee gravel.
My lawn mower will not fit through the door, but I have a good weed eater that will do just fine.
could you put down landscaping fabric to keep the weeds out? that stuff does let the moisture through
You could but the make stuff to keep weeds from growing it is call weed cloth the shad cloth is similar but with bigger holes to let light threw. The first pic is weed cloth and the second one is shade cloth. The shade has larger holes to let light in. You can get it in 10% increments on how much light comes threw. The weed cloth in really tight it lets water threw but very little light. Hope this helps.
Harbor Freight has good, durable shade cloth. I use this as netting for moving bee hives, and for shade when I'm camping. I plan to use it on aircraft cable for a retractable shade cover above my weathering yard.
Post by BattleBorn1989 on May 5, 2015 0:51:52 GMT -5
Looks great!
Your work has inspired me to do something similar.
I have an older 32'x40' concrete footing on my property that was meant to be for a garage/shop. I am going to take advantage of the concrete and build 2x6 walls on top of it, to mitigate the issue of any unwanted visitors coming into the facility. My only concern is drainage, come cleaning time...
The weathering yard will also be built on top of the footing, except with 2x4 walls/frame and a pet screen type fabric.
Would it it be appropriate for me to build the mews before getting my apprentice license? I do not have a sponsor yet, but would love to show that I am ready and prepared for the sport.
Would it it be appropriate for me to build the mews before getting my apprentice license? I do not have a sponsor yet, but would love to show that I am ready and prepared for the sport.
I would draw up plans, but I wouldn't actually build anything before having a sponsor. Many sponsors want you to build specific types of mews/weatherings.
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
Your work has inspired me to do something similar.
I have an older 32'x40' concrete footing on my property that was meant to be for a garage/shop. I am going to take advantage of the concrete and build 2x6 walls on top of it, to mitigate the issue of any unwanted visitors coming into the facility. My only concern is drainage, come cleaning time...
The weathering yard will also be built on top of the footing, except with 2x4 walls/frame and a pet screen type fabric.
Would it it be appropriate for me to build the mews before getting my apprentice license? I do not have a sponsor yet, but would love to show that I am ready and prepared for the sport.
I built a mews on top of a concrete slab. I would not do so again because I cover in rubber stall mats and made a place to drain, but it doesn't drain as well as I would like. Also the concrete is a danger for talon damage and dulling.
Do not build or buy anything you do not want to tear down and redo before running it past a sponsor. I know this from experience. I do not know about your state regs, but in California the weathering must be covered in Heavy wire. not netting or pet screen /shade cloth unless it is covering chain link or welded wire fencing.