Hello everyone! I'm pre-apprentice, planning to take the test soon. (And, not to be presumptuous or arrogant, but I am trying to prepare ahead of time.) So, I have a large barn (between 800-1000 square feet, I believe) in my yard, and have been wondering if it could be converted into a mews. It has a solid structure, concrete base, and brand new roof. In terms of height, it is over 8 feet, so that's okay. I know there have been lots of concerns about Asper in barns with hay, but I don't know what the barn used to be used for, except that it hasn't been used in years and has been left with the doors open to ventilate. Also, there are support poles in the barn, none in the center though, so would those be dangerous for a raptor? If so, could I build some type of mews within the barn, to make an extremely weatherproofed structure? Sorry if these questions are obvious to the experienced falconers, I haven't been able to find too much information on mews other than the standard: ventilation via windows, enclosed, safe for bird, etc. Also, if the barn is suitable, what flooring would you recommend and how would I go about utilizing it? Currently, the barn on either side is concrete, with the center (a good several feet) being packed dirt with a layer of gravel. Anyways, thanks in advance for your advice/opinions!
Last Edit: Aug 22, 2014 22:13:06 GMT -5 by angelats
You should see what your state rules require on building structures first. I myself have always wanted a barn to separate it into several mews in sizes which would allow the bird to have plenty of space to fly for exercise. I personal believe a bird needs both shelter from weather as well as plenty of sunlight for physical reasons, so you want to consider a room on the inside and a weathering area on the outside in a combination design. Plenty of photos on the internet when looking up falconry mew designs.
Post by Falcon Boy on Aug 24, 2014 16:06:41 GMT -5
You can use disinfectants to help kill anything that might be 'growing' in the barn well before you put a bird in there. The one big thing is what your sponsor wants to see. Some folks are very specific in what they consider acceptable as far as a mew goes. Your best bet is to not build anything yet, but once you've gone hawking a few times see if someone will come over and look at the barn and see if they think it would be useable. Chances are it will be if it is in good condition.
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Thanks, Austin and Falcon Boy! I'll keep regulations in mind as well as look online some more, and I guess I'll have to wait before making any alterations, since I have no idea what a future sponsor will want to see. Thanks for the suggestion, I'd hate to have built to my idea of perfection only to be told to realter it .