Building some new mews

[Pyro01]

It's been a while since I did an update, but I've been really cranking on the new mews. Here's what I've come up with so far!  This mews is an octagon shape, has slanted wall panels which help reduce feather damage and bar grabbing, it's nearly 10'x10', and is completely portable, just unbolt the panels and throw them in a truck bed.  I'll be staining it and covering the windows with Mosquito netting.

First wall panel done


Starting on a window panel with wooden bars, I eventually decide I don't like how the wood has a tendancy to bow out.


As you can see a window brace was necessary, I then said screw it, returned the rest of the uncut wood, and went out and bought 1/2" emt conduit in 10' lengths.


Some jerkwad decided to try and beat oncoming traffic and made a turn in front of me on a state highway, I had the conduit loaded in the car and braked really hard which ended up shattering my windshield. This mews just stole $250 out of my pocket and it didn't even improve the facilities.


Next morning I had a tire blow out on an AWD vehicle, and the shops wouldn't replace just one tire because the tread difference would destroy my transmission, so add the cost of 4 new tires on top of that.


Here's Freyja trying to turn my frown upside down.


Finally got the first window panel done and over with:



Finished the second and third window panels in short order:


Constructed the final solid panel and cut out a door, just need to brace the door, seal it, and then hang it.


Once I finish the last window panel I can start putting it together. Staining it, and then finish it with perches and such. More pictures to come.

[Falcon Boy]

Cool idea, I've seen a few similar set ups in photos. Should be nice when finished! Sorry about the windshield...that sucks. I am surprised that they won't just replace two tires rather than all four...seems odd. Then again, I've never ran anything but 4 that were purchased at the same time on our subies.

[Pyro01]

I forgot to mention the 2x4's used for the base of the frame are rated for ground contact, so they'll last longer than a regular pressure treated 2x4 would. My sponsor and I endured the heat and humidity yesterday and we got all the walls up. I'm waiting for some dry days to stain the roof, and then throw that on top and bolting it down. We got the door hung and it all looks pretty nice. I need to throw some additional hardware on the door and stain everything, and then caulk it all up to keep out bugs. After that it's screening the windows over with mosquito netting and furnishing it all for the hawk.

My sponsor has a few cubic yards of pea gravel.  I'll just shovel that in and cover it with marine carpet.  I like how it keeps the birds talons nice and sharp.

[talongrip]

I like your ideas Pyro...pretty slick design !!

Jim

[Pyro01]

Just when you think you won't have to spend any more money on the darn thing you find stuff that would make it better. I finished staining the outside and still haven't gone through a whole can of stain, might use the rest to stain the inside and put a second coat on the larger portions on the outside. I plan on putting a double door on the outside as well. Will probably just go with the cage type to cut down on costs. I still have a ton of wire I used for the roof on my current setup.

I was trying to decide whether I should have a platform for the food chute or just let it drop down, since I plan on furnishing the inside with more perches I didn't want it getting too crowded. What have you guys done on yours just to give me some ideas, I'll go look at some other threads too to see if there's something that might work out well.

I finished staining the exterior, added the door hardware, finished bracing the door, and started putting on the Mosquito netting on the windows.



The roof I will probably have to re-do, because cutting this out according to instructions do not always pan out especially on a building like this. I can use the current roof pieces as shutters after I cut some new roof panels out.

[Falcon Boy]

Looking good!