I joined the board under CoolCharlie but I'm waiting on a password email...Anyway, I need a good design, one that could be broken down and transported. Kentucky follows federal regs. on facilities so a minimal size is prefered. I'm not an apprentice yet nor do I have a sponsor, but I'd like to atleast have some ideas for a mews. I've searched the net and came up with pretty much nothing. All help is appreciated! I've also ordered "North American Falconry and Hunting Hawks" which I hear is like the falconry bible..hopefully it'll help, but I've yet to receive it (next week). Looking forward to sharing some hawking adventures with yall!
Post by Falcon Boy on Feb 19, 2004 14:55:50 GMT -5
Welcome to the board Chuck!
As for a mews design, that is break down able, i would suggest the design in the book "The Redtailed Hawk-North America's most versitile game hawk" Its a great book about redtails, and also has a decent mews design (from what i hear) Other than that, i dont know of any break-downable mews designs, why would you break it down anyways?
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
Well, I still live at home with my parents, and I don't want to erect any permanent structures on their property. In others words, when I move out I want to take it with me. I'm 23 years old and I seriously doubt that I'll still be here in a couple years. I'm in college and I'm freeloading off the parents. ;D (Hey it's better than a dorm room & definately better than paying high rent). I thought about buying a wooden storage barn and modifying it with a couple of windows, Lowe's Home Center has some really nice ones for about 350/400 dollars. Luckily my grandfather is a master carpenter, but he's in Florida until March or April. I'll need his help since I'm just an artist and can only draw it out. I've got some construction exp. but I want my mews to look good for the inspector even if it's not an extremely large facility. I've been thinking about something like 7.5 ft by 6.5ft with about a 7-8ft high roof, slightly slanted for water run-off. Also a weathering area attached, I want to go through the weathering area to get to the mews, to prevent my future bird from escaping. All in all I'm looking at something about 11ft by 7.5ft by 7ft high. I'll draw it out and get it on the web. Hopefully, yall can give your input. *Falcon Boy, I've yet to receive my password via email, should I rejoin? CoolCharlie is what I joined under
Glass Windows -- bad idea. I'm not a falconer yet but I've done some research on mew plans via internet and i've never seen one with actual glass windows. Simply not necessary, and dangerous to any flying creature, even if you put bars before it.
How big is your parents property? If this is like a house one a one or two acre thing, then yeah i can see the problem, sorta. What i would do though, is make it into something convertible. Afterall, what are the chances that the next guy is going to be a falconer anyway? make it something that you could easily turn into a tool or storage shed or something. I'm probably going to have to make one that can convert into a horse barn.
But while i am here, can someone clarify something for me? I've looked at mew designs, and i've seen alot of stuff. But they all have open bars for 2 of the walls. Doesn't this pose a problem to the birds health on windy days and extremely cold days? what would you do then with that design?
Number 2, what kind of flooring is appropriate? I've seen someone use gravel flooring, but i wonder. We use horse shavings for the horse barns, so would that be safe and easy to clean for the mews as well?
I was originally going to save these questions for my sponsor or Georgia Falconry Association rep, but we talk about mews, so hey. why not?
I wasn't planning on using glass windows, and as far as flooring, I'm planning on constucting a "deck" of treated boards to allow good drainage and to keep the mew off the ground. I'll probably set it up on level concrete blocks. I heard pea gravel works well but you'll need to use some sort of wire mesh under the gravel to prevent critters from digging/borrowing up inside the mew. Sawdust/wood chips is a bad idea as it will harbor bacteria that will lead to certain raptor ailments (forgot the names). I'm thinking about using cedar chips under the decking as it's a natural insect repellent, also planting Marigolds around the mews will keep insects away. I wouldn't recommend putting these inside the mew or in weathering area (if you have one) they could be harmful to the raptor (I don't know).
well, its not really sawdust or chips. It's like paper thin curly slices of wood. *shrug* dunno. I'm inexperienced here, and haven't been around raptors yet.
I don't know what type of windows you meant then, but you can save several hundred bucks by making it yourself. My dad too is a carpenter and has a huge room filled with woodworking equipment, so, yeah... But it doesn't take much more than a sander and a saw to cut wood and make appropriate bars for a mews and windows. You can't trap a bird until next september (or atleast here you can't) so you have plenty of time. No rush.
Post by Falcon Boy on Feb 19, 2004 20:35:15 GMT -5
The BEST in my opionion for flooring is pea gravel. DO NOT USE WOOD SHAVINGS! They harbor Asperillogous (sp?) a bacteria that gets into the lungs of birds and kills them quikly. And yes, you need wire mesh under the gravel, i learned this the hard way
As for the mews size, my state says they need to be 8ft by 8ft by 8ft. I dont know about your states laws, you might wanna check that so your mew is big enough.
Windows- Vertical Bars are best, i used aluminum conduit, its cheap and works well. As for the walls of only bars, i have the front wall (faces AWAY from my areas strong winds) as all bars, and then nothing else is bars, so really that is my window.
As for the password, ill get back to you, sometimes it takes a while to get it.
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.
Can I way in on some of these questions. I seem to have more luck answering questions than I do catching game. I live in Canada and get some ugly cold weather.(comes with the territory) My mew is about 12x12 give or take here or there. Used to be an old green house. Acording to Frank Beebe auther North American Falcons and Hunting Hawks suggest that allyour bird needs is to be dry and out of the direct wind. I to walk threw my weathering to my mew although there is no door on the mew and and my bird can decide when she goes out in the rain and when she doesn't. the north and west wall are a full12ft. the east wall is only 6ft the south wall is wire and vertical bars. the roof is 7.5 ft high and only covers the south half of the mew. I also have a 6ft long wall that cuts the mew in half from east to west allowing a 6ft door/openning that she can go behind for privicy. And now I have forgotten the question guess I'm now on par with my hunting. Stay away from any flooring that will hold on moisture FB has told you why and it seems to be cause by mold. As far as break down look into putting hinges in the corners as you can always pull the pins to drop the walls. Stay away from sand as well as it can get inbetween the jesses and cause abrasions. By the way I enjoyed the dorms (most of the time ). Any way I've lost my train of thought. Best of luck and I hope I made some sense. Chris Foster
Thanks all, & lucky for me Kentucky follows federal regulations concerning facilities... I must have read CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) falconry parts 15 times & it doesn't say anything about minimum mews size. Only that the bird needs to be able to fully extend it's wings, & that it should be able to move from perches without hitting the ceiling or sides.
Chris, You think I should do away with the mews door if it's behind the weathering door? At least a screen for the evening, I don't want West Nile Virus.
I'm not sure that a door one way or the other is going to stop west Nile we do't have that problem here yet but that's just amatter of time . but once your bird is manned weather or not you teather your bird is up to you . If you don't teather your bird then more room for her to move around won't hurt just remember that then you'll need to add a second door out side so that you can close one before you enter your mew/weathering area. Mine works great and she also likes to come out where she can see the rest of the family when we are out in the yard. That or she just likes to watch the kids playing in the yard with their 10lb rabbit Hope you the best with your mew Chris Foster
I dont know how to find your password for you, it doestn give me that option. If you do not recieve it by tomarrow night, let me know.
Falcon Boy. Go to CoolCharlie's Profile click " Modify " Change his pass to .... I dunno "flyboy" then he can log onto it using that password. If he choose's to, he then can go to his own profile and change the password to whatever he wants.
Falcon can you make me an admin since I have a proboards forum of my own and I can fix things without telling you what do to?
Well I put up a little sketch of the mew I'll probably end up building this spring/summer in the photo gallery. Now just to wait for my book so I can study up for the test. I'm sure I'll do good though. Regarding my password, I still haven't received it yet.
Post by Falcon Boy on Feb 22, 2004 12:29:35 GMT -5
alex,
At this point in the forum i dont really want to make any more Admins, if we start to have alot more people posting, them i will consider moving people up to admin positions, its hard for me to trust people i havent met before, so its nothing personal. You see what i mean?
Anyway, thanks for the help, and if the time comes, i will consider moving you up to admin
Falcon Boy Apprentice Falconry Administrator
Ethics make the individual, not the other way around.