What type of aviary

[HawkMan]

Hello all
Im building my aviary for my barn owls this weekend .
I was wandering should i build an all mesh aviary and have a nest box (a bit like a dog run with a box about 2ft in size in the corner .
Or should i have a small out house for more shelter with the rest wired open area ?
Any info would be of great help
Thanks
Jb

[Osiris]

small out house with "window" into open planned aviary sounds good !? Perches scattered about the place, nice bath!

Or, build a good sized barn in your garden for them ? :wink:

[HawkMan]

Ive got enough room to build a 150ft by 50ft aviary i think ill do that ,lol
Ill wait for some more idea,s yet ,lol
Thanks jb

[Scruff]

There's a couple of books you can get that have good designs, it depends on the amount of shelter around the aviary. Nest boxes tend to encourage teh owls to stay in there, if thats ok with you, some have nest boxes, some dont. I know you were concerned about eggs...theres a centre that has barnies and they have a nest box with very little floor space (they took some of the bottom out) they say it stops them laying??.... but thats not my idea..never needed to try it..
I have half and half ( half wooden pannels and half mesh with a half /half roof and a nesting shelf. with numorous perches and varying heights, with astroturf, pea gravel flooring, slightly sloping creating a drainage system.

try Jemima parry jones, her book called OWLS. She has a fe pages in her raptor book, but the other book is just for owls and quite a good read. hope it helps a bit. how does your mate house his?

[Mikey100]

Hi Johnny

I originally had a 6"x4" shed with the window out and a 20"x8" flight- never saw the damn things as there was plenty of room in the shed to get around

I now have a 2"x2" nest box mounted in one corner- with the entrance facing away from view for privacy- enough space but not masses of space so they tend to be out and about more as soon as it dusk- works for me

i have it half roofed as the barnie is the only owl I'v e come across that doesn't enjoy sitting out in the rain

Building a box with no bottom will stop them laying ...in the box- but not behind a bush or in the corner- or anywhere else flat enough!!!

[Scruff]

yeah.....never tried that bottomless nesting box before..just saw it somewhere, the box itself was quite badly made and I was laughing saying the bottom had fallen out......:oops:

+ just found out you've got 2 males...so shouldnt be a problem..lmao!

[Palmer]

Hold on a minuet johny i thought you were getting two male barn owls?!

[HawkMan]

I am getting a 2 males ,
Ive been to the local garden centre tonight and bought a 7ft x 5ft shed with window and door on the gable end £240,lol
Ill erect the shed and have a 10ft x 5ft meshed area for flights .ill keep the roof in the meshed area meshed ,does that sound mad ?
Ill just need to make some kind of nest box for in the shed ?
Thanks for the info lads i love picking your brains ,pmsl.
Thanks
Jb
Does anyone know what a male barn owls eats a day
My african spotted eagle owls eat! male 3 doc female 5 a day ?

[Mikey100]

Hi

My female has 2 DOC or 3 mice per day- that keeps her at a responsive weight for flying-she would certainly eat more if offered- she has 3 DOC or 5 mice when moulting

[Palmer]

I am getting a 2 males ,
Ive been to the local garden centre tonight and bought a 7ft x 5ft shed with window and door on the gable end £240,lol
Ill erect the shed and have a 10ft x 5ft meshed area for flights .ill keep the roof in the meshed area meshed ,does that sound mad ?
Ill just need to make some kind of nest box for in the shed ?
Thanks for the info lads i love picking your brains ,pmsl.
Thanks
Jb
Does anyone know what a male barn owls eats a day
My african spotted eagle owls eat! male 3 doc female 5 a day ?

Sounds good but you don't need a nest box mate. Unless your 2 males are planning on breeding!?:lol: :rolleyes:

[Mal Mason]

I have a female barn owl in with a bengal eagle owl in a 6x4 shed with a small flight and they are both fine.

[HawkMan]

So nothings happened to the barn owl ?
What about putting barn owls in with african spotted eagle owls .
I dont think id have the bottle m8 lol
It would break me heart to see a poor barny getting chewed by a EEO.
Ive built there aviary and bought a shed ,the sheds 7ft x 5ft and the caged area is 9ft x 5ft which i feel should be enough for 2 barn owls .
All the best
Jb