Advice needed please.

[ScarletFever]

Hi.

Today is the day that I started to clear the ground and plan the outline of my new mews.

I started to take down the greenhouse which is on a concrete base of 10 foot long by 8 foot deep. I'm going to enlarge the concrete base by at least doubling it, so the final dimensions will be approx 20 foot long by 8 foot deep.

I want to make the weighing room come storage area about 5 -6 foot long by 8 foot deep with a safety door leading into the main mews area which should be about 12 - 14 foot long by 8 foot deep which hopefully (and I know you'll tell me if it isn't..... :) ) will be big enough my Male Harris when it arrives in August.

I want to free loft him after he's up and running, I've decided to use bars after reading the posts that have been submitted, but would like to know, in the area which will be the front and South/sun facing for the main part of the day, how big do you think the opening for the window ought to be. Some of the really nice mews that have been pictured on the forum, are difficult to gain a perspective of how big or wide they are.

I am going to drain the whole floor area, with pea gravel under astro turf. The inside will be constructed of 3" x 2" pretreated softwood and lined with a marine plywood under a sloping roof. Again, how much of the area should be left open for weathering?


While I was carrying out the "demolition" works earlier, I had to cut down some holly, blackthorn and silver birch branches. I've saved some of the bigger ones which are about 2" in diameter. I've read somewhere here that the branches ought to be weathered. Is this really necessary? No worries if it is, just that it seems a shame to chuck away, what looks like some really good perches.

Sorry about the length of the post, but any help you could give me would be really helpful.

Regards
Dan

[Bubo]

i am interested in the replies cos i have more or less the same questions
bubo

[Shaun Byrne]

Hi SF, the size of your mews will be fine but I have a couple of questions: Why are you putting a concrete floor down and why use astro turf on top of the pea gravel?

Personally I prefer a completely open roof apart from a section for shelter and shade, one third of your mews would be plenty.

Natural perches are also fine but will eventually start to rot giving a risk of Aspo.

Your window can be any size you like, if your roof is mainly open this will allow plenty of sun and ventilation so the window could be as small as 1' sq or as big as you like.

HTH

[ScarletFever]

Hi H4wka.
Thanks for the reply. I'm putting a concrete base down to marry up with the one thats already there and to help build up the differential level that I'm going on top of.

I understand what you've pointed out about the rot/perch. I'll build a bonfire with them :lol:
Dan

[Hawkmaster]

12 - 14 foot long by 8 foot deep which hopefully (and I know you'll tell me if it isn't..... ) will be big enough my Male Harris when it arrives in August.

Sounds good.

how big do you think the opening for the window ought to be. Some of the really nice mews that have been pictured on the forum, are difficult to gain a perspective of how big or wide they are.

You will findmaking the bars no longer than 2 or so foot long enough before they start to wabble, but of course you can add drilled timber every couple of foot to suport them. Personally I would do only the upper part as it is easier and less expense. The bars are 60mm apart and 10 to 12mm in diameter.

I am going to drain the whole floor area, with pea gravel under astro turf.

Just use peagravel, don't eve do extra concreting, that will be best for drainage.

just that it seems a shame to chuck away, what looks like some really good perches.

Don't chuck them, use them, just replace them every now and again if they rot.

Everything else I stand by H4wka :lol:

[Sparrow Hawker]

Hi Dan,

Personally I like a concrete base, I then lay some plastic sheeting then I back fill with pea gravel.

To quote Neil Forbes: "A solid aviary floor prevents rodent and parasite intermediate host (earthworms, slugs and snails etc). It also facilitates a proper biosecurity clean down of the aviary back to a clean surface, in the event of a build up of pathogens."

Regards,

HH

[Shaun Byrne]

Hi Dan,

Personally I like a concrete base, I then lay some plastic sheeting then I back fill with pea gravel.

To quote Neil Forbes: "A solid aviary floor prevents rodent and parasite intermediate host (earthworms, slugs and snails etc). It also facilitates a proper biosecurity clean down of the aviary back to a clean surface, in the event of a build up of pathogens."

Regards,

HH

It also doesnt drain so well and tends to leave bacteria in the gravel and on the surface of the underlaying concrete.
your aviary floor should be wired to prevent unwanted guests, as for worms, slugs and snails, who gives a s**t, my birds will eat all three and plenty of other creepy crawlies whilst blocked out.

[ScarletFever]

Hi.

What I was going to do after reading H4wka post, was to fill in the differential level with a hardcore and concrete some strip foundations to receive the framework of the mews.

I can still install some drainage pipes to travel thru' the strip foundation, so hopefully will get the best of two worlds. i.e a firm base to build on and by hardcoring, getting rid of the different levels.

I've spent most of the bank holiday weekend working on the base, with lots of leaning against the shovel, drinking tea, shouting at the neighbour to put his bloody bonfire out and trying to get the wife to see if she likes the idea of wheelbarrowing a couple of ton of hardcore into the garden for me. :D ......she's a grumpy git....... :(

Thanks for all you suggestions, any more, please don't hesitate.

Dan

[Shaun Byrne]

Hardcore is good mate, plenty of drainage. No need to drain through the footings, gravel and hardcore is fine. I would lay a heavy polethene under the gravel and perforate it with a fork. The poly will give added protection against plants taking root.

With all due respect to Mr Forbes, I wouldn't worry about insects and no matter how thick your concrete floor is you wont keep them out anyway.

[Shaun Byrne]

Another important point is not to start using timber for building until above gravel level.

I normally lay path edgings (flat topped) then start to build in timber off this. It dramatically lengthens the life of your Aviary as rot normally starts in the dampest spot ie at ground level.

[ScarletFever]

Yep, I know what you mean about the insects etc. We're over run with wood lice in the garden. Every stone, behind the bark of the trees, the sods have even eaten my front porch away!

I've noticed in one of you other posts H4wka, that you've metioned electrical conduit for the bars. Is this the same sort that I'd get from Screwfix direct? How secure are they or will I have to wire them to the mains in case of theiving gits? :twisted:

Dan

[Shaun Byrne]

Depends on the neighbourghood mate!! lol!!

You can use galv steel 20mm conduit on its own or oversleeve it with 25mm black or white plastic conduit.

At the end of the day, if someone wants your bird they will get it. My aviary and weatherings at home are well lit and alarmed but by the time I'd get my boots on and the shotgun loaded, they'd be gone anyway.

[ScarletFever]

Yeah, good idea with the conduit tho'. Perhaps I could make a dragged lure that looks like a tinker and get the bird to attack when they enter the mews :twisted:

After saying that, they'd have to go past the three terriers and a particularly nosy neighbour who makes Pinocchio's nose look like a button :lol:

[Shaun Byrne]

Thats all you need, a noisy dog and a nosey neighbour!!

[Coedhirion]

Concrete base is ok if you disinfect it, my floor was down all ready and it makes cleaning out real easy as you can shovel every last bit of shingle an s...t off then pressure wash it. being a tight g..t i tend to pressure wash the stone too. If you get lots of insects, watch out for the dreaded red mite. They live in dark cracks and come out at night to feast on birds!!
ventilation is the important bit as during moult it only takes 24hrs for the nice fat maggots to start crawling, so the place can get real smelly real quick.
I used new broom handles for bars in one shed. They are a bit thin but worked real well, stay straight an strong. Got them real cheap when I told the guy how many I wanted!!! Put wire up outside them that is fine enough to keep rats an mice out as I would never trust my neighbours never to use rat poison. So I dont want one sneaking in with my bird to die.

[ScarletFever]

Yep, the rat & mouse thing worries me a bit. We've got some rough land which is being developed by a neighbour into a sort of garden/adventure playground for his grandkids. My terriers used to rat in there and we haven't seen anything for a couple of months or so. But it'd be sods law that once the bird is there, we'll get them around.

I've decided after the posts by the guys here that I'll probably leave the roof 2 thirds open with only a small section of the walling taken up with a window opening. This'll be about 4 foot up from the ground.

Part of the company that I work for deals with pest control. Talking to the lads who are on site, they've told me of a jelly like substance which you coat on the window cills etc. Its for pidgeons really, but the reckon it'll deter rats from getting in via the window openings as well. I've also got a couple of 'Monarch' rat traps which I can set around the aviery in the hedges etc. Failing that, I'll get some of the mother in laws cakes down there. That'll sort them out :lol:

[Coedhirion]

tried sum jelly stuff, cos i got pigeons an large hay barn, cos its a farm. something found it real tasty and licked it all off. Rats aren't the problem, its poisoned rats!!! tasty, easy, deadly meal for any BOP or animal

[ScarletFever]

Yep, I realise that CH. What do you think licked that jelly off? Must have been hungry whatever it was!!

How do you manage on the farm? Wire mesh alone?