That Quail Place Forum
Raising Gamebirds => Build It Yourself => Topic started by: Bird Brained on February 10, 2008, 05:00:02 PM
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Within this post you will find the basic stages of constructing an elevated floor flight pen. There are many ways to build one, this is only one way. All wood material is pressure treated, all nails, wire and metal is galvanized.
The first couple pictures show setting the posts and using the main floor joists to hold the posts on proper spacing as I went down the line.
The third picture is the basic framework completed. Notice the basic roof boards have been added to hold the 4x4 posts in position, in addition to the floor joists.
The fourth picture shows the finished floor joists to be used in supporting the wire floor (1/2 x 1 16gauge galvanized after weld wire).
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First and second picture here shows the addition of the framework to support the enclosure end of the pen. Also, the framwork added to the 4x4 posts to support the metal sight barrier material.
Third picture shows the addition of the wire flooring and the sight barrier. Put the flooring on first so you have room to work around the perimeter of the pen.
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First and second picture shows the roof trusses added to support the metal roofing on the enclosure end of the pen and the addition of the plywood (could be metal) sides of the enclosure and the metal roofing itself.
The third picture shows the addition of hidding places down both sides of the inside of the pen. This is important to have so birds can seperate themselves from others, provide additional shelter in bad weather, and be a hidding place when that predator flies over.
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These last three pictures show the finished flight pen with netting, feeders, water system and most importantly....birds added. The netting was stretched over the top and down the sides to provide a cushion when the birds fly into it.
Keep in mind, I took approx 65 pictures during the construction but am only showing the main steps here to provide you with an example of what it takes to complete this type of project. If you have any specific questions about a detail to completing one of these steps, let me know and I'll do my best to provide you the answer.
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Nice looking job, well done. s87
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I think that this topic needs a sticky. s87
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s98
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Looks like the floor wire runs through to the back of the "house" part ? Did you end up with a front on it (enclosed) ?
Now that you have had Quail Puppies (where has John been lately ?) in it for some time, how is the ground under the pen ? Have you had to clean it out yet, or is the weather (rain etc) taking care of that ?
Any predator problems ?
Very nicely built pen ! Should last many, many years !
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WELL DONE s98.
What are the dimensions? The floor joists appear to be about 4' centers?
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nice job now come build me 2......... s020
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Looks like the floor wire runs through to the back of the "house" part ? Did you end up with a front on it (enclosed) ?
Nope, it's as you see it. They don't need a full enclosure unless you're using the one end as a brood building prior to releasing them into the flight.
how is the ground under the pen ? Have you had to clean it out yet, or is the weather (rain etc) taking care of that ?
Not a problem. Mother nature takes care of breaking down the fertilizer (worms and rain).
Any predator problems ?
My pen area, about an acre, is fenced in with 6 strands of high tensile electric fencing...so not much predator problems....other than hawks that fly in.
What are the dimensions? The floor joists appear to be about 4' centers?
Floor support structure ended up being 3 ft x 4 ft squares.
nice job now come build me 2.........
Who should I address the quotation to?
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Thanks for the posting on your flight pen. How many birds are you going to put in the pen? I am interested in housing chukar. How big should I make it for 30 chukar?
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Bull;
While "re-breaking" your balls on the other post, I noticed no one had answered you here, yet. There are better authorities here, but I'd suggest 80-100 square feet, minimum, in wire floor. I would also suggest even larger, in case you decide to raise more next year. It's usually easier to build a large pen all at once, than to add on. This is especially true if you have to rent equipment like hole auger.
Also, stick to common material dimensions to avoid excess cutting and trimming. (12'X16', or 8'X24' is probably better than 10'X20', or 9'X22'). Buy the hardware cloth, poultry wire, and netting first, then buy lumber, poles, posts, cable, and such to complete the job. There are now pneumatic staple guns that use the common T-50 Stanley staples. These are a life saver, especially if you will be working alone, or your wife is helping. You may have to go back and add hand driven staples, or lathe stripping, for strength once everything is in place.
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How big should I make it for 30 chukar?
That's a bit of a loaded question...it really dependant upon what you are going to eventually be doing with the birds (i.e. eat, breed, hold for a few weeks or hold for months as flight birds for dog training, grow-out chicks for any of the previous mentioned).
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I am basically going to buy young birds, and wait until they are stong enough and mature enough to train my weimaraners. I built some portable recall pens for a field I have permission to train on. I also have a Johnny house on my property for recalling. I do not plan on collecting eggs etc. With my work schedule, it is easier for me to buy the young birds and give them a flight pen to condition them. By the way, maybe I misinterpreted the other reply,(the ball breakin one) but I just found this site the day I first posted. I do not spend much time on a computer so I didn't know about the rules on posting new stuff etc. I am just looking for some good advice and this seemed like the place to get it. I learned alot just reading all of the topics. Thanks.
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I am prolly missing it, but is it possible to get in it? You know, if a bird gets stuck, or to capture the birds? Walk on the wood?
Looks VERY nice, i will prolly steal your design for my next pen. Hope you don't mind!
j44
s98
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There is a door on the covered end of the pen(side)....you can see it in a couple of the pictures I posted.
I walk on the flooring framework....don't need boards to walk on, the wire floor is 16 gauge half x one welded wire (galvanized after weld), not hardware cloth, so I can literally jump up and down on it if I want to, but obviously don't.
It costs a little more upfront for the better materials, but it pays off in the long run. (i.e. heavy duty netting, all treated lumber, heavy gauge wire, galvanized hardware, etc)
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Bird Brained,
Can you elaborate on your watering system please?
Thanks,
Dave
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Check these out Dave, they should provide you the answers you're after...
http://www.thatquailplace.com/smf/index.php?topic=2810.0
http://www.thatquailplace.com/smf/index.php?topic=3554.0
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Bird Brained,
The question should have been - does anyone have the pictures that used to be on Fozzie's site? I click on the link in your original post as well as this recent one and I'm told Yahoo Photo has been shut down. I'm a visual kind of guy!
Thanks,
Dave
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Since I'm Foz of Fozzies Gamebirds, I think I can find them for you...
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Has anyone used this watering system for pigeons?
Thanks
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A pigeon submerges his head the full length of their beak to drink and sucks the water up like drinking with a straw. This waterer will work for them if they can do that with it..But most likely they would crap all over it and fowl the water. I like to use a bullet style waterer for pigeons.
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Silder is right bullet style waters for pigeons is the best we found. any other type we have tried they stand on and c109 all over it and in it.
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Very nice and the pics are great. If you don't mind, do you know how much you have wrapped up in your pen? I am going to need to build something similar for quail but haven't started figuring out the costs.
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Yep, sure do. Uncle sam does too since I'm depreciating it on my taxes. I'd hate to know how much material has went up from 2 years ago.
Someone asked the same question back in July 2006 when it was under construction. Here's the link to that thread.
http://www.thatquailplace.com/smf/index.php?topic=2709.0
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I kept mine low Budget With PVC 2" pipe with a flight pen with a wire floor house 15x 15x 100 pen it has worked Great for me !!! Will take Picks Tomorrow and see what everyone thinks??
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my pen
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moore
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old pen & new one just started
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one more
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Looks very good Pickle, thanks for sharing.
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Very interesting Pickle,
how long are your pvc ?
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one more
I kept mine low Budget With PVC 2" pipe with a flight pen with a wire floor house 15x 15x 100 pen it has worked Great for me !!! Will take Picks Tomorrow and see what everyone thinks??
I might say, s98 and quite impressive..
old pen & new one just started
From this picture it looks as though you will be concreting the PVC, was this correct? What depth did you go and what was the length of pipe. I think 10-foot is the maximum, us less there was a special order on production. What is the distance between arches, and what is your maximum height? Do you have anything connecting the top of the arches for stabilization?
Since we don't know your location, what are your snow loads figured on?
How do you enter the flight pen area? I noticed the end of the flight pen to be finished off with what looks like 4x4 posts. Is there any support for the netting for this last section? Do you have any of the wire buried?
All in all s98 I would have went higher with the wire on the sides or had it out of site, out of mind from predators with metal roofing around the lower perimeter.
Steve
Pheasant Hollow Farm
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If, they are 10' pvc, we could join two together for a higher arch, more headroom, I am thinking this could work well for a short pen, like 20'-30' . With netting could make a very economical pen.
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Mr. Pickle, looks very nice. I need to build a bigger flight pen in the next couple weeks but my house is for sale so I don't want to invest a whole lot and nothing permanent. I'm thinking of stealing your design and driving 2" PVC into the ground a foot and leaving 16" stick out. Then, putting 1 1/2" PVC into the 2" and bending it around. I'll put 16" soffit panels around the bottom.
Did you bury the wire at all? I am a little nervous about predators digging underneath.
Up by me, you can buy 20' lengths of PVC, but you pretty much need a trailer to haul them. I'm going to see if you can get PVC crosses. Then, if you had 10' lengths, you can bend them to center and put the cross in. That will make it easier to run bracing between the arches. However, I don't think I have seen 1 1/2" PVC crosses before.
The other thing I am nervous about with using PVC is the winter,as Steve mentioned. Not so much the snow load, but the brittleness of the PVC when its 20 below and then the wind starts blowing it around. Is your pen made out of Sch 40 or is it the electrical conduit PVC? That stuff seems to be a little more flexible than the Sch 40.
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Similar designs;
We used the one from Mississippi State University.
Modified the brood house with wire floor.
Piping is 30 feet long
set at 15 feet wide this allows for a head height of 12 feet.
www.quailranch-ok.com
www.mstate.edu/dept/poultry/plans/fltplan.htm
Larry Lain
www.doublelquailfarms.com
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Here's a few pics of my cheap flight pen. The elevated floor would have cost another $400. 10' sticks of PVC worked great and I put PVC crosses in the middle. The PVC is 1" because I was too nervous I wasn't going to be able to bend a 2" piece around. I put 1 1/4" PVC in the ground and silt fence around the outside; out of sight, out of mind. Feeders were made with PVC and the waterers are nipple drinkers I had already put together for my brooder drawers which didn't work great there. I do like having the elevated floor, but I think the birds love the natural floor so I hope it helps in their flight conditioning.
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Here's finished pics...
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That looks great. Can you post a close-up of the feeder base? That could be a good way to feed in seclusion, without having to stumble around in the dark.
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PVC pipe can be purchased in 20' lengths, usually Plumbing supply stores carry it, I don't think you'll find it at Lowes or Home Depot.
brittleness of the PVC when its 20 below and then the wind starts blowing it around
A person can heat the pipe and bend it slightly, say at the peak to reduce some of the pressure/stress on it. A heat gun, or if you're real careful with a propane torch (can leave unsightly burn marks if not careful), hold torch flame at a distance from pipe. Experiment with a scrap/disposable piece if you're not experienced with bending PVC pipe. Let cool completely before putting it under stress and don't heat it while it is under stress, and heat about a 2-3' area evenly and all of a sudden you'll be able to form it to the shape/angle you desire. One can get real creative bending the pipe, even making the sides towards the ground straight up and down if wanted and a pointed peak.
I'd hate to know how much material has went up from 2 years ago.
A BUNCH! s16
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Here are a couple pics of the feeder. Its just a 5' piece of 3" PVC. Outside of the pen, I put a cap on it loosely. On the other end, there is a 45 degree corner and then a 3" x 4" reducer. I attached little pieces of wood to te reducer and then screwed it to a pie pan. After one day, no problems :?:
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Sorry i missed this thread. The plan came from Miss.U. But i made the building 15X15 instead of 15X20 Used 20' stick of SCH 40 with the female end made on it from Plumbing Supply local 30' length of pipe for arch. Connectors don't have the depth that Bell pipe have and was afraid to use them. Pretty simple and easy. I used 1/4 wafer board & painted it,was Shocked at how much Plywood cost so I went low Budget. If it will last 2-3 years it has done the job.
I used line post for Chainlink cut in half about 32" when cut for the ancor post for Pvc .
Heavy plastic wire straps to hold Chicken wire & netting to pvc & 5 Gozillion Hog rings every other hole in the wire to netting. Hog rings were the Hardest part. s176 Has worked well for me so far
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"Little Bear"............ :-|
Feeder looks good, but appears that there is quite a bit of waste?
Suggestion...........
1. Cut the pieces of wood off some and lower PVC closer to pan. Leave just enough room for some feed to come out, my chicken feeders only have about a 1/4"-1/2" gap to stop spillage/waste/scratching.
2. Change pan to something that has sides straight up and down instead of sloped.
3. Put something under feeder to raise it off the ground to reduce/eliminate contamination and the scratching of the feed out of the feeder.
s98
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What are the dimensions.
Overall length x width x ht (wire to netting)
4x4 posts ctr to ctr
lumber dims? and ctrs?
thanks,
Dan
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Can anyone get that Miss. State site to work??????
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Try this http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/plans/fltplan.htm
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That is the same plan I used for my pen and has worked Great for me. Working on another one for the Spring, a little longer with a smaller Building
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What are the dimensions.
Overall length x width x ht (wire to netting)
4x4 posts ctr to ctr
lumber dims? and ctrs?
Regarding the original elevated pen in this thread...
Overall length x width x ht (wire to netting)
This one is 12 ft wide x 60 ft long. 7.5 ft inside height.
4x4 posts ctr to ctr
6 ft length of pen
lumber dims? and ctrs?
The joists and rafters going the 12ft span are 2x6, as well as the perimeter floor joist running the length. 2x4's make up the remainder of the framework.
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Thanks Pete !!!!!!!!!!!!! s98
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how deep did you sink posts into ground, did you use concret or gravel to set posts. also are you havin any problems with snow on your flat roof, netting saging with snow wgt? Nice flight pen. Thanks. J.W.....
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Posts are same rule as fence posts and foundation footers for my area...3ft min.
No concrete or gravel although the clay soil I have is close to concrete sometimes.
Roof support is more than adequate for my location and even considered excessive to most but I don't have to drop netting support poles and let my netting on the ground during extreme weather conditions to keep the netting from tearing.
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Floor wire question .....
Is it (3) rolls of 4 ft width running the 60 (ft) length? If so any tricks handling the wire so it runs straight? How did you fasten the 2x6's running length wise? Toe nail?
What brand model stapler?
Anyone else planning to build a flight pen this year?
Dan
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Im going to build one,got my plans from www.quailranch-ok.com they also have a water system I would like to try.
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I have my lumber order in and should be delivered this week. I have 8 12x48 flight pens all attached to 12x15 brooding areas for each pen.
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Floor wire question .....
Is it (3) rolls of 4 ft width running the 60 (ft) length? If so any tricks handling the wire so it runs straight? How did you fasten the 2x6's running length wise? Toe nail?
What brand model stapler?
Yes, 3 rolls of wire 4 ft wide running the length.
The joists the wire seams fall on are toenailed on one end but nailed straight through the crossing joists on the other end of each one. If you start at one end of the pen and work toward the other end you'll always have one end of the board that won't require toenailing.
The stapler I have is decent, not the worst not the best. It's a craftsman and will shoot up to 1.5 inch brads or staples. Attached are pics of the stapler and the galvanized staples I used.
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Good post Bird. I would like to stress a little more about using galvanized nails and staples when using treated lumber. The treatment chemicals will eat through common nails in 6 months and you get to start over s80
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All nice pens. Do you have any drawings of the inside brooding areas and catch pens. Trying to build one long building to cover from incubation untill release at the other end. Any thoughts would be helpful. Thanks
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That would work well to just run them from one place to the other as they grew without having to ever catch them until you sell them. Definitely cut down on a small bit of labor.
I like to keep my Breeders, brooding, incubation and flight pens all seperated for bio-security reasons though. That way if someone were to infect it wouldn't travel through one building a kill off everything I had. I would have a chance to contain it in one part of my operation without is spreading (hopefully).
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My idea is to construct a building for each of the 3 types of birds I want to raise and release. I bought some breeder birds so I have to start with a Brood area(please correct my terminology if it's wrong), an incubation and hatch room with a wash area, an indoor chick brooding area for 1 week then to an indoor/outdoor area from 2 weeds and then into the fly pen for 2-3 weeks more until release. The fly pen is the easy part but i need drawings of a catch pen at the end if I need to box some birds eventhough most will just be pushed out the door. And it all needs to be able to be pressure washed for easy cleaning. Any ideas
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Nice looking setup. Did you build the pens this year or have you been using them for a while? How are they working out and what kinds of birds do you have in them?
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The construction pictures one the first page of this post were posted in Feb 2008, so I built that one spring of 2007. The other one you can see beside the one being constructed was built in 2002.
Both are holding up very well. Not a single maintenance repair to-date for either one (knock on wood now that I've said that).
I've raised both Chukar and bobwhite quail in these two. I have others very similar to the two you see in the pictures with same results.
Just wish I had a dozen more just like them.