An aviary for keeping and breeding pheasants must take into account all the requirements for this type of structure. The main thing is that the building is durable and of good quality. Funds will be needed to build a house and a walking area for birds. Keeping pheasants together with chickens or geese is prohibited. These beautiful birds need to build a separate structure where they can live and grow in peace.
Requirements for an enclosure for pheasants
Criteria to consider when building a bird aviary:
- to keep pheasants you need a room for sleeping and rest and a spacious walking area;
- It is advisable to carry out construction away from roads and busy places, since birds are subject to stress due to noise;
- all structures are placed in a dry place protected from winds;
- the enclosure is fenced around the entire perimeter;
- The walking area is covered with a net (plastic or metal) on top so that the birds do not fly away;
- Feeders, drinking bowls are installed on the territory of the enclosure, low bushes are planted or wooden perches are built;
- the walking area is sprinkled with sand, fine gravel and planted with grass;
- for decorative pheasants, separate houses are built on the territory of the enclosure;
- for meat breeds living in a flock, one common poultry house with perches and nests is built;
- the room for sleeping and rest is constructed of wood, brick or blocks;
- there should be a canopy on the territory of the walking area so that the birds can hide from the rain and heat;
- the aviary should be spacious (1 square meter per bird) and high (height 1.5-2 m).
Types of structures
Pheasants are kept in spacious enclosures, similar to large cages lined with metal mesh, on the territory of which poultry houses are built. The choice of structure (house) depends on the breed of birds.
Types of structures for pheasants:
- walking area, fenced with a net, with one blank wall and a canopy from bad weather;
- an enclosure fenced with a mesh, on the territory of which low wooden houses are placed for pheasants forming pairs;
- a walking area fenced with a mesh adjacent to a closed poultry house for birds living in flocks, with entrance doors and built of brick or wood;
- an enclosure fenced with a mesh plus a canopy built in the form of a polycarbonate greenhouse.
Required tools and materials
An enclosure for pheasants can be built from scrap materials (wooden boards, beams). True, the walking area must be covered with a net. If you leave the aviary open, the birds may fly away. Houses for sleeping and nesting are built from any building materials.
Tools and materials for building an aviary and poultry house (optional):
- fine mesh metal mesh for the fence and plastic for the top;
- wooden beams or metal profiles for constructing the frame;
- iron pillars for support;
- boards, bricks, blocks for building a house;
- slate, tiles, roofing felt, polycarbonate sheets for building a roof or canopy;
- hammer, saw, screwdriver, pliers, plane;
- cement, sand, plaster, spatulas, graters;
- paints and varnishes for wood, brushes, rollers;
- nails, screws, staples, bolts;
- overalls, respirator, gloves, safety glasses.
Calculation of the required size
Before you build an enclosure for pheasants, you need to decide on the type of construction. It is advisable to draw a design for the future structure on a piece of Whatman paper.
Values that can be used to guide the construction of a walking area and poultry house:
- a separate bird house is built at the rate of 1 sq. meter for one pair;
- A common house for pheasants living in a flock is built at the rate of 1 sq. meter per individual;
- The area of the walking area is calculated based on the number of birds; there should be 1-1.5 square meters per pheasant. meters;
- the height of the aviary and poultry house should be within 1.5-2.5 meters.
How to build an aviary with your own hands
The main stages of building an enclosure for pheasants:
- Preparing the area and laying the foundation for the poultry house.The place where the enclosure will be built must be leveled, cleared of foreign objects and debris, and disinfected with slaked lime. Sprinkle soil that is too clayey with peat, sand, and fine gravel. Install supports for attaching the net along the entire perimeter of the future enclosure. Prepare a site for building a pheasant house (inside the walking area).
- Construction of a foundation for a fence and a foundation for a poultry house. You can dig a ditch around the entire perimeter of the enclosure and fill it with concrete, after inserting frame supports. At the beginning of construction, a foundation for the poultry house is built (from concrete or wooden boards located on scaffolds).
- Construction of a frame for an enclosure. The construction of the frame begins with the installation of support pillars. They are installed in the ground or concrete. Support posts should be placed along the edges of the enclosure and in the center of the walking area (to support the hanging net). The frame is constructed from wooden beams or metal profiles.
- Enclosing the aviary with netting and covering the poultry house with building materials. The frame of the enclosure is lined with metal mesh on the sides and covered with plastic mesh on top. The walls of the poultry house are constructed from brick or wood.
- Construction of a canopy and roof for a house. The canopy is constructed from polycarbonate or slate. The covering is installed on the frame. The top of the poultry house is covered with lathing and roofing felt. A single-pitched or gable roof made of slate, tiles, roofing felt and boards is installed on top.
- Poultry house arrangement, floor construction. The concrete foundation is covered with boards. In a wooden building, the floor is also made of wood. The boards are fitted tightly to each other and painted with moisture-proof enamel.
- Construction of perches, feeders and drinking bowls in the walking area.After construction is completed, you can make perches (perches at height) outside for birds to rest or plant small bushes. Feeders and drinking bowls must be located on the territory of the walking area.
Protecting wooden parts from rotting
Wooden supports, beams, boards must be protected from adverse weather conditions (moisture, snow, sudden temperature fluctuations). After installation of the structures, the wood is painted with moisture-proof resin-based paints. Wooden materials can be impregnated with impregnation or varnished.
It is recommended to pre-treat the wood with a primer, which protects the surface from the development of mold and fungi and improves the adhesion of the paint to the base.
Arrangement of the enclosure
In the walking area there should be feeders and drinking bowls (preferably bunker type). Birds love to relax on the sand and take sand and ash baths. The enclosure should have perches or wooden driftwood for the pheasants to fly onto. You can plant low bushes and trees in the walking area. It is advisable to sow the land with grass or cereal crops.
Approximate calculation of investments
If you build an aviary and a poultry house yourself, you will only have to spend money on the purchase of building materials. The main item of expenditure will be the funds required for the purchase of fine mesh netting and plastic mesh for the top.
A linear meter of fencing costs about one dollar. The frame and bird houses can be built from wooden boards and beams. True, you will need to buy metal poles for support. In general, to build a small aviary and poultry house for 10 pheasants you will need a minimum of $300.
