• Flight Pen 1
• Flight Pen 2
• Flight Pen 3
• Flight Pen 4
• Flight Pen 5
• Flight Pen 6
• Flight Pen 7
• Flight Pen 8
• Bull Pen
• Breeder Runs

Sheds, Ideas:

When thinking of what and how many pens you're going to be building stop and consider that you might be adding and redesigning in the future. Consider the location and ease to get equipment in and out. Where would your water lines, power sources be best used? Would you want a feed room located closer to the birds? Before you build, would you want to have sand trucked in, to be placed in  the shed, or near before you build? Would it be better to rent posthole equipment, generator, perhaps a trailer to bring all materials together at one time before you build? Is there a dry season instead of dealing with mud and the rains? Would you want to rent a tiller to prepare the pen for grass planting before it is fenced? Do you want to trade those American Express points for Home Depot cash cards before you start buying materials. Where are you going to get the avian netting? Try bfproducts.com, we have used them and they are great to send catalogs. We think not all wire is equal... 2x4 welded wire from Home Depot breaks easily, while Tractor Supply has wire that hold its strength better. Galvanized welded wire will keep out dogs and is less expensive than chain link fence. Netting on the top is better than chicken wire for peafowl. We have many people call needing to replace peafowl that have broken their necks flying up, hitting wire, the netting is very giving and UV protected.

You might also consider using screws instead of nails. In June 2005 we lost 50 ft of a roof by leaving a longer rear roof line. That along with using nails had the roof ripped off. Again in June 2006 we lost 65 ft of another roof line. We had again used nails. This time the wind caught the front and literally took the entire roof off, only stopping at 65 ft because that was were we had added another 45ft using screws. Also note that the newer treated wood will corrode sheetrock screws in as little as 6 months, use coated screws. We now purchase r- panel metal that covers a true 36 inch, instead of the  corrugated metal that covers 18 inches when overlapped. We also like to build sheds that allow the water to flow and follow the slope of our property. Instead of the 7ft front 6 ft rear configuration. We started building 7ft front and 7ft rear with the sides offset. A 24ft shed is built 7.5 ft on the west side with 7 ft on the east. This allows us to buy 4, 24 long panels that will slightly slop to one end. Rain no longer floods from the rear back in to the front of the shed, but, now flows to one end and then when on the ground runs away from the housed birds. A 24 ft shed now can be built in a day. I would encourage all to visit as many locations as you could to gather some great ideas from others. The above example was from Leggs Peafowl, in Kansas City. Talking with Brad Legg, I was looking at a 100 ft shed that looked perfectly flat. I asked him how he kept water from entering the sheds. Brad mentioned the roof line was flat but had a gradual sloped that followed his property. All of our ideas came from talking and visiting as many other breeders that was possible. George Conner just outside of Springfield, Mo. really had a great setup. One shed, pen was 100ft long, around 10ft high, welded structure, the roosts were high, and the shed was enclosed with doors for each pen.  Walking his area, George pointed out a pen. This pen was high. I believe what he had done was to place steel pipe over his t-post. This gave the pen strength, as well as height. Doug Mcnut had a great setup. Doug placed his sheds and pen rows facing each other. The pens are front entry with automatic waters in the front. This gave him a shed row  between pens to give tours without stressing birds. Also allowed him to enter any one pen without having to go through all the sheds. Lewis Eckard also had a great setup. Lewis had his shed set for front entry to eliminate contamination. The configuration was good for bio-security, as well to keep the stress levels of newly imported greens minimal. I like the fact that the above ground brooders, grow out pens were all located within a workable area. The entire avian area was fenced and the guarding three Pyrenees dogs kept people like me at a distance until welcomed. The above are U.P.A. members and were very open with ideas and suggestions. Their collections of birds were diverse. They and many others are out there, with a little advance notice I'm sure you would be welcomed, but, just don't show up without calling first... that is what relatives are for.

Don't cut grass off the fence. Spend more time with your family or birds and let the grass act as a screen for collecting feathers. Plant wheat, oats along the fence line, and a few feet out to add color, texture during the winter, early spring, also gives the birds something to eat. Plant winter rye to add color and again to entertain the birds. Perhaps ad a pen that is tied to others to rotate your birds after breeding season. Build a larger pen area that can be used after breeding season to place two or three breeding pens. Now add new sand and roosts to those breeding pens and place your new chicks there until they are sold or turned out. Plan the next breeding season and place the breeders back in their areas between December and January. When relocating yearlings or breeders, relocate at one time to eliminate territorial fights. Plant local cold,drought, tolerant plants in the corner areas around your pens.

• Bird runs we dream of! (new pen, built by Hunter Isebelle, Live Oak Ranch)
• Pear Burner  (quick way to clean, sanitize shed, picture of Hunter Isebelle with a larger tank)

Incubator, Brooders:

United Peafowl Association (U.P.A)