As is the case with most Quaker breeders we started our passion with a "bird room" in our house. And as is the case with most Quaker breeders we outgrew it very quickly. As Quakers spread throughout our home, we realized that we needed to either seriously curtail our Quaker habit or expand into a real breeding facility.
In the Fall of 2004, we moved to our dream home on a small farm on the Arkansas River, just outside of Ponca City, Oklahoma. The main reason that we consider this our "dream home" was the fact that the initial owner (who was a furniture manufacturer) had built a 5,000 plus square foot building for his business next to the house. The building also had a four-stall horse barn attached to the back of it.
Both the shop and horse barn became our Quaker breeding facilities, that is after Fern and Martha finished building inside of them. In January 2005, the birds moved in. We think they like it as we had eggs by February 2005.
Disclaimer: As we have always said, pretty much all ours ideas were stolen with permission from those more experienced than we.
This is the general design. The breeding area is to the right, the nursery/kitchen is in the upper left, and the section in the lower left we call the weaned bird area. Note the blind hallways used to access nest boxes.
Breeding Area: 26 - 2' x 4' x 6' suspended flights.
3 garage doors at the end behind you allow a nice breeze throughout the warmer months. Without added air in the summer we only get a handful of days above 80 in the aviary. Cooler months are supplemented with 3 ceiling mounted heaters to keep temperatures no lower than 40 degrees. The lighting system in the building was inadequate. A makeshift full spectrum system exists now, but a full lighting system will come as money allows.
Another angle showing viewing windows from nest box access halls, the misting system spokes to the left, and side view of "bump out" feeding stations with the gravity fed watering system piping. Perches are SandyPerch and manzanita for nail control and longevity. The wire is 14 gauge 1" x 1" mesh. Sixteen panels were cut for each flight and were powder coated before being assembled with stainless steel clips every 2".
Weaned Bird Area: 8 - 2' x 4' x 6' suspended cages.
This area is used to fledge future pet birds before clipping, to keep available breeding stock, and to house rescued birds and retired breeders so they may live out their days in comfort.
Feeding station from the top.
Feeding station from the front.
Feeding station from the side.
View through one way mirrored observation windows in the nest box access halls.
Spout for drinking system.
Float tank for gravity fed drinking system.
Nozzle for misting system.
Drainage for drinking and misting systems.
Blind halls for nest box access so that breeders retain privacy.
Nest box design.
Nest box poking through wall for unseen access. Note the tiny hole in corner so we can peek without even touching the box. This way it is known if birds are in the box before checking. However, this hole is usually all we need to tell if we have eggs or not.
Nest box ID stickers.
If more view needed to see if eggs are there, lifting the inverted dish cover shows more.
Boxes are only opened to pull chicks.
Work area within the aviary.
More work area as you enter nursery.
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