Outdoor Paradise

Whoops, starting a new thread again!

Lately I've been doing research on outdoor aviaries, prices and construction.
I originally had my mind set on a tensile netting structure like you'd see in a very very wealthy zoo, but considering that an aviary of that magnitude would cost me every penny of my college savings, I put that idea to rest.
It then occurred to me that lumber actually isn't too expensive, so I've begun calculating how much it would cost to build a palace for Teeko.
I'm thinking 8' high, 10' wide and 16' long with a covered area, safety catch and 2' walls sunk a few inches into the ground to help keep rodents out.
If I were to use regular two-by-fours, the lumber for a basic frame would be about $82. Mind you, that doesn't include hardware, doors/catch, mesh or paneling but hey,
that's pretty reasonable!
With some strategic money-earning, I could probably have this built by next fall. I might even begin producing bird products to help bring in some money...
What do you guys think? Possible or pipe dream? I'd love to discuss this idea with you.

Just imagine red-finished wood, all natural branch perches and thick manila ropes strung through a canopy of safe trees and vines,
the scent of honeysuckle and sliced oranges drifting through the fresh air...

My only qualm is, supposing I were able to undertake this, would one little conure be enough to fill such a beautiful aviary?

Sounds like a very auspicious undertaking Roanoke, but rodents may be the least of your concerns...the most threatening pests to your project are probably of a subterranean variety, given your interest in using one of their favorite foods...damp/wet cellulose, since treated lumber is toxic to birds, as is redwood and cedar. The other wood species capable of being used below grade would be considered exotic woods and while having a natural termite prevention, their per foot cost would pretty much prevent their use.....

As to design, your framing would probably need to be sunken to a depth of at least 16" to support the walls, roofing & other amenities, oh, and to support 8' walls, you would need to use 10' framing lumber, because of the incremental lengths that dimensional lumber is sold in. Framing should probably be at least 4"x4" set on 4' centers.....

Keep in mind that with mice & rats, if they can get their heads in an opening, they can easily follow with the rest of their bodies, then there is the possibility of snakes with a taste for fresh birdies.....many species are avid climbers.....

Just thought I'd help you with a few things you may not have considered.....

Your one conure might feel a bit intimidated in such a large aviary & may feel better with a companion.....

Good luck with your project.....

Thanks for the advice Weco. I'm not too concerned about the treated lumber as my bird can barely dent cardboard. Having the mesh stapled to the inside of the walls might help as well.

My father is a very handy man and has built us a very large, sturdy chicken coop which is not sunk into the ground at all, and he used mostly 2'x4's. I'll have to go ask him about it.. It's a very impressive structure.

I'll certainly take into consideration all the advice you've given me, it's very very informative!

Here's the basic idea I had in mind:

Obviously an extremely crude rendering (Especially in the door area.. I got lazy) but it gets the point across. Yes, the proportions are wrong as well. It's just to help visualize.

Going to go talk to my dad now. Thanks again for the advice, it's clear you're knowledgeable on the subject!

Edit: Haha, I got carried away with my editing software!

What a neat design! I hope to build one of those when I have my own backyard. Because I have an IRN who loves to chew, my alternative for covering the planks of wood is actually just using aluminum flashing on the inside. It's not galvanized, it's safe, and it's meant for outdoor use. It is just a theory at this point though, and I'm not sure how well it would work.

I would personally put the guards you have around the bottom into the ground as well to prevent any burrowing, too. It's amazing what a hungry fox, raccoon, or rodent will do to try and get a meal

I think your conure would love it! The amount of flying room would be phenomenal and being outside is always nice

I love this idea. I want something similar. I'll have to look into this! Great idea!

Found this on the internet recently and just now I noticed how similar the structure is to my design! Granted, this one is macaw-sized but the basic shape is the same.

(Moderators, please remove the image if hotlinking is not allowed. I'm having trouble finding the rules)

I'm really into designing aviaries now.. Portable, permanent, all different methods and materials. It's so much fun! I'll post some of my ideas tomorrow.