How to install a chicken aviary?

Raising chickens is becoming an increasingly common occupation. To take care of them as well as possible, it is interesting to install an aviary for them, instead of a simple enclosure. In this article, we will see why and how to install an aviary for your chickens.

Why an aviary rather than just an enclosure for your chickens?

Chickens are animals native to the jungle, they are great walkers who need to dig the earth, peck at the ground, hide under shrubs and run. The chicken coop is where they sleep, lay eggs and brood, and it is where they are safe from predators at night. But, even with a small relaxation enclosure, this is far from enough.
The hens need large spaces such as an outdoor aviary or, failing that, a fenced area that is moved regularly to find fresh grass and leave the soil to rest. Even if this animal does not know how to fly, it particularly appreciates positioning itself at height: you only have to install chicken perches to realize that they will race to have the highest one. Putting an aviary rather than a simple enclosure for your chickens allows you to keep them in a safe space, even if they want to perch, on the roof of their chicken coop for example.

In addition, even if a good, buried fence is enough to protect your animals from pests, it is important to keep in mind that predators such as foxes can jump over them easily, if the height is not sufficient. Wild birds are also annoying intruders: some attack chicks or young hens and bring diseases. To effectively protect your chickens, the aviary is therefore ideal: it provides space and safety to your animals.

Choosing the right hardware and location

The ideal location for a chicken aviary

The ideal is a shaded area, on flat ground where rainwater can drain away easily. The best thing to do is to be able to allow the birds to have a space of 10 to 20 m² per hen, to frolic freely.

For the installation, it is advisable to do it in the summer so that your animals can get used to the aviary before the cold and bad weather of winter.

Choosing suitable materials for your aviary

An aviary is made up of a wire mesh or net, fixed on poles. The wire mesh is very resistant to bad weather as well as to attacks by possible predators. Generally made of galvanized steel, it should be chosen with small mesh to prevent the hens from slipping their heads into it. It has the advantage of being easy to bury to avoid the intrusion of pests, such as rats or foxes. Rather heavy and rigid, the wire mesh is ideal for building the hens’ pen, but it will be more difficult to set up high up for the aviary.

The net is lighter. It can be easily moved, which is very advantageous if you want to rotate the walking space for your chickens. It can be electrified as needed to protect against predators.

The most common stakes are made of treated wood. The net or wire mesh can be easily stapled to it. They must be at least one and a half metres high, and their spacing must not exceed two metres to create a solid structure, capable of accommodating the weight of an aviary.

Setting up your chicken aviary

First of all, you have to create the enclosure around the chicken coop, including the door to enter it easily. Be careful not to leave too much free space between the posts and the door, and install a lock on the door.

To avoid wearing out the roof of the aviary, you can cover the top of the stakes that will support the net with pieces of tires or plastic. Once the stakes are in place, the wire mesh or net of the aviary itself is installed, and everything is closed with staples or spikes. To allow dead leaves to evacuate easily in autumn, it is interesting to set up your net in the shape of a tent, a marquee. If the size of the aviary is large, it is possible to install tension wires between the posts beforehand to support the structure.

The aviary allows your hens to benefit from the space necessary for their well-being, in complete safety. A real plus for your pets!

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