Country Lore: February/March 2007
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This stylish aviary is made from a recycled feed bin.
RONALD ZIEGLER
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February/March 2007 Issue #220
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My neighbor had an old feed bin that he wanted to get rid of, so we decided to convert it into an aviary for our cockatiels. The bin originally stood on four legs and was about 16 feet tall. I cut off the legs and then cut off what used to be the top of the bin.
My next step was to invert the bin so that the cut-out top was now the ground end, and the pointed end became the roof. Next, I made a cardboard pattern for the windows. I drew the window pattern on the sides of the bin, then cut it out to leave what looks like window panes. I then covered the cut-out sides with aviary wire.
I covered the roof with old corrugated sheet metal. First I flattened it by repeatedly running over it with my truck on the driveway. Then I cut the sheet metal and bent it to create a standing seam roof.
To keep the birds from escaping, I added a short entryway so there would be two doors. So far we have had no escapes and the birds are healthy and doing well in their unique aviary.
Ronald Ziegler
Los Alamos, California
Burlap Bat Boudoir
Most people like to have bats around because they provide great bug control, but I just like the bats themselves. I found how to attract bats quite by accident, but the discovery meant I could put old burlap bags and carpet scraps to good use.
I had a habit of storing old rugs and burlap sacks by hanging them over the rafters in my small barn and carport. It wasn’t until much later, when I decided to move this stuff, that I saw there were bats roosting in between the layers. Then I remembered an article I had read somewhere that described how to make a similar type of low-cost bat home.
I used materials I already had, simply laying sections of 1-by-2-inch and 2-by-2-inch lumber onto adjacent rafters, and draping open burlap bags or carpet scraps over them to create a series of curtains.
I have found that hanging the material side by side from one end of the rafters works best. The outer-most curtain should be canvas, carpet or anything else that can block drafts. The bats just need materials they can crawl on and cling to; six to 12 layers works well. Using only burlap bags doesn’t offer the bats enough insulation. The bags are kind of porous and drafty, so the heavier outer-layer material offers extra protection.
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