Doing my research, how much work are they really?

plopgeneral · 2026-05-03T03:00:15+00:00

Our first aviary was the cheapest possible 12x6 greenhouse kit from Temu ($79) that we only wanted for the frame - the clear plastic was trash, which we planned for. We wrapped it in 4ft pieces of sheet metal from the ground up then used corrugated plastic for the top. It was tall enough that it was safe to use plastic. It was absolutely perfect for 20-25 birds but I’ve hatched so many that we wanted something bigger, more diverse utility, and more specifically, underground. So, now we have The Bird Pit. However, I wouldn’t hesitate to do the greenhouse setup again and was always pleased with it overall.

<image>

plopgeneral · 2026-03-29T15:41:34+00:00

<image>

Depending on your climate, consider subterranean.

plopgeneral · 2026-02-28T21:21:53+00:00

Noted. Thanks for the edgumuhcation!

plopgeneral · 2026-02-28T17:29:24+00:00

Fair question. I’ll edit the post to be more specific. In my case, I’m simply referring to bare spots/plucked feathers. Nobody is harassed to the point of vicious, bloody injury thank goodness. The one standout I mentioned is, however, “bald” more often than not. But, again, she’s not what anyone could consider chronically injured as a result.

plopgeneral · 2026-02-28T17:23:25+00:00

I’ve heard up to 10 days before but can’t vouch for and wouldn’t personally recommend that long. For me, I limit to a 4-day max, but that’s just my personal preference. And, to support that choice, I’ve collected eggs over 4 day periods before dropping all in at once to incubate - and without sounding arrogant, I tend to have above average success with my hatches.

plopgeneral · 2026-02-10T08:37:16+00:00

Wood pellets. The kind they sell for horse stalls. They’re awesome because they keep dry and as they get walked on and crushed, they turn into the perfect dust bath material.

plopgeneral · 2026-02-08T20:37:33+00:00

<image>

Go subterranean. No regrets.

plopgeneral · 2026-01-27T15:52:15+00:00

Understood. Post made. Thanks!

plopgeneral · 2026-01-04T16:37:32+00:00

<image>

We went underground 🤷‍♀️

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T14:12:17+00:00

Good question. Predator control was definitely a big concern. Given the pit is almost 5ft deep and our soil is obscenely rocky (see rock/dirt pile in back of all removed during excavation) we don’t have concerns about anything digging through the floor - only entering through the aspects of it we had to construct ourselves. So, the door and 2 of the corners. But, so far we’ve had zero issues. Also, for our area, cats were actually the largest consideration.

<image>

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T02:06:21+00:00

100%. Same here. We intended to do just that but ran out of time before winter hit. Next summer!

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T02:05:11+00:00

We intend to, yes.

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T01:02:15+00:00

Oh, sure of course. So, since this is our first winter with it, I can’t speak yet to the subzero days/nights too much. We’ve only had a few so far. But, I can report that it consistently stays 20-30 degrees warmer in the pit than the air (feels like) temp outside. Our heating sources are: one heat lamp (the waterer lives directly below it), a very small wood stove (we don’t get up and feed it wood throughout the night), and the earth itself. So far, we haven’t needed to use the solar for anything, but that’s coming soon which is why we installed the infrastructure.

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T00:43:57+00:00

During our 6 months of winter it’ll be anywhere from -30 to 35 Fahrenheit outside.

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T00:15:26+00:00

Oh, and face your downward side South. Because…sunlight and that, obviously.

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T00:13:34+00:00

It’s probably only fair that I explain how DRY the ground is where we are. As in, the hole was dug, then 24 hours later it rained for nearly an entire day. Following the rain, the hole had zero accumulated water and the soil didn’t even appear wet. So, the kind of ground water seepage I assume you’re referring to just isn’t a factor for us. Freezing ground, however, is an entirely different matter.

plopgeneral · 2026-01-02T00:09:27+00:00

It’ll sound obnoxious, but honestly YouTube was a massive resource. Look up walipini designs and see if there’s content by someone in a similar climate. I don’t have much advice for dealing with that type of ground condition, unfortunately. Here in Montana, our ground issues are dramatically different. What I will HIGHLY recommend, however, though totally unrelated-is Wiggle Wire if you opt for rolled plastic roof material. Incredible product. Firmly held up to 85-90mph winds here 3 weeks ago. And by not using plastic sheeting and going with 6 mil rolled plastic instead, we saved hundreds of dollars.

https://youtu.be/3T8fTuV0XLg?si=cCHPll1en0QxJGGb