The Importance of a Flypen

by Clint Robertson

 A flypen is a very important part of any loft and is crucial in improving fertility, conditioning show birds, providing a safe environment, improving health and for viewing and enjoying your birds in an attractive, relaxed environment. The type of flypen you construct will depend upon the amount of space you have to work with and any flypen that allows the birds fresh air and sunshine is better than none at all. It is also a cheap way to increase floor space and carrying capacity in your loft during the warmer months and breeding season. I have a walk in style flypen that is the same size as the loft itself. It is constructed as a lean-to against the loft and has a clear fiberglass roof to keep the rain and snow out but the sides are a heavy gauge 1 inch square mesh wire. I have found regular chicken wire is not strong enough and a determined dog or raccoon can tear through it. My flypen has a frame made of 2x4’s that are set upon railway ties as a base. I have cut strips of plywood 1 foot wide and placed them along the sides so cats and other animals passing by cannot easily see the birds and startle them. The birds stay more relaxed and it also keeps the wind off of them. I made a clay base for the flypen and covered it with gravel so it would be high and dry. I have trenched the wire mesh apox. 10 inches into the ground around the outside to discourage predators from digging in. I suppose pouring concrete as a floor in your flypen would also solve this problem. I have walking boards built out away from the wire which the birds enjoy and I can use to view the birds on from a distance which is always attractive. In the winter I staple clear poly to the outside of the flypen to provide protection from the elements. On sunny winter days it acts like a greenhouse and the birds enjoy the break from the cold. I feed and water my birds in the flypen year round so there is never any moisture or spoiled feed in the loft. I rake the flypen out regularly and sprinkle lime and diatomaceous earth on the clean gravel and rake it in. When allowed access to a flypen your birds will be much healthier and the fertility in your birds will be much better.

Clint Robertson         Email: clint@jacobins.ca