How to Build a Shelter for Peafowl

Though peafowl thrive when allowed to roam free, some breeders understand that this plan is not suitable for their circumstances. Whether you live on a busy road or simply want to ensure that your birds do not get too rambunctious, building a shelter can be the right choice. Plan on building your pen large enough to give each bird 80 square feet. Though peahens do not take up as much rooms, those with peacocks will need to make the pen at least 6 feet tall and 10 feet wide to allow the males to fully spread their tails.

Things You'll Need

  • Post digger
  • 8-foot tall posts
  • Unhardened cement
  • Dirt
  • Chicken wire
  • Garden wire
  • Wire cutters
  • Saw
  • Plywood
  • Long wood screws
  • Power screwdriver
  • Aviary mesh
  • Fiberglass sheets
  • Insulation spray
  • 55-gallon plastic drums
  • Straw
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Instructions

    • 1

      Map out the dimensions for your peafowl shelter, allowing enough space for each bird. Locate the four corners of the planned aviary and dig a 24-inch hole at each corner, then at 6-foot intervals between each post.

    • 2

      Place the posts in their respective holes and fill the holes halfway with cement. Allow the cement to dry for 24 hours before filling the holes the rest of the way with dirt.

    • 3

      Surround the fence with chicken wire, ensuring that the wire extends at least 6 inches beneath the ground level to discourage predators, such as foxes and wolves. Wire the chicken wire tightly to the posts at 6-inch intervals.

    • 4

      Cut the plywood sheets to fit along one of the inside walls. Screw the plywood to the posts along that wall to keep the boards steady. When deciding on which wall to use, select the one that will be hit by the wind most, as this will create a windbreak for your birds.

    • 5

      Screw plywood sheets to the posts on either side of the first wall. These walls do not need to extend the whole length of the aviary; 6 to 8 feet should be sufficient. Create a fourth wall with another sheet of plywood, this one connected to the second or third wall you erected. This will create a natural door for the peafowl to enter and exit the shelter.

    • 6

      Hang a sheet of aviary mesh over the top of the run. Wire it down to the chicken wire every 4-6 inches. Because peafowl can fly, they may escape if the aviary is not completely enclosed.

    • 7

      Place sheets of fiberglass over the top of the shelter to act as a roof and screw the sheets to the posts. Spray insulation spray between the plywood walls and the fiberglass sheets to ensure that the peafowl do not get wet or cold while they are in the shelter.

    • 8

      Cut 55-gallon plastic drums in half and fill the halves with straw. Give each half to one peahen so that she can roost and sit on her eggs when she begins laying.