BT Akin Glad you’re enjoying 😂 If using gravel id use 10mm rounded pea gravel, if the bird bates from its perch regularly in a certain direction (e.g towards you as you enter the mews) I’d put a large square of Astro turf there so it’s bating onto that. The best topping for perches is the correct Astro turf but you can’t use this successfully on ring perches or bow perches, those would have to be rubber. Quality braid is far superior than leather for many reasons! (For the leash, I like to use paracord loop leash)

That was a handy example of a free loft when we were filming, if it was for a HH personally I would have used a fully enclosed roof and if you don’t use a double door system it’s an accident waiting to happen! Especially when the bird is put up for moult. Don’t like to give dimensions, for example a HH our working most days Id be happy for it to live in a smaller enclosure if need be, than one that spends a lot of time un flown

Make sure it can’t get under whatever the walls are made of if it doesn’t have a solid floor like a shed does. Most of ours are on a foundation of block work on concrete footings but you could try a variety of things such as wire buried down into the ground several inches or deep substrate if hardcore under a gravel or sand news substrate. Too much to advise here, so read plenty more books before getting a hawk for sure!

As long as they’re dry and not half starved they’ll be fine in that temperature!

@@TerraHistoria6 thanks for the reply im from essex and all help is much appreciated

Don’t use shavings as it will mould and could cause aspergillosis. If you leave it plain concrete it will be swimming in liquid poo and very difficult to clean, if it’s free loft with a concrete base I’d be inclined to use sand, then you can shovel out the heavily soiled areas and replace and rake over the rest

@@TerraHistoria6 when a harris hawk is in training and your keeping your bird in a small houseing on a loop perch on a shelf what would be the minimum width you would recomend. would 1 metrex1 1/2 m depth suffice if the walls are lined with polycarbonate sheeting, or would you recomend other lining, to prevent feather damage and with cleanliness in mind, what suface is best for the floor of the shelf. thanks so appreciate your advice and presentations.

I’d go for four foot wide, yes any wipeable lining with no sharp edges

I use rubber matting at the front for the bird to jump onto and Astro turf on the perch and newspaper at the back to catch the poo

Hi I hope you don't mind me asking a question. Would a 8ftx6ft free loft be big enough for a HH?

It needs at least a 30% shadow roof and fresh water. Harris are really tough in its own desert enviroment , but If its extremelly Hot you can even put some ice in the bath. And its important also those Quick changes of weather . I lived in Peru (latam) and we dont have that problem as in UK.

Darren Jones Absolutely, more than suitable!

Darren Jones Lots of options there, you could turn the 10ft Aviary into a really nice freeloft and use the shed as a weighing room and for all of your equipment and at one end install a loop perch set up or similar thus giving you and your Hawk lots of housing options!

It’s just about doable as a free lofts mews for a hunting hh but on the border line as tiny if in there all the time

Hi Susan, where abouts are you located?

Not really because it’s wing span is wider than 3 foot