next years shooting

grassroot1

I am making plans for next season and need help with costings
300 poults, feed and 3 25m x 25m pens (materials only) can anyone give a ball park figure on what we will need moneywise???

tikkahunter

a fully built pen with a net roof and net sides ,electric fence,auto drink feeders and pellet feeders ,200 poults and feed will set you back at least 5000 euro.I have just built one recently.
Pheasant pen materials
Treated wooden posts 4” x 4” by 10ft , 20 off @ €17.90 each = €358
Pen side netting 100m x 8ft , 2 rolls @ €180 each = €360
Pen roof netting 42ft x 42ft @ €240 = €240
Net fixings ,ties etc. = €80
Feeders 10 off @ €27 each = €270
Feeder Attachments 10 off @ €8 = €80
Automatic drinkers 4 off @ €24 each = €96
Pipe and fittings = €80
Galvanised sheets for shelters 8 off @ €65 each = €520
TOTAL = €2,084

Pheasant poults
Pheasant poults @ €6 per bird 200 off = €1,200
Feeding for birds (grower pellets) approx. €12 per bag 10 off = €120
Bags of wheat 10 bags @ €9 per bag = €90
TOTAL= €1,410

Vermin control
Larsen traps 4 off @150 each = €600
Electric fence and controller = €278
TOTAL = €878

To successfully set up the pen the figure would be approx. €4372.The other factors that have to be looked at are (a) water supply, is there a mains near the wood that can be taped into, if so then lengths of hydrodare pipe and fittings would also be required so another €200 would be needed or the purchase of a large water tank to supply the drinkers would be another option. The tank would not be ideal as you would have to fill it then transport it to the pen and keep it on a raised platform.(b) If the poults start to gape a vet would need to be called out for a prescription for treated food, the vet and food can cost as much as €250.

deeksofdoom

€5K:eek:, you didn't do much shopping around now did you?

tikkahunter

deeksofdoom wrote: »

€5K:eek:, you didn't do much shopping around now did you?

Built a few pens and you want them looking right and low maintenance , that pen will last 30 odd years. Any clown can build a pen with a bit of chicken wire and and few poles for a few hundred euro.If I am doing something I do it right and make something that will last.Once the feeders and auto drinkers are set up you only need to go up twice and a week .

Tikka391

Ah here I don't think I have ever herd of any one, including myself and I have built and maintained plenty of pens over the years going and buying all the stuff straight out from hardware store or whatever.
We built some of our pens 10 years ago and they are still in good shape, all beit the odd patch to be done
Shurley he knows people he can get different bits and pieces off.
That quote of 5 grand is just ridiculous and would put even the most keen person off.
You can't do much about the price of the poults, feed stuff like that but the pen, that's madness.
Maybe I'm wrong but that's the way I think

deeksofdoom

We put a pen up for €700, that included builders fence panels, a roll of 4ft and 3ft 1 inch weld mesh, re bar, etc, picked up a lot of stuff that was lying around doing nothing. Made our own fox grid. Got a loan of an electric fencer, when the birds got the gape we treated them with the worm stuff for sheep, no need to call out the vet and €6.50 a poult we get them for €3.50.

I was thinking the same thing myself €5K woukd put anyone off building a pen.

tikkahunter

Listen the man asked how much to set it up ,i gave an honest answer of how much it costs to do it properly, to build a 50 foot x 30 foot pen that will last 30 odd years will cost around 2000 euro .
That pen consists of treated posts and the netting on the roof and sides to stop birds getting injured especially when being caught up and can be peeled back to make it a release pen.
The feeders only need to be filled once a week and do not clog up and the auto drinkers just cleaned once a week.
The only cost with that pen is a new battery for the fence every year ,maybe a few cable ties and some round up for around the fence.
The going rate is between 5-6 euro for a poult if you can get them for 3.50 fair play but it is a long time since i got them at that price.
If he wants to go and use bits and pieces of stuff lying around to make it then fair enough,but i posted how much it cost us to build that using the best materials we could buy, the pen is right in view of the land owners house so we built it so he is looking out at something decent .

Tikka391

Was that 5grand pen the first pen you put up to get ye going. How many pens do you have do they all cost that much.
Some club that. Must be some membership fees.

tikkahunter

Tikka391 wrote: »

Was that 5grand pen the first pen you put up to get ye going. How many pens do you have do they all cost that much.
Some club that. Must be some membership fees.

We lost two pens within the space of two years because of land being sold up for housing developments the second one was literately only built a year, some kick in the bollox, we got a bit of compensation plus a 500 grant for the new pen from the nargc, we are not a big club we have a lot of land which is very broken up around the place so we have the one big pen that we work out of and we fill 6 small release pens in sanctuary's from this as well as letting birds out around the land Hence so many feeders, our fees are actually a bit less than neighboring clubs but the only expense the club has ever had in 50 years is the 2 pens before this one a little bit of maintenance,signs ,birds and feed and gifts for the land owners at Christmas.Our fist pen we built 50 odd years ago is still standing we just cant go near it as it is all fenced off and in Nama so as a club the decision was made to put the best into this and make it last ,you never can say never but where we have the pen this time is fairly safe and we shouldn't have to move again.

Eddie B

Our pens cost around 350 each to build! Oldest of these is around 10 years old, and in that time, nothing has got in or out of that pen! Touch wood!:D

On the other hand, a member of our club decided to build a small pen at the back of his house, and took on the project by himself, and the club gave him 30 birds! Three weeks later, they were wiped out in a single night! On investigation, we found he had done a terrible job on the pen! ( big error by the club, should have checked out the pen, before handing over the birds!)

It's all about building the pen properly and maintaining it, whether you can achieve that with little, or a lot of money, is up to the skill and experience of the individual's involved!;)

Tikka391

But the OP was asking for a rough idea of price to make a pen, my point is that 5 grand was crazy money.

deeksofdoom

Tikka391 wrote: »

But the OP was asking for a rough idea of price to make a pen, my point is that 5 grand was crazy money.

Alright, alright we get the message, you don't have to keep saying it.

tikkahunter

Tikka391 wrote: »

But the OP was asking for a rough idea of price to make a pen, my point is that 5 grand was crazy money.

The pen was 2000 not 5000, the rest of the money went on vermin control , birds and feeding. He said he wanted to build 3 pens 25 x 25 he never said if he wanted it to look like something from scrapheap challenge or something from a shooting magazine which is what we modeled our one on.
I gave the man the price of what that cost to build,if he chooses to go a different cheaper route then fine but he knows what it will cost to go the way we went.
When you go the way we did it is very simple and straight forward to build,if the money is there then why shouldn't we,it is like telling a lad who has the money for a BMW or Merc dont bother with that just go down the knackers they have an old carolla for 200 euro it will get you around the same way.

Vegeta

Tikka391 wrote: »

But the OP was asking for a rough idea of price to make a pen, my point is that 5 grand was crazy money.

And that was a pen stocked with birds, feed and secured with traps and electric fence. In fairness it's clear that the pen itself was 2k.

Our pens have been cheaper too but have not been made to the same standard.

blackpearl

If you look around you can pick up bits and pieces very cheap and still have a good pen that will last, home made drinkers and feeders will cut down on money, poults can be got at 4 50 a bird one bit of advice when the poults are in the pen you have to visit the pen every day for the first month.take a look on done deal the building section sometimes their is some good material going cheap.

grassroot1

Thanks for all the posts and replies. I did ask for a ball park figure and I thought the 2000 euro figure was fair enough, its probably the outside of what it will cost, if we can do it cheaper great. We are not starting off from scratch but we have not released 6 week poults in a few years.
Now I want all the ideas you have on how to make cheaper feeders fox grids etc

By the way what is the opinion on wing clipping birds versus nets on top of the release pen

EPointer=Birdss

tikkahunter wrote: »

a fully built pen with a net roof and net sides ,electric fence,auto drink feeders and pellet feeders ,200 poults and feed will set you back at least 5000 euro.I have just built one recently.
Pheasant pen materials
Treated wooden posts 4” x 4” by 10ft , 20 off @ €17.90 each = €358
Pen side netting 100m x 8ft , 2 rolls @ €180 each = €360
Pen roof netting 42ft x 42ft @ €240 = €240
Net fixings ,ties etc. = €80
Feeders 10 off @ €27 each = €270
Feeder Attachments 10 off @ €8 = €80
Automatic drinkers 4 off @ €24 each = €96
Pipe and fittings = €80
Galvanised sheets for shelters 8 off @ €65 each = €520
TOTAL = €2,084

Pheasant poults
Pheasant poults @ €6 per bird 200 off = €1,200
Feeding for birds (grower pellets) approx. €12 per bag 10 off = €120
Bags of wheat 10 bags @ €9 per bag = €90
TOTAL= €1,410

Vermin control
Larsen traps 4 off @150 each = €600
Electric fence and controller = €278
TOTAL = €878

To successfully set up the pen the figure would be approx. €4372.The other factors that have to be looked at are (a) water supply, is there a mains near the wood that can be taped into, if so then lengths of hydrodare pipe and fittings would also be required so another €200 would be needed or the purchase of a large water tank to supply the drinkers would be another option. The tank would not be ideal as you would have to fill it then transport it to the pen and keep it on a raised platform.(b) If the poults start to gape a vet would need to be called out for a prescription for treated food, the vet and food can cost as much as €250.

Fair play to you for giving an itemized list with dimensions & costs. You are giving a very fair reference point.
I wouldn't like the mrs to add up the money I spend annually so 5K doesn't suprise me as a set up cost. Saying that our pens have been built up over time, evolving & getting better each time.

Have you any pics of that pen?

I can see how the costs add up.
I would say that there is a few shaveable items here & not having a go as I repect people that do things right & invest in their interests in any capacity:
Treated wooden posts 4” x 4” by 10ft , 20 off @ €17.90 each = €358
Pen side netting 100m x 8ft , 2 rolls @ €180 each = €360
Pen roof netting 42ft x 42ft @ €240 = €240
Net fixings ,ties etc. = €80 Free Offcuts of wire will last a lifetime
Feeders 10 off @ €27 each = €270 Blue barrels 10 a pop - bail of lats 25 quid
Feeder Attachments 10 off @ €8 = €80
Automatic drinkers 4 off @ €24 each = €96
Pipe and fittings = €80
IBCs are 60-70 quid on donedeal. Bit of hose & DIY would go a long way.
Galvanised sheets for shelters 8 off @ €65 each = €520 Big part of the cost & def worth looking at alternatives or freebees or bails of straw etc that wouldn't take from it
TOTAL = €2,084 For a lad starting 1K would do a very tasty job not a million miles off this & could improve or add each year

Few other notes;
With hoppers out all winter we would use 30-40 25kgs easy a season. 9€ is steep. 7€ seems to be average but it fluctuates.
5 - 5.25 for poults but shop around as that's 200 quid alone.
I make larson traps as need em out of a sheet of weldmesh & cable ties. 1/3 the price.

It really is what you make of it. If there is money in the budget buying the right gear can save a lot of time in fairness but at same time every fiver saved can towards a bird or trap or whatever is needed so I can see both sides.

deeksofdoom

Stay away from the nets they are a death trap if anything gets in. Clip the wings if you want.

The pen should be open and you should have a couple of fox grids too. If you can make the pen round then do it corners are another death trap.

The poults should be able to get in and out on their own, their should be trees overhead so that they can roost in them overnight. They should really only be coming back into the pen to feed.

EPointer=Birdss

Few pics of feeders

grassroot1 wrote: »

Thanks for all the posts and replies. I did ask for a ball park figure and I thought the 2000 euro figure was fair enough, its probably the outside of what it will cost, if we can do it cheaper great. We are not starting off from scratch but we have not released 6 week poults in a few years.
Now I want all the ideas you have on how to make cheaper feeders fox grids etc

By the way what is the opinion on wing clipping birds versus nets on top of the release pen

EPointer=Birdss

Few pics in here of 3 different pens we have at different stages in the process of the birds. None of the most expensive as were built through the years.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057020173

The woodland pen was a lot of effort but the time of the storms there last year the grandest oak tree in the place crashed through the whole thing & pancaked it & including a big hopper! :rolleyes:

tikkahunter

This is one of our old ones we hadnt even got it fully finished and we lost the land,the reason for buying everything straight out this time was as you can see we made a lot of of the stuff our selves it took the usual 3-4 members to do all the work, so this time around we where not giving up as much of our free time ,just buy the stuff and stick it up.

reniwren

If you have an ideal location it won't cost that much, 1 days work had or own up 2 rolls of wire with a few funnels for birds to go in and out, no roof (it's releasing them your trying to do not prison them) rear them under bantams the hen stays in the pen, build in trees with plenty of feeding about the hens teach them how to roost and search for food. Check they're all away from the side of the pen at night and block up the funnels, reopen at morning for a few months. And do your vermin control. Cost about 600-700 for us in total with 300 birds. We found 3 clumps of feathers where we lost birds and every night the ditches around the pen are alive with them. After the season drive them out a bit with dogs and start the whole cycle again.

Sika98k

grassroot1 wrote: »

Thanks for all the posts and replies. I did ask for a ball park figure and I thought the 2000 euro figure was fair enough, its probably the outside of what it will cost, if we can do it cheaper great. We are not starting off from scratch but we have not released 6 week poults in a few years.
Now I want all the ideas you have on how to make cheaper feeders fox grids etc

By the way what is the opinion on wing clipping birds versus nets on top of the release pen

Don't clip your birds wings. Don't cover the pen with netting. Buy your birds in at 7 weeks old,there is substantially less mortality

This will get a fire going now. But I get a 37% return on my birds.

thehound

our club built two 25m pens cost 400 each up 5 years now if your putting poults in they will have to be checked every day

ace86

I'm thinking of going building a release pen nxt yr for pheasants and red legged partridge,I'm thinking of buying in 6 wk old poults not sure yet what my plans are just looking for ideas and suggestions,maybe big enough to hold 50 of each?

Can I build a pen and split it in 2 and keep both species in it will they get on or will they upset one another?
What size should I build a pen and what height should it be ?
What type of food should I start the Pheasants/Partridge on to feed and what medicines or diseases should I be looking out for or vaccinating for?
What type of house should I put in the pen for shelter like a chicken coop job?
I'm thinking off just having an open top release system for when I release is this the better system to have?
any other ideas and suggestions gladly appreciated.