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Opinions Wanted! Aviary panels / Run..... *have a nosey at my patio*

Full board panels or half board, half mesh?

  • Full Board

    Votes: 1 16.7%
  • Half Board / Half Mesh

    Votes: 5 83.3%
  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    6

Hanlou

Mama Doe
Can I have your opinions please RU'ers? :wave: xx

I will soon be ordering my aviary panels for the bunnies' outdoor set-up. The shed should be here next week. I'm planning to have a 4x4ft shed on the right hand side with a 9ftx5ft run attached to the left side of the shed made from full height aviary panels.

(I've compromised on the size and it will be 5ft front-to-back instead of 6ft as 6ft depth would take over a bit.... as my beloved has said 'yes' to it being full height I felt it only fair I compromise a little on this - 45 square ft is ok space-wise really I guess....)

Anyway; I can't decide on whether to have full board panels at the back of the run or half board / half mesh panels?

Most of me thinks half and half would be good 'cos it would let more light and air in but full board would be more sheltered? The fence behind the run backs on to our neighbours. What do you think?!

This is my patio looking from the garden towards the house:

Gardensunset021.jpg


This is where I want to put my run..... shed to the right, aviary panels to the left...

Gardensunset028.jpg


Gardensunset027.jpg


Oh and just for a laugh.... here's some, errrr, very small carrots I planted on Monday... :oops:

Gardensunset029.jpg


I keep telling myself they *will* grow! I planted some herbs and lettuces too. :)
 
i think it depends on which direction you usualy get wind and rain from . :)

I keep going outside to check...... :oops:

Mostly from the garden side really - which will be sheltered by the shed.... I don't want to make it too dark as the patio gets hardly any sunshine in winter. My carrots are very dinky but they didn't cost much and I thought the animals would enjoy the tops if nothing else lol! ;)
 
I'd go for full board, it definitely helps to shade in summer and keep out the elements in winter

If you have prolific chewers, full mesh panels will be better though. I have a pair who destroy tongue and groove, so they are imprisoned in an all mesh aviary to prevent escape
 
Will the full board bit be right up againstthe fence? How high is the fence compared to the panels? and will the rest of the aviary/run be open? Soz for the questions but taking my answer very seriously :lol: :lol:
 
I'd go for full board, it definitely helps to shade in summer and keep out the elements in winter

If you have prolific chewers, full mesh panels will be better though. I have a pair who destroy tongue and groove, so they are imprisoned in an all mesh aviary to prevent escape

They aren't really chewers tbh.... the only thing they've destroyed in the house so far has been the seagrass waste paper basket! :p

I could always put some protective mesh up if they did.
 
Will the full board bit be right up againstthe fence? How high is the fence compared to the panels? and will the rest of the aviary/run be open? Soz for the questions but taking my answer very seriously :lol: :lol:

Thank you! :D

Yes - the panels will be pretty much where the fence is with only 2 inches or so in-between them. They will be about the same height - 6ft. The run-part doesn't get full midday sun.

The side of the aviary near to the window of the house will be half board / half mesh and the front will be full mesh.
 
Hm, now. If the panel will be along that fence anyway there is a certain protection from the elements there anyway ..... and half board / half mesh will allow the air to circulate more when it is hot. And if it rains a tarp or cover can always be put over the top / side etc to offer further protection.
However, as above, the full panel will offer this protection fully without the need for trap etc and the other two sides will be half and fully open anyway ....
oooo, it's a toughie :?

Will it have an open roof or a roof roof?

Told you I take answers seriously :D
 
Hm, now. If the panel will be along that fence anyway there is a certain protection from the elements there anyway ..... and half board / half mesh will allow the air to circulate more when it is hot. And if it rains a tarp or cover can always be put over the top / side etc to offer further protection.
However, as above, the full panel will offer this protection fully without the need for trap etc and the other two sides will be half and fully open anyway ....
oooo, it's a toughie :?

Will it have an open roof or a roof roof?

Told you I take answers seriously :D

I appreciate it! I was all set for full board but then with the fence I had the same thoughts as you regarding air circulation etc.... and thought I could put tarp / plastic sheeting up in winter over the mesh which would still let light in.....?

I'll be having a posh Bitumen-type-roof (those Onduline corrugated boards) so it will be black and solid - not mesh or clear. Which is why I'm concerned that full board will make it all too dark in winter? :p
 
Hm, yes, that's what I was thinking if you had a solid roof. You see your set up going to be quite similar to my dog run conversion ( not able to put cross threads on with phone but see my Yay house complete thread a while back) - it has a solid roof and back panel and it is a little dark. Also, the roof will give the main shelter from rain etc and the fence.
Good luck, can't wait to see your completed pics :D
 
Hm, yes, that's what I was thinking if you had a solid roof. You see your set up going to be quite similar to my dog run conversion ( not able to put cross threads on with phone but see my Yay house complete thread a while back) - it has a solid roof and back panel and it is a little dark. Also, the roof will give the main shelter from rain etc and the fence.
Good luck, can't wait to see your completed pics :D

Thanks! I can't wait to get it all done.... there seems to be so much to do to it still and we have other non-rabbit things taking up some time over the next few weeks - but we are making steady progress...! :D

We've ordered a fence panel to make the little stone wall higher and also a pair of gates for the gap (from the same place as where the shed is coming from - they were really friendly and quite fascinated too I think! ;)) between walls so the buns' can free range on the patio when we're in. :)

*Goes off to browse your thread..*
 
Hmmmm, I'm torn between fully boarded and half mesh, so no help at all. :lol:

My kennel/run is fully boarded at the back (and effectively on the left hand side because of the kennel), while the front and right hand side are full mesh.
I don't think the boarding at the back makes it dark though - and as the run is against a fence anyhow, it's going to be no lighter if you have half mesh iyswim.
 
:lol:
Yeah, when we picked up the dog run from the bloke on EBay he was like 'it's for what? Rabbits?' But he thought it was a pretty cool idea.
Love the free ranging bit for the patio, may be an idea to put to my OH .... when he's finished paving the rest of the drive of course :lol: Well, he doesn't have much more to do cos I did most of it :D
 
Hmmmm, I'm torn between fully boarded and half mesh, so no help at all. :lol:

My kennel/run is fully boarded at the back (and effectively on the left hand side because of the kennel), while the front and right hand side are full mesh.
I don't think the boarding at the back makes it dark though - and as the run is against a fence anyhow, it's going to be no lighter if you have half mesh iyswim.

The thing is that in winter the patio doesn't really get the sun at all and a lot of the evening light even now comes through the gaps in the fence.......

I'm now wondering whether to have one full board panel next to the shed which will give them a totally sheltered spot and then have the other two panels half and half??

I guess the advantage of having it all half and half is that I could still cover the mesh with something see-through to let light in but make it sheltered.
 
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