Facilities
This page outlines the facilites at our Avian Research Center. Our perogative in selecting species and breeds and developing our facility is to attain optimal bird health and condition. Healthy, comfortable birds are birds that will reproduce. Each new species we attain has unique requirements that we strive to maintain in as best condition as possible. Please find some pictures below.
Our new barn, without outdoor runs completed. This facility hosts the birds that are involved in the miniHatch program. The building will soon be surrounded by outdoor runs to allow the birds to practice natural foraging and other outdoor behaviour. The new facility is equipped with dual-zone in-floor heating as well for use in rearing the chicks produced by participants in the miniHatch program, as well as providing a warm environment for our winter-sensitive species during cold-spells.
Inside the new building, showing the pens bordering both sides of the corridor. Electrical has not yet been installed. Each pen will have its own power supply, to use independent light-timers for each different breed, thus so it does not affect neighbouring pens.
Looking down the new pens, the first ones have not yet been wired.
One of the 4 rearing pens in the new barn. Once the heated floor is in operation, there will be no need for overhead heat lamps.
One of our newest waterfowl rearing pens. This new addition is 15 feet wide, by 30 feet long. It is divided up into 3 pens, one 15 foot by 15 foot and 2 pens that are 7.5 feet by 15 feet. The more aggressive or sensitive species are kept in these smaller pens. For the 2010 breeding season, there are Eyton Treeducks, and Maned geese in the small pens, and Emperor geese in the larger pen.
A mixed species aviary in the spring of 2010. This 30 foot by 30 foot aviary houses one pair of common shelducks, our 2 male Laysan Teal, and our pair of East African Crowned Cranes. Our crane flights are 8 feet high.
One of our Emperor geese on a nest. These geese prefer these boxes, open on three sides. Pinkfooted, Lesser Whitefronted and Red-breasted geese also use these boxes at our facility.
Other Facility Websites
Please send suggested sites to webmaster@cbotkin.ca.