# Yard sell find



## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I just found this ferret cage for 10 bucks at a yard sell. It's all plastic coated wire and easily cost a couple hundred new. It will make a great yb holding cage to use till I decide which ones I will keep or sell. With a few modifications, I wonder what it will turn out to be?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Great find, how wide is the gage on the wire?*


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Sell That's funny I mean sale. It is 4' high 3' across the front and 2' deep. 1/2" wire openings, pull out tray.


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## pigeon is fun (Sep 6, 2010)

great buy. my cockatiels will love that cage.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

It dosen't have a floor, but it has wire shelves and ramps that I took out and they are big enough to use for the floor. I have some red roofing panels left from the lofts, that I can use for a roof. I want to use it in the summer to house the birds I will not keep to show. To get them out of the lofts and avoid overcrowding untill I can sell them. Yes it would be good for cockatiels. My wife tried to get it from me to use to put our 3' eguana out side on nice warm and sunny days. Didn't work.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

awesome find! it can serve as a sick cage as well if you ever needed it.. let us know how it turns out!


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I have been working on the cage. I removed the top and used it for the floor. Then installed a middle section with a resting place and perch. I can also use it to put a nest bowl on if I want to use it for a breeding pen. I will just have to wrap some plywood around three sides to keep rain out.


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## Rafael/PR (Sep 8, 2008)

wow that a awesome cage for ferrets must of cost the owner $200 at lease
Great find!!


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## CMH1211 (Mar 10, 2013)

Just a thought but if ur going to put plywood around it you should just cut the cage... there is enough mesh there to build atleast two identical cages.

Cut the front face(cage) and attach it to a 3 sided plywood box(plywood roof, sides and back). u can use one side of the cage as the mesh floor. This will make one cage. Then u can use the back face and screw that onto another three sided box and use ur 1 remaining side as another mesh floor. Hope I explained myself well enough. An idea that will get u two identical cages and u can even put them side by side with one adjoining roof. Like a mini loft.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I am only going to use it to house the young birds that I will sale. I just get tired of running 2 birds at a time to the sale each week. This way I can keep them out of the lofts to keep the overcrowding down and then I can take 10 or more to the sale at one time. I made a small shelf up close to the roof and put plywood on 2 sides to shield the feed container from any rain. If all goes well it will be finished tomorrow and then I will show some finished pics. I will sneak the base in the yard tomorrow while the wife is at work. I told her that it was going to be on rollers to be movable but I will concrete it in the ground so it won't blow over.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I was only going to put plywood around the shelf to keep the rain off of a net bowl if I ever use it for a breeding pen. But you have a good idea to make 2 cages but your to late. I would have to take to much apart and its all stapled and would not be easy to change. Thanks for your thoughts. You never know I may find another one at a yard sale, we go every Sat. I have seen more cages for sale at yard sales than any thing else. When there pet dies the cage gets put out at a yard sale. This is the 5th one I have bought so far and the biggest.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Here's the base.



















The feed shelf.










The finished pen.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Some more pics


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Total cost was 32 dollars


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## DJBPIGEON (Dec 3, 2006)

shadybug lofts ! you are a genius ! really you take pride in what you do , people can learn alot from you . I've seen coops, lofts , screen cages that just garbage really ... you should sell your designs ...!  i enjoyed watching the coop being built ...thanks keep up the great job! dave b ,


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## CMH1211 (Mar 10, 2013)

Man ur good.... favorite lofts on pigeon talk hands down....


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Thanks Dave b and cmh1211, When I saw that cage setting at that yard sale I figured they would want a lot of money for it. You can tell when you yard sale a lot that the big expensive homes that have sales always want what they paid for something so I was pleasantly surprised when it was only 10 bucks. I knew it could be a better cage than it was so I made it one. Its to open to keep birds in there to a long time but it will work perfect for what I intend to use it for. It will slide right off the base to store it in the shed in the winter. If I ever decide to use it as a loft I will put a small 2'x 3' box on the side for the loft and use the wire for the aviary.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

for 10 bucks I would of bought it even if I didn't need it. I think Iam going to check out some yard sales this summer!


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## blongboy (Nov 10, 2009)

ya have mad skills!!


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## nancybird (Jan 30, 2011)

Those are great pictures.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I decided to make the cage a little bigger for some perches and I could use it for a single pair breeding pen now if I need too.The cost this time was 0 dollars. I used all left over wood and hardware from the other lofts. I cut the wire out on the back from the center bar to the floor for easy access.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

The problem was that on the real hot days the birds did not have a place to get out of the sun, this should help that problem. I should make catching the birds easier too.


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## ThePigeonShack (Jun 14, 2012)

thats really nice


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Nice job!!!


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## Rod Hultquist (Aug 23, 2009)

I think you missed an opportunity not letting you wife have this for the iguana. It may not be to late.;-)


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I decided to add a nest box to the little pen. My birds do very well in this pen.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I tried something in this nest bowl that I got at the dollar store. I just cut a piece of regular carpet and layed it in the bottom of the bowl. They have eggs in there now and seam to like it. I can just pitch it after each round and replace it with a clean piece carpet can be picked up anywhere.


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## carrera mike (Nov 15, 2014)

good bargain!


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## Greek Boy (Apr 12, 2010)

Shadybug - Looks like your job of continuing to add lofts or pens is never at an end. I think that's half the fun of keeping pigeons, your alway's looking to improve or expand to make your life easier caring for them. Great job as alway's my friend, Keep it up - your friend - Nick.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

Greek Boy said:


> Shadybug - Looks like your job of continuing to add lofts or pens is never at an end. I think that's half the fun of keeping pigeons, your alway's looking to improve or expand to make your life easier caring for them. Great job as alway's my friend, Keep it up - your friend - Nick.


 Nick, I'm finding out that seperate breeding pens is the way to go, less problems in the long run. Slow year for me, although I do have a couple nice babies comming up. Their just about ready to put in the darkning loft and the experiment will begin.


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