Flight Pen Construction: A Step-by-Step Look

Building or expanding flight pens is a major undertaking. Whether you’re outgrowing your current space, separating breeders from hunting stock, or preparing for seasonal transitions, constructing new pens can improve bird health, biosecurity, and long-term farm operations.

We are nearing the completion of 12 acres of new flight pens at our Milton farm. These pens will house up to 40,000 breeder birds from late summer through fall, relieving pressure on other parts of the farm and supporting seasonal transitions from our Missouri farms.

We thought this would be the ideal time to share our process along with practical tips for anyone considering a new build.

Planning and Layout

Choosing the right site is the first, and one of the most important, steps. Look for a well-drained area to reduce mud and moisture buildup. We also recommend planning for future growth: either build slightly larger than you currently need or choose a location where expansion will be possible later. Even if you don’t anticipate it now, you may want to expand in the future.

To save time and ensure accuracy, we brought in a professional surveyor who marked the four corners, each division fence, and the pen lanes. We recommend considering a surveyor for any new pen construction project. Having everything laid out at the start reduces guesswork, improves precision, and ultimately saves time as the build progresses.

Setting Posts and Running Cable

Once your site is selected, surveyed, and mapped, it’s time to begin construction. Start with solid materials. 4″ to 6″ round pressure-treated posts are ideal for strength and long-term durability.

We began by pounding in the four corner posts and marking where each lane and division would be placed. Running cable across the lanes served as a guide to keep all divisions aligned and tight, setting the foundation for the rest of the structure.

Trenching, Fencing, and Wire Installation

Digging trenches to bury the bottom of your fencing is a critical part of predator prevention and structural integrity. By burying the chicken wire, you help prevent animals from digging in or birds from sneaking out.

For this project, we brought in Bjoin Limestone to handle trenching, not just around the perimeter, as we’ve done in past builds, but also along the division lines. Outsourcing this task helped us move faster and freed up our crew to focus on wire installation. Whether you have your own equipment or work with a contractor, this can be a smart investment for large builds.

Once trenches were dug, we marked everything in 10-foot intervals, installed posts, and chicken wire along both the top and bottom of the fences. We recommend using 1” PVC-coated or galvanized after-weave (GAW) chicken wire.

Once the posts and wire were installed, Bjoin returned to backfill the trenches, securing the base.

Perimeter and Support Structures

After completing the division fencing, we installed the outer perimeter posts. Inside each pen, we added a support cable system to manage bird pressure and keep the netting suspended and stable. Bjoin then backfilled the outer perimeter trenches, anchoring the entire structure.

Netting Installation

The final step, and the last piece we need to complete for this build, is stretching netting across each pen. We use and recommend heavy-duty tied poly netting with 2” holes for pheasants or 1.5” holes for partridge. This netting provides the strength needed to withstand wind and weather while allowing good airflow and sunlight to reach the birds.

Lessons Learned and What’s Next

Our five-person crew pounded more than 1,300 posts across the two pens—one 4 acres, the other 8. Despite delays from heavy rain, the first pen is nearly complete. Once finished, we’ll begin moving birds back from Missouri and wrap up the second pen shortly after.

If you’re planning to build or looking to upgrade existing pens, we’re always happy to help or answer any questions. Feel free to reach out to us at info@pheasant.com if you need support along the way! We also have a free online Flight Pen Construction Manual with detailed step-by-step plans, material suggestions, and guidance from our experienced tea