So, the year is coming to an end and usually, that means that our work is starting to get easier, but oh no, how wrong I was for thinking this, it’s just begun. With the end of the school year comes the massive second blue sky project, if you’re wondering about the first Blue Sky project you can visit it here.
For the second blue sky of the year, we had to solve a problem for a certain age group, either tween, toddlers, seniors, pets, or babies. This problem was chosen by us, but it had to be relevant and it had to be approved by the teachers before we started. I knew I wanted to help my pets somehow but it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do. Finally, came up with this: The goal of my project was to build a harness for my birds that allow me to easily clip their flight feathers so that they cannot fly around my house or escape outside. This problem was relevant in my house and for bird owners across the world and I was happy when it was approved.
Here’s some context on why I picked this project:
Clipping the flight feathers of pet birds is vital for their safety. I have had conures and cockatiels for five years, and last year I lost favorite pet bird named Amber when she got out and flew away. Another one of our birds flew into a window and was injured. Wing clipping has always been a two or maybe three-person job, and it’s stressful for the birds and for us. They fight, wriggle and bite. One person has to hold the bird still, and another has to hold the wing open, and sometimes we need a third to do the clipping. I wanted to design and make a harness which will keep the birds still, safe and comfortable, and hold their wings out at the right angle for clipping. I would have to figure out what materials to use, how to keep it lightweight yet strong, and how to make it easy to use. I would also be learning how to wing clip our birds by myself.
First I designed draft 1 of my harness. It looked a little something like this:
Then I created the design out of paper so I could get the exact measurements of my birds without using the better quality material that I didn’t have a lot of. After trying it out on my birds it was obvious that the design was not going to work, and I went straight on to prototype 2. I made my prototype 2 out of paper (again) so I could see if the design was going to work, and to my surprise it actually did! Of course, it wasn’t perfect and there was a lot of things that needed to be improved, but I had found the basic shape that I would be improving on.
Next I I got some felt material and started on the third draft. First I cut out the hood and I sewed onto the bottom. Then I cut out the straps and put velcro on the end of each side. It was time to test it out on my birds. Their reaction to draft 3 was much calmer and quiet, I think it was because of the soft felt material. The hood on draft 3 was also much more comfortable and it fit the birds heads better. But there was still some things I could do to make it better. The harness was to flimsily and light, and whenever I tried to move it around or fasten it, it would bend.
For my final draft, I added some cardboard and foam to the top of the harness. This added that extra strength that it needed to work properly while keeping it comfy. When I tried it out on my birds it worked like a charm, they were calm and they didn’t move at all.
Once I had finished all my prototypes it was time to present my projects. A week before presentation day the students were categorized into groups depending on the category of the age group they picked (or if they picked pets). I was put into a group with Claire and some of the grade 8 plp students, we represented the pet section of the exhibition. Following the pet theme, we decided to decorate our presentation area as a pet store. I think the presentation night went very well. I was confident in my work and my presentation went really well. This is what my presentation looked like:
Along with a poster board, I also made a quick video of the bird being put into the harness:
I have really enjoyed working on both blue skies this year. At the end of my second blue sky, I did not only come out with a greater understanding of birds and how to safely clip them but also a working clipping harness which I will definitely use in the future.
Thanks for reading!
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