humidity

[L in Ontario]

That's good information for you then!

[Rayray]

here different books say :

breeding humidity for inside cages or inside aviaries between 65-80 %

non breeding period humidity between 50 - 65 %


honestly i never check and i had never problems


Ray

[CandoAviary]

I keep the humidity high, around 75 % to 80% in the smmer and try to keep it at least 55% in the winter. That is a little harder because of the heating requirements. I will usually fill the sink with water in the bird building and this seem to help trmendously. If the air is too dry then the eggs hatching will suffer. Though most gouldians will bathe and adjust the water they carry on thier feathers . They will take this humidity back to the nest and apply to the eggs.... They are smart little creatures.
Donna, I hope you find the OH you have been wanting Barbara has some beautiful birds. Post those pictures

[MLaRue]

Gouldians come from a very dry - low humid area of Australia. Keeping the humidity high will allow problems to move in - they are not birds that do well with high humidity all the time.

And, that is why Laraine takes the humidity out of her room. She runs a dehumidifier all the time and keeps the humidity around 30 I think - I know it is low though. It is under 40% - that is why we weren't sweating in the room.

There are so many diseases, mold/fungus that thrive in the high humidity and Laraine and I have babies hatching with the humidity in the 40's or even lower.

I would think just your fountain and them being able to bathe at anytime would give all the humidity they need - even in the winter. Because more times than not our winters are very wet.

[CandoAviary]

Yes, I know that the humidity is high, but most of my aviaries are outdoors and in the panhandle of Florida...well what are you going to do Believe me, if I could dehumidify this humid weather I would...and not just for the birds but for me. I don't purposely keep it high... just the way the weather is. Last year I did run the A/C in the one breed room all summer. This year I opted to use exhaust and intake fans for 2 reasons. I wanted to be able to open the doors and side of the building to allow sunlight. I felt the birds really needed it. Also, I just didn't want to pay any higher electric bill. Last month $ 372.00 for our house and $ 75.00 for the "Crazy Bird House" next door.............. They have the rates here so high here.
So far I have had 37 chicks and I lost 1 female gouldian. She was the one with seed and black tar stools, I don't believe that had anything to do with the humidity.
I do believe cleaning with Vanodine helps tremendously, maybe I'm just lucky, or maybe since most of my current breeders were bred and raised in this enviroment they have acclimated.

[MLaRue]

Candace,

I know what you mean. I raised my Gouldians outside on our front porch in Largo, FL before moving to GA. I never had any problems with mine either. But I was a clean freak too and still am though. But the birds I had outside were raised outside to begin with - so I agree maybe it is all in how they are raised.

I find the air to be very stuffy here in GA - air movement is very low if at all. Lots of mold and fungus. So, high humidity in GA is a real problem. In Largo being so close to the ocean and all the air movement - well I think it just depends on where you live. I find that when I let the humidity get to high in my aviary - I see more problems associated with high humidity levels.