FINCHforum

It's getting pretty hot in Texas.. I have my birds outside - inside my screened-in porch. Is it OK to keep them out there now... it's close to 100 today? It's well ventilated and shaded. They seem fine but just thought I'd check.

mindy wrote:It's getting pretty hot in Texas.. I have my birds outside - inside my screened-in porch. Is it OK to keep them out there now... it's close to 100 today? It's well ventilated and shaded. They seem fine but just thought I'd check.

That is pretty hot. Are they in a cage? I would watch for open mouth breathing and make sure they have water to bathe in.

Welcome to the forum, Mindy! I'm from Texas, too, just south of Ft. Worth, and yes, it is HOT! A screened-in porch should be fine, if it provides plenty of ventilation. My birdroom is closed in, with windows, but it is getting pretty hot in there. I put a box fan in one window, facing out, so it pulls hot air out of the room. I have a very small table fan on low to keep the air moving. And they get fresh bathtubs every day, sometimes twice if they need it.

What species finches? Most of them are tropical, anyway, so they can take heat better than cold. Someone on another forum posted that breeding will slow and stop with temps over 90, and we have been well over 90, and my birds don't seem to want to stop laying eggs. Two Star hens, with no nests or nesting material, are laying eggs in the plastic plant.

I would get a small thermometer just to keep an eye on things. I like the ones that record the maximum and minimum for the day, as in the winter, I can keep watch on temps not falling too low.

I have heard of ppl keeping there finches outside in that temperature and they have done fine just as long as they had shade and plenty of fresh water to drink and bath in and plenty of food. But yeah if they do start breathing with there mouths open you should bring them in because they might not be well adjusted to the high temps.