How many birds will fit???

[monotwine]

For aviaries the general rule of thumb is 1 meter square (1.1960 yd squared) floor space per pair (height is irrelevent).

[Sally]

For aviaries the general rule of thumb is 1 meter square (1.1960 yd squared) floor space per pair (height is irrelevent).

Thanks for that, Monique. As we've all seen, the cage calculator only works for cages. Put in measurements for a walk-in aviary, and it looks like you could stock a pet shop!

[Casper]

Awesome link, thank you, it says my cage can take 11-13, so my plan of having 6 will be fine!

[Javy]

Perfect link, as this was a question I have been thinking about for a while! Thank you!

[FinchFan]

I absolutely love the finch cage calculator that Liz referenced above. I find myself coming back to it time and time again when shopping for finch cages/aviaries! It is so hard to find enclosures that are long enough. Most are tall but not long, and length is what matters most to finches, as they fly horizontally rather than vertically.

[debbie276]

There's all kinds of great information on The Finch Information Center in many different categories, check it out
http://www.finchinfo.com/index.php

[flywhoaman]

It is interesting that the cage height is irrelevant. I read a similar discussion on the Aussie Finch Forum and one breeder felt that certainly for some birds, height was actually more important. He felt that the birds actually got more exercise in the flight up as opposed to the glide across the cage. I am definitely too new to have an opinion but I think it is interesting that there is possibly a debate on that issue. I know that when I was learning to fly an airplane, it definitely took more throttle to go up than it did to glide to the airfield.

[debbie276]

Height is very important to the birds overall health and muscle tone, they need both up and down and side to side movement.
What it is saying is that in measuring for a cage it doesn't come into play for how many birds will fit comfortably. For the most part birds like to be above or at the same level of the other birds in the cage, therefore they spend most of their time at or near the top. While they do go to the bottom especially when you have the water and food on the bottom like I do, they will perch at the top. When they perch they need to have their own personal space and be able to get away from any conflicts.

[flywhoaman]

Great point, Debbie. I can clearly understand that logic and I have started to see that behavior in my zebras.

I did do something a little different. I made them a trimmed 32" manzanita branch that I adapted as a perch and they can sit on various branches of the upper "limb" of the "tree" that I created in the flight cage. Like a regular manzanita perch, it attaches to the side of the cage and is horizontal to the floor. This means that they don't necessarily sit in a straight line but more of a "cloud" formation at the top of the cage, much like a flock of birds sitting in a shrub. They can utilize a greater percent of this plane that defines their area with regards to their "personal space" than if the perch was a single stick. I made sure there was still plenty of area for them to fly, both up and down, and in a half circle away from and back to their branch.

The cages for my birds are approximately 27"w by 37"l by 49" height. This means, by the calculator, 4-5 birds maximum. Utilizing my branches and the added height, the species I have selected should still feel pretty comfortable.

[hilljack13]

Thanks for the link!

[Ginene]

flywhoaman
Sounds like a cool way to use s branch! Would LOVE to see a pic

[flywhoaman]

Sorry, I got a little out of touch since I have just finished "lambing" and have several orphans to take care of AND my finches have arrived. I housed two pairs together, the owls and the stars but the owls were in the mood to start breeding and attacked the star finch male causing damage from which he could not recover. Bummer deluxe... both for me and the female star finch. She is very upset that he is suddenly missing.

I will attempt to take pictures of my setup. I think it works well for my birds. The gouldians all sit together in the "cloud" formation that I mentioned, not too far away from each other but clearly in their own space. Zebras don't sit anywhere long enough to know how they "sit" but the multi branched limb makes it convenient for them to move and also to get away from an aggressive individual. It didn't work for my star finch because he was dive bombed!

[Sheather]

Height is very important to the birds overall health and muscle tone, they need both up and down and side to side movement.
What it is saying is that in measuring for a cage it doesn't come into play for how many birds will fit comfortably. For the most part birds like to be above or at the same level of the other birds in the cage, therefore they spend most of their time at or near the top. While they do go to the bottom especially when you have the water and food on the bottom like I do, they will perch at the top. When they perch they need to have their own personal space and be able to get away from any conflicts.

I must disagree, my finches perch just as much even very low to the bottom of the cage. I have six societies and two javas currently together in a 36 inch tall x 30 x 18 inch wide flight and they're not at an ideal stocking level I know, but they don't bicker terribly and have plenty of room to fly and get away from one another. All of the birds utilize the entire cage, not just the side to side flight paths. I would never keep 8 birds in a 30 x 18 x 18 cage, but even though this setup is not doubly long, the double height IMO makes the cage able to house several more birds than otherwise, if necessary, such as in my case. Not that width isn't important - I'd still say a 30 inch minimum is good - but I think we put much too emphasis on it. Birds like height too and it can make a difference.

[debbie276]

I must disagree,

Not exactly sure what your disagreeing with, "Height is very important to the birds overall health and muscle tone, they need both up and down and side to side movement."
All day long mine also use the entire aviary going up and down and side to side but this thread is about how the calculator calculates the number of birds that will fit in a given space.

When given enough room to pick and choose where to perch, especially at night, the finch will pick the highest spot available. Of course if nothing high is available they will go to the next highest spot. Not being able to perch in a strategic spot (up high) may cause undo stress on your birds so the calculator calculates them all being equal and not forcing them to use different levels.

[Sally]

To me, the cage calculator applies to pairs, which implies breeding. Breeding birds will usually be very territorial, and if they don't have enough space for their territory, it can cause problems. Six non-breeding Societies can live quite happily in a cage that would be far too small for three pairs of waxbills. The cage calculator is a guide, but just like the compatibility chart, the birds haven't read the book. It all eventually comes down to individual birds and how well they coexist with others.