FINCHforum

Thought I would share a solution that has worked for me. I have a large indoor flight aviary and use 5" round ceramic dishes placed on the bottom to hold seed, in addition to some hoppers that hang up higher. No matter where I put the ceramic dishes, the birds invariably "decorated" them. I wanted to find something to shield the dishes from droppings so as to keep the dishes and seed clean. I looked around and found my old wooden "over the sink plant shelf" similar to this one linked here, http://www.target.com/p/Lipper-Internat ... A-10495884, and put it to work. I covered the top with some folded newspaper held with three large black plastic/metal clip type binders, and slid the dishes underneath. Now I have a bonus surface up top for millet sprays or whatever (not dropping free of course), and my ceramic dishes of seed underneath have been dropping free for a month now! The shelf is tall enough that the birds feel free to feed beneath it without fear. This worked for me although the idea may be limited in use for others because you need a door into your flight that will allow the shelf to pass through, and of course, a flight that is long enough for the shelf. Still, this idea can be modified. I love adaptive "re-use" ideas! And I love not having to scrub out those seed dishes every week and knowing the seed is staying clean.

That looks like a great idea! I also try to place seed and water where water where there are no perches overhead but it's not always easy to keep them from getting dirty.

Pictures, please!

Lol! it sounds like a great idea debbyloo, unfortunately not for my birds! most of my finches are content to perch on the edge of their terracotta dishes to eat, but I have one little piggy zebra who insists on sitting inside his food dish to eat no amount of covering will help there

Zebras are the WORST for pooping in their food.
If they can get into the food tray. ugh
I switched to divided station troughs similar to these
https://www.birdsupplynh.com/catalog/in ... 2bcd865a86
That has kept them from going into the food to eat and poop. But they will stand on the trough and poop into the trough.
Gouldians on the other hand are classy, they don't poop in their food.