FINCHforum

i have had several PMs about keeping birds inside/outside in cabinets and cages. Most of my birds are in an outdoor aviary so I am only keeping about 20 birds, Canaries and Stars inside in breeding cabinets/cages at the moment, although I do have plans to add some more. I will take some picks of that set up but I think it would be more relevant for people to hear from those who keep their birds this way, big or small and who will know heaps more about it than I do.. I think if we can discuss:

cage sizes
Location of cages/lighting , what the cages sit on (stand, bench,table etc).
frequency of cleaning (and how do you keep the area where the cages are clean).
dealing with spilt seed
Nesting recepticles
Feed/water recepticles
Feeding regime
perches
Medication regime
Whatever else.
I know I would find any feedback on this very usefull and interesting.

Kenny, I would definately be interested. I have only had one large flight on my back lania which is screened in, the nest box was on the outside, top section of the cage. I had plants near the cage but about 6 inches away. I had to move the cage inside a snake must have climbed the planter and stretched to get to the cage. No birds were harmed and no eggs or chicks were eaten.

All my birds are either in flights, breeder cages in a room off the back of my house. Lighting from above and on the sides, backes of cages depending on how they are set up.

I feed and water late afternoon, water tubes (change the water daily, ACV given, rotating with fresh water every 2 days) Birds get fresh seed/ pellet mix. I use round small bowls and flat dishes. Calcium mixes are in cups that attach to the cage wall.

Bathes are provided in little oval bird tubs set inside the cage

Greens, eggfood and veggies are rotated during the week. Dried herb mix and calcium mix given along with cuttlebone.

Once a year I treat everyone with a dewormer and coccicare. I have in the past used ronex once a year on everyone but have stopped that since most of my birds are my stock that I have had for years and offspring. Any new birds are dewormed, ronex 12% and Coccicare upon quarantine.

Cleaning is done Mondays and either Thursday or Friday. Paper is changed out in cages with young more often.

The room is vacuumed daily, floor wiped down after cleanings.

I would love to do large flight on the screend lania, making sure it is total pest proof. (we occassionally get small snake and large black racers on the porch...which I have to chase out.) The had found their way in through drain holes built into the pavement incase the pool floods during storm, we have since covered those. My regine would most likey be the same.

The people who owned our house before us converted the garage into sort of a mother/daughter apartment which is attached to our home. So we have two kitchens in our home. The second one is my bird room. It's actually ideal as I have tons of counter space, a refrigerator right there for fresh veggies, a sink, and terra cotta floors which sweep up easily. There is a stove but it is not hooked up (We found out that it is illegal in NY to have 2 gas stoves in one residence... not sure why). I've got a food processor that I prepare them fresh veggies and/or what I call "buggy surprise" for the insect eating birds. Some of the cages are on a shelf-style counter, some on the floor beneath that counter. The others, I have purchased two metal garage-style shelving units - 4 shelves each and they are arranged on the shelves and atop the unit. The shelves are adjustable if I ever need to adjust for new cage sizes and since they are black metal, they are easy to clean and don't look like a stained mess.

I have 30 birds spread over 16 cages/enclosures. 9 of those are zebras who are either paired up or separated because of aggression. I have one wall that has all of the cages - it looks like a pet store! The room has a window directly across from them that sunlight comes through. There is also a skylight above them for more sunlight and then to their immediate right there is a sliding glass door which also produces sun and if warm enough, I can open and let them get some fresh air. We do have central air/heating so the birds are at a comfortable temperature at all times.

I have one large enclosure that is 40x40 which has my 2 spice finches, my 2 orange cheeked waxbills and 2 st. helena waxbills. They love it! I also have several cages that house individual pairs of birds (cordon bleus, african silverbills, societies, gouldians, paired zebras) - probably about 30x30 or 30x35'ish. I have many, many cages that are probably about 25x20 with one bird each in them. It's less space than I would like but unless I can pair them successfully into larger cages, it's what space allows without everyone killing each other. Such is the joy of zebras! I've really gone out of my way to make a nice environment for each bird regardless of cage size so they have an interesting environment and plenty to do and they all seem quite happy.

My feeding ritual is usually right across the rows, giving fresh drinking water, fresh warm bathing water, fresh seed, any supplements (I give egg food daily, dried greens, ground oyster shells and have kelp & mineral grit on order that I plan on adding to their diet). I have little treat dishes that I give them daily - usually romaine lettuce, kale, carrots, bok choy, alfalfa sprouts, brussel sprouts, bean sprouts, parsley. When they see the dish coming, they know it's snack time! I try to do it early in the morning as they love to bathe, eat and roost in the sunlight.

All of the cages are lined with paper (I use magazine pages rather than newspaper), and I change that every other day unless someone has really made a mess or it's unusually soiled. I remove and wash the cage trays every two days. I take their cages apart and scrub the inside as needed (probably 1-2 times per month). I remove and clean their branches, perches, plants anytime I see they are more than lightly soiled - probably twice a week. Their dishes for food & bathing are cleaned daily, of course. I use tube water feeders and have oblong dishes for bathing and food. On the larger cages, I have free standing supplement dishes. On the smaller cages, since it would be overcrowding, I usually mix their supplements directly into their seed (sprinkled on top).

Super Topic

31W x 41H x 20D on wheeled stand w/pair canaries, pair RCCB, pair OCWB.

30W x 37H x 18D on wheeled stand w/pair Gouldians & 5 new hatchlings.

61W x 31H x 18D on wheeled stand (w/divider to halve it) w/pair Gouldians & their five chicks fledged 12/29, not yet colored out.

34W x 41H x 25D converted armoire on wheels w/2 Gouldians

Egg food & greens daily on paper plates, millet spray at least weekly, separate treat cups for kelp granuals, charcoal & 2 kinds minerals. Lixit waters & dish on floor for bathing. Dandelions, grasses & seeds when in season. Variety finch seeds in "outdoor feeders" hanging in cages.

Feed daily; clean weekly. Paper on grates & trays. Trays & cage bars wiped with ACV/H20. Vacuum as needed. ACV in drinking & bath water on occasion. Soaked & sprouted seeds when I remember. Home-made egg cake/bread on occasion.

Cuttlebone & sand swings & sand perches plus perches of varying sizes. Overhead lights inside cages. Blue bulb nightlights

Wooden nest box & woven nests.