FINCHforum

My cage isn't quite large enough but for those who have an actual aviary, do you use hanging feeders? I thought this would be a good thing for an aviary. Pros/Cons anyone?

I do use some hanging feeders in the aviaries.

Pros are that you don't have to fill them as often. Cons are that they can be messy. My advice is if you are going to hang them, hang them towards the back of the aviary and closer to the bottom of the aviary than the top. I find if it is hung high and near the front of the aviary...you will find a lot of seed on the floor in front of the aviary.

Another con can be if you have a bird that will dig for a particular seed it likes...then can empty the entire feeder in no time at all!

Maybe if I get around to building the aviary I can install a see catch below and sorta bowl shaped to catch all the mess. Then there is this poop problem again....

LOL We have birds there is ALWAYS a poop problem. lol

I'm just going to get mini roll of TP and see if they catch on..

I've tried using a feeder and like TammyS found that they would empty it out very quickly, making a huge mess. I do use one if I'm going to be away for a few days. I put it on the floor of the cage with a disposable pizza pan under it.

Hilljack, I also found the hanging feeders VERY messy, in my aviary I have 2 pairs of Singing Quails (not to sure if anyone in the US has them?) which I thought would clean up the dug out seeds, but found that 6 finches 1/10 the size mess more than 4 quails can eat - LOL.

My solution was to use a gravity feeder on the floor of the aviary with a ceramic floor tile above it (I constructed four feet making a 12inch high mini - poop proof table which is easy to clean).

I found that my birds are much more active as they have to ascend from their "high thrones" and eat with the rest of to "commoners" on the ground.

Good luck