Keeping Temps Stable in Outdoor Aviary?!?

[Jen]

Tonight is the first night that will go below 40 degrees....and I'm a little nervous about keeping the temp right for my finches (aka my babies) in their new outdoor home !!! Just checked the temp after wrapping the exterior with plastic earlier this evening and it's a nice 68 degrees in there! Gonna go check again in about another hour...I'm feeling pretty good about keeping the temp stable through the night. I have the "radiator" type heater inside with thermostat and it's keeping the temp nice inside. I know anything could go wrong, but so far so good....

[DanteD716]

I hope everything goes smoothly Jenny! There is a breeder here who keeps her English budgies in aviaries outdoors year round with heat lamps. We get snow!

[Sally]

I love those radiator-type heaters. I don't have an outside aviary, though. Is the radiator situated so that the birds don't land on it? They get pretty hot, and I've read of some who built a wire box to be over the radiator to protect the birds.

[debbie276]

I have a wireless thermometer with an outdoor sensor so I can see the temperature in the aviary at all times, in my house. Something like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/AcuRite-Wire ... /100654926

The radiator heater worked well for me keeping the temps in the 50's in the dead of winter at a very low setting. I have a well insulated building with a small door open at all time though, not exactly sure of your set up.

[Jen]

I have a wireless thermometer with an outdoor sensor so I can see the temperature in the aviary at all times, in my house. Something like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/AcuRite-Wire ... /100654926

The radiator heater worked well for me keeping the temps in the 50's in the dead of winter at a very low setting. I have a well insulated building with a small door open at all time though, not exactly sure of your set up.

This morning I checked and the temp is about 68 degrees inside. That wireless thermometer is a great idea Debbie! Think I'm going to Home Depot on my lunch hour and look for one. Sure will make it easier then running out in the cold every few hours to check the temp!!! Thanks.

Sally, that wire box is also a good idea. Right now everyone in the aviary is scared to death of that "Metal gray monster" and don't go near! But I'll look into your idea.

[debbie276]

I put a thin shelf over top of the heater for the water dishes and food. The shelf kept the birds off the heater and the heater kept the eating area warm.

[Toddmin]

debbie276, how big of an opening do you have for the birds to get in that area?

[Sally]

A friend has a separate bird building. Not an aviary, but still away from the house. She installed one of those wireless thermometers in her building, so now she can tell the temperature at a glance. That is a good investment.

[debbie276]

The first picture is in the summer and the second in the winter. Not sure it's easy to see but I use foam in the winter to make the door even smaller (3 inches across the bottom and 4 inches high). I used those foam tiles that you can find everywhere now that lock together http://www.walmart.com/ip/Norsk-Stor-24 ... r/13253269
Even the bourkes and diamond doves had no problem going in and out.

[Toddmin]

Thanks debbie276! I didn't want to ask, but I was hoping you would show us a picture of the door opening. Even with last winter's low temperatures, your birds were ok? Amazing.

[debbie276]

Haven't lost a bird to cold temperatures yet

[finchmix22]

debbie276
Wow, that is amazing! Do you have more pics of your aviary? What about summer and predators? How do you deal with those issues of heat, storms, rodents, snakes etc.?

[Sam007]

debbie276 Thanks for sharing the pictures. Your aviary is awesome and finches are adorable. Which kind lights and heater you have in that enclosed area?

[debbie276]

debbie276
Wow, that is amazing! Do you have more pics of your aviary? What about summer and predators? How do you deal with those issues of heat, storms, rodents, snakes etc.?

I never worry about heat issues, they don't seem to be affected by heat.
I used 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch wire and so far no snake has gotten in though I have seem them circling the perimeter.
Storms also have not been an issue, they play in the puddles afterwards.
I installed an electric fence around the bottom to try and keep off the many predators. The cats are the worst and still manage to climb the wire. Raccoon's climb up onto the coop roof but haven't gotten to the wire yet. I have a couple game cams so I can see what passes by during the night as well as the day. So far I've captured on the camera's raccoons, fox, opossum, turkeys, many neighborhood cats, dogs and a coyote.
I posted a thread "caught on game camera" which you may enjoy looking at:
http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=27394

[debbie276]

debbie276 Thanks for sharing the pictures. Your aviary is awesome and finches are adorable. Which kind lights and heater you have in that enclosed area?

I have no lights in the coop and I used an oil filled radiator for heat. I did have a night vision wireless d-link camera so I could see from the computer and/or mobile what was going on which was fun.