jessica, I've not bred Gouldians, just keep a few. Others on this list have a lot of experience with breeding them.
If you build a box onto the side of your aviary, just have perches in it and consider a small light in the box, on a timer.
Face the holes away from any prevailing wind.
I don't know the answer to this: if the box is too much like a nest box, will wars erupt?
I know that Elana has some reservations about this whole idea, and she's making good points. However, I'd be more worried about a dirt floor in an aviary than about a cat getting into the aviary you're talking about. I think the safeness (from both predators and weather) hinges on the box you'll be attaching.
Outdoor Aviary
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Dave
- Sisal Slave
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:24 am
- Location: Campbellsville, KY
Re: Outdoor Aviary
Dave
Campbellsville, Kentucky, USA
Canaries
Campbellsville, Kentucky, USA
Canaries
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jessica
- Pip
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 2:09 pm
Re: Outdoor Aviary
Hi Elana,
Thank you for the info. on Gouldians and your comments regarding keeping outdoors during the UK winter.
Unfortunately I suffer from the onset of COPD and whilst we love to keep our birds indoors during the winter and let them fly around indoors for exercise I find that this time of year during the molting season it irritates my lungs.
I do have a quality air filter/purifier (0.3 microns) in the room but still find that my lungs get irritated.
Another point is that we do not have a garden as such which doesn't enable me to build an aviary, hence the flight cage against a house wall.
The base of the cage is up off the ground and during the summer in the past we have kept the doors into the cage locked although there are a couple of cats around sometimes the birds are secure.
Q. Can anyone tell me what area (sq.ft.) a pair of Gouldians require?
(Obviously the larger the better), in my case our flight cage is 36"W. x 24"D. x 48"Ht. making a total of 24 sq.ft.
(Is this correct mathematicians)?
Could I keep 3 pairs in here and if they breed I would like to move a hen and sell the others and buy a cock bird and put them in another cage (21" x 21" x 50") opposite the 3 pairs, around 2'6" away still in a sheltered spot.
Q. Finally how many nesting boxes should I provide each pair?
I have read 2 boxes but bearing in mind that these will also be inside the cage/s 6 boxes wold take up too much space and cramp the birds.
Thank you in advance for your advice everyone.
Jessica
Thank you for the info. on Gouldians and your comments regarding keeping outdoors during the UK winter.
Unfortunately I suffer from the onset of COPD and whilst we love to keep our birds indoors during the winter and let them fly around indoors for exercise I find that this time of year during the molting season it irritates my lungs.
I do have a quality air filter/purifier (0.3 microns) in the room but still find that my lungs get irritated.
Another point is that we do not have a garden as such which doesn't enable me to build an aviary, hence the flight cage against a house wall.
The base of the cage is up off the ground and during the summer in the past we have kept the doors into the cage locked although there are a couple of cats around sometimes the birds are secure.
Q. Can anyone tell me what area (sq.ft.) a pair of Gouldians require?
(Obviously the larger the better), in my case our flight cage is 36"W. x 24"D. x 48"Ht. making a total of 24 sq.ft.
(Is this correct mathematicians)?
Could I keep 3 pairs in here and if they breed I would like to move a hen and sell the others and buy a cock bird and put them in another cage (21" x 21" x 50") opposite the 3 pairs, around 2'6" away still in a sheltered spot.
Q. Finally how many nesting boxes should I provide each pair?
I have read 2 boxes but bearing in mind that these will also be inside the cage/s 6 boxes wold take up too much space and cramp the birds.
Thank you in advance for your advice everyone.
Jessica