FINCHforum

Hello folks,

I am in the process of buying a house and have begun planning a large outdoor aviary in the range of 24 feet long by 8 feet wide by 8 feet tall. I was inspired by this chicken coop and run. for the design I am currently thinking of. Instead of the chicken coop, I am planning on a small building with an indoor cage area for the birds to fly into during bad/cold weather.

The building itself would probably be where my dual entry doors would be, as well as some storage space, the indoor flight cage, and automatic heating and lighting systems.

Currently, I plan to cover half of the aviary (and the building, of course), but I think I'd like to leave half of the roof wire mesh so the birds can play in the rain. I am aware that there is some risk in wild birds pooping through the mesh and getting the birds sick.

I also plan on having a moderate pond with a waterfall. This might be elaborate enough for the finches to play in so that I could roof in the entire aviary and prevent the contamination issue.

The floor will be natural with finch-safe plants. I would love to plant millet and other things that could augment the diet of the birds, either inside the aviary or nearby. I have some tentative plans for an aquaponics system using the water from the pond to grow seed-bearing plants and grasses for nesting materials.

I plan on raising a few zebra finch variations (mostly Florida Fancies) and then some Goulidans and maybe Pin-Tailed Whydahs once I have things set up and established. I am also considering some ground birds for variety and help eat up lost seeds and such.

One of the areas of which I am unsure of is how to transition the outdoor space into the indoor space. Does anyone have any experience with this? I am currently picturing a 2 to 4 square foot opening between the two areas, perhaps with a sliding door that can be closed partially or entirely during very cold nights.

Anyway, I would love your thoughts, ideas, criticisms, etc, as well as references to other resources or good examples of other aviaries that I can glean ideas from. Thanks!

I have a circular hole with a sliding door over the hole, then in the indoor section of the aviary it has a light that turns it’s self off just before it gets dark then all the birds know to go in through the hole and get in their nests, just an idea for you

Also it is good if you build it so the aviary is off the ground so that the mice etc is less likely to get in

GOOD LUCK

Thanks for your ideas, Fraza. The size of my aviary will make it too expensive to raise the whole thing up or have a floor. My current plan is to bury hardware cloth about 18" down and 18" out in an 'L' around the entire perimeter of the enclosure. This should prevent any burrowing animals from easily making their way inside. I have also considered making the whole floor out of hardware cloth and then burying that with a few inches of dirt, but that idea doesn't appeal to me much.

So, all of your birds nest indoors? Do you give them the option to next outside at all?

Yuumai yeah I see what you mean my aviary is not that large

And yeah I only give them the option to nest indoors as I just feel safer that way so when winter comes they are already in the routine of staying inside

Yuumai: I think my birds would like to move in when it's done!

wildbird, if I get it built as I'd like, I might want to move in, too!

Hi Yuumai,

Just came across your post about building a new aviary.
I have an aviary something like you described. How did yours come out? Any Pics?
Mine has an outside "garden flight" attached to the main weather-protected walk in. All my birds roost in protected "sleep stations" (about 90 spaces) in the main bird room.

Paul

Thanks for posting your plans! I too am in the process of planning an indoor/outdoor aviary. My inside section will be inside an old horse barn, and the outside flight cage will be accessible by small window like opening with a sliding panel cover.

As for nesting outside, I inherited my zebra finch population from my Grandma in Southern California. Her aviary was entirely outside and the finches bred frequently. I expect I plan to have nesting boxes inside and outside so that the birds can choose their own place to sleep.

I’ll post photos as I get further along.

As Fraza said, the exit from the building to the outdoor area doesn't have to be any larger than 8" x 8". They'll figure it out.

Where do you live? Minimum winter cold temperature and maximum summer warm temperatures have to be considered. That also affects the species of birds you get, as some are tougher than others.

A natural dirt floor is an invitation to disease and insects, and eventually critters.

Paul's Amazing Birds, Beautiful aviary! Lucky birds!

Thanks Wildbird!

My passage way from the main flight to the outdoor flight is behind the door to the right of the walk-in door in the 4th pic above. It's only 2 1/2 feet wide by about 3' tall x about 15' long. The garden flight isn't much bigger: 4' w x 4' tall x 25' long with a big community bird bath and feeder at the end. They have no problem navigating through the narrow passage and all the landscape... and seem to enjoy the challenge of the long flight.

That's the 5th pic above..."View towards the back door"