FINCHforum

I am trying to improve my housing arrangements for my birds. I would like to get some more finches but first I need to come up with some more organized housing. Right now my bird cages are on various folding tables and my Dad wants me to have them set up all in one place so I can better keep after the mess. Right now I am looking at building box cages. I was thinking they would be nice to stack on top of each other to save on space. I was looking at building large cages (about 3'L by 2 1/2'W) that could be stacked three high with a space between each cage to put a light in. I want to build a shelving unit out of 2x4s to place the cages on. My local feed mill makes custom trays for small animal cages so I want to check with them to see what it would cost to have several trays made. I was wondering if any one has any experience with this type of set up or any ideas or suggestions for a different setup.

I was going to create a set up similar to the one you are describing, but instead decided to just build a "breeding cabinet" on wheels.

http://www.finchinfo.com/housing/breedi ... uction.php

That page is still not written, but I did upload a few pictures of the process (not all of them yet). I mounted the lights on the top inside of each cage; the fronts open like cabinet doors but also have a lift-up bottom which is how I cleaned the cage floors without opening the entire cage up and allowing the birds to escape. I made my own 'custom cage fronts' out of other cages. Overall I'm happy with the cabinet except that I wish I had made the pull-up bottom go all the way across the cabinet door instead of just the middle part...that way I could have used a tray and had an easier time cleaning the floors.

Anyway, just a thought. Good luck with your project.

Thanks Crystal, those are nice cages. Are they built as one piece or are they individual cages? I was thinking of using wire mesh for the front and top of the cage, I might look at tearing apart one of my old bird cages to use for a cage front though. I think I will keep the light on top of the cage and keep a space between the stacked cages so they are more easily accessible if there is a problem. Right now I am trying to come up with a cage plan and start pricing materials. I probably won’t be able to start working on them till later in the spring.

If money is no object (I wish) then the Euro cages sold by Corners Unlimited are incredible. I have seen them, but cannot afford them:(.

http://www.cornerslimited.com/euro_cages.html#euro3

Wow those are nice cages! Unfortunately I am just a poor college kid.
The pictures do give me some ideas though.

I am currently thinking of making box cages 4ft long by 2ft wide with a divider in the middle so I could split the large cage into two small ones. I was thinking this way I could keep four birds per cage and then when I want to breed them I can just put the divider in if necessary. I think I will probably start off building one unit this spring for my shafttails and then building the rest once I have a little more money during the summer. I was wondering if this size cage would be large enough to breed some of the waxbills such as orange cheeks or cordon bleus. I would like to try raising these birds sometime but I have always read they breed better in large flights. Any thoughts?

hi blue finch
usually waxbills do like that bit extra space! but this link may help you to understand them a bit better just look in the care of waxbills section



http://www.waxbillfinchsociety.org.uk/
ken

Thanks for the link Ken.