FINCHforum

These four I banded yesterday. Mom is OH/PB and dad is RH/PB split to blue, both green backs. All are being fed and well taken care of by the parents. I've had several small clutches this season from other pairs, but all parent raised and doing very well. Can't wait for all of them to color out. I always worry about them until they get their adult colors. I know at some point I will have to sell some, but I can't bring myself to think about it! LOL..too much time spent fretting and worrying about them.

They are looking good, congrats! You are doing well with your outside aviary, even though you have been having some cold rainy weather. Do you enclose it in winter?

Lookin good!
Best of luck

Jen

Beautiful babies and another congrats.

I hope you haven't been hit by the horrible weather that some parts of Texas have suffered through.

Congrats!

Jen

Beautiful babies! Would love to get a peek at the outdoor aviary!

Babs

@Babs

Here's a photo from this past summer and the other my "wrapped up" package. It keeps the temp stable. I can open one side easily during the day when it is warmer and then close it back up for cooler nights. So far so good....

Jenny

WOW what an aviary!!! My brother used to live in Beaumont a long time ago. David Laine. I wish I could take some babies off your hands maybe down the road. First i need a bigger cage. I have a RCCB and a CB female and a socie female. I want some Gouldians and a male CB but my old RCCB is my sweet pet. His name is Blue he is 8. Right now there are mystery eggs in the nest and we don't know if they are fertile or not......it's a long story. BUT anyway CONGRATULATIONS on all of this wonderfulness! Do you have a place to bring the birds into when the sirens go off? We have had a lot of nasty weather lately. I don't think I could leave my birds out in that gorgeous Aviary if the sirens were blaring. Love your set up.

Karen

Spreckles

Thank you for all the kind words. I LOVE my outdoor aviary. It is a lot more fun to have an aviary in the spring, summer and fall and NOT a lot of fun in the winter. I don't have any sirens going off to warn of any pending weather issues, I just have to watch the weather EVERY DAY to be sure of temps that day and the forecast for the next. It is definitely a "labor of love".

Lots of people ask me what I will do if there were a hurricane or some type of weather that my aviary could not withstand, and of course the first thought is I'd bring them ALL indoors. But as time goes by the "ALL" number continues to grow! I don't get rid of any cages just "in case" I need them one day. A girl's gotta be prepared, right?

Jenny

so my brothers name didn't ring any bells? He was in the police dept his wife's name was Regina. Beaumont isn't that big of a town. It was a long time ago they were there though....

I would love an aviary like that! your wise to keep the cages just in case. We had a tornado in north MS recently and Texas was just hammered but not near you thankfully. Looking forward to watching your birdies grow. I am a CB lover too

Karen

Congrats again

I still love your aviary, so big and open!!

Spreckles

Karen, sorry I didn't recognize your brothers name. Around what year was he in Beaumont? I am originally from Louisiana so I didn't grow up here or go to school here. Do you still have family around this area?
Small world....

No Jenny not any more. It was about 15 years ago. But yes it is amazing sometimes just how small this world can be!

I want to keep my finches outside in the aviary during the winter but I'm so nervous and afraid they will freeze to death. I am planning on building my aviary soon and have it planted and stuff before I add the finches in spring. I'm on the Florida panhandle and so far it's gotten down to the 30's. Do you have heat in your aviary for really cold nights besides the plastic surrounding the cage?

jamezyboo21
Yes, you absolutely need heat in the aviary. I have three heat lamps placed in several areas along with two "radiator" style heaters. The added heat raises the temp approximately 20 degrees higher then the outside temps. The plastic keeps the wind, rain and dampness out of the aviary. It was pretty nerve racking the first winter I had my birds outside. I still watch the weather closely in case of some drastic temp changes.

Being in Texas, it can be 80 degrees during the day time and drop to low 40's at night. Next week we are expecting a freeze around Tuesday night. So I will be watching closely to see if I need to add heat. It is a "juggling act" in the winter time to keep a stable temp in the aviary, but I think if you watch your local weather, you can make it work. Now that my birds have been living outdoors for over a year now, they are more acclimated to outdoor temps. Another tip is that I always ask breeders when buying new birds if they were breed indoors or outdoors. It definitely makes a difference

With some planning you can make a really nice outdoor aviary work for you and your feathered friends! Good luck!