FINCHforum

The breeder I called the other day told me her gouldians currently have chicks. They are in an outdoor aviary and it has been in the upper 20s and icy the past week. She said her birds do just fine in this weather. Is that normal?? What do people with aviaries usually do with the birds in cold weather?

I brought mine inside when temperatures dipped into the fifties for more than a few hours, but apparently some breeders let their birds habituate and stay outdoors all year (with a warm shelter available usually.)

Chihuahua

I am assuming we are talking 20F (?) seeing as your talking about icy weather.

Where these birds originate from, the temperatures (if I rememver right) range from the 70's into the 90's F.

That said, the birds you mention, are already many generations removed from their ancestors and their home land. If this fellow has acclimated his birds over a period of time and possibly several generations, they might be ok .

Does he ever let them inside, or does he have some sort of an addition to his aviary where they can go to warm up, if the temperature really dip down? How cold does it get where you are at?

*There again, I would not take just any Gouldians store bought, or bought from another breeder, and put them outdoors in that kind of weather. That would be a death sentence for them.*

I would also ask this particular breeder, how many birds he loses over the Winter if they are kept outdoors year around.

I didn't not ask for details but whenever I end up getting star finches from her I will ask her more about it. I would bet she does have a heated area for them.

There are bird people in Arizona with outdoor aviaries with no heat. We are known for HOT in summers but get down to freezing a number of times each winter.
There is a Gouldian breeder in Tucson that has photos of the birds literally skating on frozen water dishes.

These are not hothouse orchids.

My gouldians, canaries and spice finches are in an outdoor aviary but I also live in Central FL. It was 84F today. I'm sure my birds were sweating! My other birds live in flight cages on my screened back porch. I do have a brood heat lamp in the aviary and plastic siding for when the temps drop to freezing. So far, the lowest we have gotten this "winter" was down in the high 40's.

Having a heated shelter to retreat to after frolicking in snow and ice outside definitely makes a huge difference. I really doubt that Gouldians could survive lasting freezing temperatures without that.

I'm in central Kentucky, USA, and have Canaries plus a couple Gouldians in an outdoor aviary. It got down to 14 degrees F (-10 C) recently and they seem fine. Most of them have never been in a heated building. Their outdoor area is attached to an unheated building so they can get into a dry room, and out of any breeze. Even in cold weather they will be outside, by their own choice. None of them spend the night in the outside area, even in the summer.

I know that some people think this is awful. It works for my birds. I give extra fat (sunflower seeds, egg) in the winter. I have a little device to keep the drinking water from freezing.

Incidentally, I find that the canary males don't sing much when the daytime temperature is below freezing (32 F, 0 C) but if the day is warmer, then they're singing.

Dave

I don't think it's awful.
I actually find it fascinating, that these birds, originally from Australia are doing so well in sub zero temperatures. It's amazing!