Our Aviary .....

[dfcauley]

That aviary screams parrot finches!!!

Oh! I agree!!!!

[cindy]

Charlie, you are going to get me in trouble!!!!

Actually I would love some...blue!!!!!!

[cindy]

Deborah, I crawl through the doors and stand up, I can wipe perches down with a bit of diluted vinegar. The screen has a texture on one side and smooth on the other, the smooth side is on the inside of the flight so it is easy to wipe down, there is no ledges for them to land on and poop on excelt an thin strip of 1X1 that were screwed in over the edges where the mesh meets and was stapled. The flight is big enough for me to clean one side at a time. I am going to get a spray bottle and mix a vinegar and water solution up and tane that in with me.

The floor is coated in a vinyl sheeting (plywood wrapped in visqueen) and can be wiped down with the solution. I will work on half the aviary at a time.

There were no birds in the aviary at the time I took the pictures. It is hard to get good pictures through the mesh so I will take some next time I go in.

[DanteD716]

Cindy, I love it! Who is in it?

[cindy]

Thank you Dante. I have zebras in it.

[finchmix22]

Charlie, you are going to get me in trouble!!!!

Actually I would love some...blue!!!!!!

Cindy,
I have six Forbes babies who are about to fledge. The blue when they're in adult colors is irridescent and so beautiful!! Maybe, you'll want some later.

[cindy]

Charlie and I have been discussing the parrot finches...I need to decrease some of my extra zebras and offspring, so I will be selling those soon.

I had to pull my Yellow Beak pair and three of their young...it was just to much activity for them and they are doing well in a cage on their own. I may need to pull my OB fawn hen and her fawn BB/OB male and two of the 5 offspring. The three young males are doing well but the two young females are a bit timid. The enjoy the space but are much quieter than some of the others. Everyday it changes a bit.

I wanted to also add a few helpful hints on how we did the construction....

We found it best to frame it out first, each side done separately. We put it together with zip ties or strong painters tape to make sure all sides fit properly, the top is inset within the frame. After making sure the it all fit well then we screened eache side...on the inside so the birds did not sit and dirty frame work.

We brought it into the room piece by piece, the floor is 2x4 frame with supports done in 2x4s under the floor which is a thick piece of plywood, all sides and flooring screwed together for easy assembly and dismantling. The sides and top made out of 2x2's. Screening since done on the inside ran from edge to edge of each panel so when put together no edges of screening were exposed if possible.

[wellingtoncdm]

Forbes are even more beautiful than blue faced. Smaller too.

[Sally]

I like the idea of preassembling the panels to check for fit. I would have put it all together, then realized I needed to change something and have to take it all apart again. I usually make mistakes measuring, and projects take me twice as long as they should. My brother told me long ago to use screws on as many projects as possible, as it is so difficult to remove nails without damaging wood.

[cindy]

Sally we also marked the sided for front, back, left, right, top (left and right sides) bottom. We also predrilled holes for the screws.

Our thought on using screws and panels was it would be easy to take down and reassemble say if we want to move and take it with us. I would love some day to have it in a sunroom or screen lania that the birds can enjoy.

[finchmix22]

Cindy,
That is a dream of mine as well. I'd love to make my concrete patio, which is off the kitchen, screened and use it for the finches. Or, I'd love to find someone to help me complete my outdoor aviary (the right way).
Sally,
I tried to build an outdoor aviary when I bought my first finches, but soon realized I was too much a novice back then with finches and not at all good with measuring, cutting, materials and putting it together the way I'd envisioned.
Charlie,
The Forbes are so tiny, compared to my RTPFs, and more active than my Owls. I love to watch them, but I have to sit off to the side, so they don't realize I'm watching. LOL.

[cindy]

I always wanted to do a window box aviary of the kitchen in the window off the breakfast nook. The window overlooks the covered part of the lania.

[DanteD716]

Aw I am glad the zebras like it Cindy! About the window box aviary thing, I have always wanted an aviary connected to my window so can sit and watch them

[wellingtoncdm]

So...
I have been joking with Cindy about moving all of those zebras OUT of the new aviary and putting her owl flock as well as some Forbes of BF parrot finches in.
Any thoughts???

[cindy]

Charlie.....it is a thought!!! LOL!!!


I did make the penguins a flight 36 x 36 x 18, they are happy!!!

I have a group of young almost colored up (splits to OB, BB and fawns) and they are in the aviary...and 3 BC and some odd 'n end splits....all to find homes for

Once I do that mayyyyybbeeeee we can talk parrot finches!!!