building a flight cage

For questions about finch enclosures (cages & aviaries).
User avatar
chirpy
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1934
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:21 pm
Location: Dyer, INDIANA

Re: building a flight cage

Post by chirpy » Fri Jun 07, 2013 8:39 pm

what is a pea fowl? (i am newbie when it comes to finches and building cages :oops: )

so i have been talking nonstop to my husband about "do you think your brother will build me a cage) every.. few hours.. its possibly quite annoying. he said "YES. if you ask and he says YES then he will" then i said "but your brother says YES to everything and its been a while since i asked him to make a lid for the snake tank that was like.. 5 months ago :? " which he replied "THEN! I-will-ask-him!"

:P :P WOOPS!

then I totally forgot this but my neighbor whom I am quite friendly with her husband is a carpenter! and I read on a forum that some times they have spare wood (fcourse it would have to be birdy friendly!) which means maybe free wood (YES!) and possibly, a back up to a cage builder! he flips houses after houses and actually built the house we are renting so I am sure if all fails he will help me out :P :P
Mommy to:
2 Soc's: Bebop (Roseanne cause she's a big girl!) & Rocksteady
1 Black and white cat: Poker (aka Pokes, Pokey)
1 Ball Python: Riff (aka Hawk-eye)
1 Lutino Cockatiel: Stewie (RIP! I love you <3)
1 Avid rib eating sports fanatic.
1 Accident prone 2 year old daughter.

1st clutch: 07/04/2013 - 4/6 fertile 1/4 DIS.
Image

User avatar
sasdrum
Hatchling
Hatchling
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 6:32 pm
Location: Greenwood, SC

Re: building a flight cage

Post by sasdrum » Fri Jun 07, 2013 9:23 pm

(i am newbie when it comes to finches and building cages)
Me too! That's what my friend called them. They're only a couple inches high and can't really fly. I know, doesn't help much.

Anyway, this is what I'm thinking: Click the link for sketch Please ignore spelling errors, I've been at work since 6 am and my brain is only half functioning right now.

I could do solid wood for the bottom panel, but it seems harder to clean.

That's all I got right now. I'll be starting on the frame once I have all the details worked out. I figure once all the framing is functioning with dividers and doors, adding the mesh and plexi will be easy.

User avatar
Asym
Callow Courter
Callow Courter
Posts: 188
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:41 am
Location: Sac CA

Re: building a flight cage

Post by Asym » Sat Jun 08, 2013 1:00 am

My two flight cages I built are roughly the size you are going for (60X 22 X22). I used pegboard for the back, cheap wood like you mentioned for the framework and bought green 1/4" mesh (all bought at home depot). I primed the wood to make it white. For my doors: each end of the aviary has a door that opens all the way for "deep cleaning" and then a smaller door within that door for simply changing the food and water. I lined bottom with vinyl flooring and put paper over it that I change out. I also vacuum the seeds/feathers once a week. At first I had a bird fly out during cleaning, but now they are used to it and just wait for me to finish.
~Ali

Slave to an aviary full of birds, an aquarium full of fish, and 2 pharaoh hounds.

debbie276
Bird Brain
Bird Brain
Posts: 14789
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:30 am
Location: WV

Re: building a flight cage

Post by debbie276 » Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:24 am

peafowl are WAY too big for your cage!! :D
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-peafowl.html

I think maybe they mean button quail
http://www.zebrafinch.com/pricelist/Quail_eggs.html
Debbie
long time breeder of lady gouldians:
Green
SF Pastel (SF Yellow)
Pastel (Yellow)
Blue
SF Pastel Blue (SF Yellow Blue)
Pastel Blue (Yellow Blue)

GREAT articles on avian lighting:
https://mickaboo.org/confluence/downloa ... ummary.pdf
http://www.naturallighting.com/cart/sto ... sc_page=56

User avatar
chirpy
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1934
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:21 pm
Location: Dyer, INDIANA

Re: building a flight cage

Post by chirpy » Sat Jun 08, 2013 2:54 pm

So i asked my brother in law to make me one and hes all for it brainstorming 8)

I currently have a pair of societies very friendly to each other (had them for a week today) and if they breed - I want to keep them. On average I have read that they will produce about 4 babies and after this I will take the nest out so they are not breeding..
I went to the bird calculator page and punched in numbers.. however I dont quite know the measurements to house say 6 finches?

could I get a few examples of the numbers of inches you have to house 6+/- finches? (eg. ? legnth x ? height x ? breadth = ? finches)

I do not intend on housing more in that cage after they are done :)

many thanks!
Mommy to:
2 Soc's: Bebop (Roseanne cause she's a big girl!) & Rocksteady
1 Black and white cat: Poker (aka Pokes, Pokey)
1 Ball Python: Riff (aka Hawk-eye)
1 Lutino Cockatiel: Stewie (RIP! I love you <3)
1 Avid rib eating sports fanatic.
1 Accident prone 2 year old daughter.

1st clutch: 07/04/2013 - 4/6 fertile 1/4 DIS.
Image

User avatar
sasdrum
Hatchling
Hatchling
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 6:32 pm
Location: Greenwood, SC

Re: building a flight cage

Post by sasdrum » Sat Jun 08, 2013 4:04 pm

debbie276 wrote: peafowl are WAY too big for your cage!! :D
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-peafowl.html

I think maybe they mean button quail
http://www.zebrafinch.com/pricelist/Quail_eggs.html
Indeed! Certainly not what I meant. Similar to button quail. They seem like dwarf button quail, next time I get down that way I'll have to find out exactly, but yeah, they are tiny!

User avatar
sasdrum
Hatchling
Hatchling
Posts: 33
Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 6:32 pm
Location: Greenwood, SC

Re: building a flight cage

Post by sasdrum » Sat Jun 08, 2013 6:40 pm

Asym wrote: I used pegboard for the back, cheap wood like you mentioned for the framework and bought green 1/4" mesh (all bought at home depot).
I LOVE this idea!

User avatar
Lithium
Wonder Wooer
Wonder Wooer
Posts: 320
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:47 am
Location: Utah

Re: building a flight cage

Post by Lithium » Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:55 pm

chirpy wrote: could I get a few examples of the numbers of inches you have to house 6+/- finches? (eg. ? legnth x ? height x ? breadth = ? finch
60" x 24" x 24" can work for about 6 finches. With Societies you could get away with a few more.

User avatar
Ginene
Molting
Molting
Posts: 4333
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2013 9:52 pm
Location: Staten Island, New York

Re: building a flight cage

Post by Ginene » Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:24 pm

chirpy
You cant house related finches together in one cage because they will inbreed. If your pair has babies and you do decide to keep them, you will need to house them in separate same sex cages. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news...

User avatar
chirpy
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1934
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:21 pm
Location: Dyer, INDIANA

Re: building a flight cage

Post by chirpy » Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:27 pm

Ohhhh. Even if I were not going to breed them? I see! Well maybe I should not breed them at all and just have societies :) unrelated!

Is it not a good idea if you have 5 - uneven numbers?
Mommy to:
2 Soc's: Bebop (Roseanne cause she's a big girl!) & Rocksteady
1 Black and white cat: Poker (aka Pokes, Pokey)
1 Ball Python: Riff (aka Hawk-eye)
1 Lutino Cockatiel: Stewie (RIP! I love you <3)
1 Avid rib eating sports fanatic.
1 Accident prone 2 year old daughter.

1st clutch: 07/04/2013 - 4/6 fertile 1/4 DIS.
Image

User avatar
Lithium
Wonder Wooer
Wonder Wooer
Posts: 320
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:47 am
Location: Utah

Re: building a flight cage

Post by Lithium » Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:00 pm

Five is okay with Societies. I'd go up to six though. Most people will recommend one pair, then it jumps up to three pairs. This is because two pairs would quarrel over some things, but this is for more pushy species, like Zebra Finches. So, five would be okay if you plan on just Societies.

User avatar
chirpy
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1934
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:21 pm
Location: Dyer, INDIANA

Re: building a flight cage

Post by chirpy » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:08 pm

Lithium wrote: Five is okay with Societies. I'd go up to six though. Most people will recommend one pair, then it jumps up to three pairs. This is because two pairs would quarrel over some things, but this is for more pushy species, like Zebra Finches. So, five would be okay if you plan on just Societies.
Thank you! They are such loving birds so I would think an uneven number should be fine.. is this better if its 3M2F etc than 4M1F I would think the female would get exhasuted from all the ego?

I want to house about 6 but I feel as if I can only house about 4-5 as I am thinking of building a 40 length cage for them..(x 24wide) I wish I have a bigger house so that I can have a bigger cage.. well not that I think my husband will allow me to have so many :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :cry:
Mommy to:
2 Soc's: Bebop (Roseanne cause she's a big girl!) & Rocksteady
1 Black and white cat: Poker (aka Pokes, Pokey)
1 Ball Python: Riff (aka Hawk-eye)
1 Lutino Cockatiel: Stewie (RIP! I love you <3)
1 Avid rib eating sports fanatic.
1 Accident prone 2 year old daughter.

1st clutch: 07/04/2013 - 4/6 fertile 1/4 DIS.
Image

pbax
Pip
Pip
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 3:25 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: building a flight cage

Post by pbax » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:25 pm

I would think the female would get exhasuted from all the ego?
Gave me the best laugh I've had all day. Awesome!

User avatar
chirpy
Weaning
Weaning
Posts: 1934
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 9:21 pm
Location: Dyer, INDIANA

Re: building a flight cage

Post by chirpy » Tue Jun 11, 2013 8:46 pm

pbax wrote:
I would think the female would get exhasuted from all the ego?
Gave me the best laugh I've had all day. Awesome!
:lol: hahaha it's so funny though! my male is up the females BUTT every time she turns around hes standing tall and singing all mechanically! but hes so miniature :lol:
Mommy to:
2 Soc's: Bebop (Roseanne cause she's a big girl!) & Rocksteady
1 Black and white cat: Poker (aka Pokes, Pokey)
1 Ball Python: Riff (aka Hawk-eye)
1 Lutino Cockatiel: Stewie (RIP! I love you <3)
1 Avid rib eating sports fanatic.
1 Accident prone 2 year old daughter.

1st clutch: 07/04/2013 - 4/6 fertile 1/4 DIS.
Image

User avatar
henrietta
Callow Courter
Callow Courter
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2012 5:31 pm
Location: Tampa, Florida, United States

Re: building a flight cage

Post by henrietta » Sat Jun 22, 2013 10:11 am

Did you ever find out what kind of little quail they were? I want a little button quail type, but if there were a smaller one, I'd rather have that. :}
Liz
Image

Post Reply