Aviary Ideas/Questions? Insight Wanted

[DanteD716]

So before we start building an aviary, I need to prove to my dad it wont be as hard to maintain as he thinks. (he'd rather me keep them in cages) The room is 11x11ft, so I was thinking two side by side 5.5x5.5ft aviaries. One for finches, and one for budgies or doves (still deciding) What I need help with is feeders and waterers that can easily be changed/cleaned, but will feed the bird for several days without having to add seed. Also what type of bedding? I dont want it to be dusty. I plan on putting fake planted trees/large plants in the back corners of each aviary, and large natural perches/tree limbs, drilled into the walls towards the top of the aviary. I also would prefer quail friendly bedding. Please any input! Thank you

[cindy]

Dante, this is the link for the aviary we built, I use kiln dried pine shavings on the bottom.

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... our+avairy

[DanteD716]

Thanks Cindy!

[cindy]

We did switch out the zebras and put bourkes and owls in it....worked out a way to use water tubes and feeders as well

[wilkifam]

So you would only use half the room then?

two side by side 5.5x5.5ft aviaries.

[DanteD716]

Cindy, I didn't realize how large your aviary was until looking through the post again! Since my aviary will have doors large enough for me to walk through, do you think a feeding station the is my hight drilled into the wall next to the door us a good idea? I wouldn't have to walk through to get to it. Also, it's the kiln dried pine shavings easy to rake up? Where did you buy your? And how often do you change it?

[DanteD716]

So you would only use half the room then?

two side by side 5.5x5.5ft aviaries.

Yes, that is the idea. or I was thinking bringing it out more and fo 6x5.5? The wall across from the front of the aviaries will have breeding cages for birds I dont want in the aviary, so figure they come out about 2ft, I'll have a decent space on between the aviary and cages to walk

[cindy]

Cindy, I didn't realize how large your aviary was until looking through the post again! Since my aviary will have doors large enough for me to walk through, do you think a feeding station the is my hight drilled into the wall next to the door us a good idea? I wouldn't have to walk through to get to it. Also, it's the kiln dried pine shavings easy to rake up? Where did you buy your? And how often do you change it?

I use racks attached to the crossbars (wood) on the racks I mount seed hoppers, I also use an open dish of food. I made up a rack that will fit water tubes in it that can be removed and put back on cup hooks mounted into the wood, the bottom of the rack had a flat piece of wood for them to stand on, about 2 inches wide, the water tubes rest on that.

The doors are short to prevent the owls from ducking out, I kneel to feed. I enter into the aviary through two different doors to clean. The kiln dried pine, very easy to pull back to the doors to empty into a trash bag.

I have pictures on the fbk group page (albums) that I will pull for you showing the seed hoppers and water tubes. I will look for them and post them for you.

[DanteD716]

Cindy, I didn't realize how large your aviary was until looking through the post again! Since my aviary will have doors large enough for me to walk through, do you think a feeding station the is my hight drilled into the wall next to the door us a good idea? I wouldn't have to walk through to get to it. Also, it's the kiln dried pine shavings easy to rake up? Where did you buy your? And how often do you change it?

I use racks attached to the crossbars (wood) on the racks I mount seed hoppers, I also use an open dish of food. I made up a rack that will fit water tubes in it that can be removed and put back on cup hooks mounted into the wood, the bottom of the rack had a flat piece of wood for them to stand on, about 2 inches wide, the water tubes rest on that.

The doors are short to prevent the owls from ducking out, I kneel to feed. I enter into the aviary through two different doors to clean. The kiln dried pine, very easy to pull back to the doors to empty into a trash bag.

I have pictures on the fbk group page (albums) that I will pull for you showing the seed hoppers and water tubes. I will look for them and post them for you.

Okay, great, thanks Cindy!!! maybe I could do smaller doors like you have to feed the birds, and use the large door only when having to enter the aviary

[Perfex]

Well that's going to be an exciting project, Dante!
Sure hope your Dad gives you thumbs up, will be looking forward to pics!
I would consider a slightly wider walkway between wall and aviary, say 3 ft. More room for maneuverability, changing out litter, branches etc, or just to pop down a chair to observe.

[DanteD716]

If I only bring the aviary it 5.5ft, and I put my cages against the back wall of the room (so when you walk in the door the aviaries are along the right hand wall, and the breeding cages will be against the wall straight ahead) I'll have more than enough room. Sounds better than my first idea. What do you think?

[cindy]

Dante, keep in mind when placing the aviary you may need to clean behind it. Originally ours was up against the wall with only a small space to run a vacuum hose along the base of it. we had to put the "moving men pads" under each corner and move it to an area of the room that allowed me tow walk behind it comfortably. It worked our well, it sits about a foot and a half from a big window.

[DanteD716]

We were actually going to build the aviary right into the room. build a wall to separate the two aviaries, and another wall that will be the front of both aviaries. The floor is concrete so will be easy to clean bedding.. But I was thinking.... Would it be best to leave a bare floor? I could easily sweep with a hand broom, and mop from an entrance?

[DanteD716]

Well now that I have presented my case, my dad said we just have to figure out where to move the stuff in the room... It is mostly junk (after my grandad retired he spent his days buying useless patio furniture, coffee machines and other things at thrift stores) but he doesnt want to throw any of it out because it was my grandparents... We do have an attic with plenty of storage space! Bingo!

[cindy]

Either way Dante, in the winter you may want to put some sort of substrate down to act as a barrier incase the cement is cold, chilly. You can try the bare floor then always switch to a substrate later on. We added the pine since the floor is wood covered in a thick sheeting of visqueen which is easily wiped down.