My Breeder Cages + Home-Made Aviary

[Rox]

Very very nice setup you have!!

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

dutch I have 15 current pairs (1 not pictured), 11 of those who are on a breeding cycle. I also have 2 additional pairs who are too immature to breed until later this season (red Phaeo - Fawn Cheek & LB CFW). There are also 2 pairs of hand tame Zebras who are about a year old now and prefer to free fly (non-breeding).

I've been breeding for about 6 years now and have raised too many babies to count, some by hand. Last year I raised a couple dozen hand tame babies. My current pairs are between 1.5-2 years old, and took over for my older pairs who I retired and left with family in Georgia before I moved. They were getting scruffy and elderly so I didn't want to force them to make the trip with me. The last time I visited they were looking very old which is a little heartbreaking though expected. They're about 7-9 years old now and came from different breeders on the east coast.

My clutch size is a little skewed because of the vitamin supplements I give them to improve health & fertility. I get anywhere from 8-10+ even from my most stubborn pairs. To give you an idea, my Penguins were laying 1-2 per clutch at the beginning of last season, and I just removed 10 eggs the other day from their nest. I use Dr. Marshall's Ioford + Dufo Plus.

Thanks Rox & Sheather

[wilkifam]

Really nice set-up, just a question. How do you clean the upper cages? Do they just all lift off of the brackets they are sitting on?

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

Thanks again wilkifam The cages can easily be taken off of the shelves if I need to rearrange things, but for cleaning I just remove cage trays and scrub the perches/cage bars. I wash the treat cups, cage cups, drinkers, and feeder trays in the dishwasher making sure to rinse them thoroughly when they're done. After each clutch I remove the nest and scrub it clean. Right now I use a chair (or my fiance) to get to the highest cages but I'll purchase a step ladder soonish. Its on the list

[dutch]

TheWhiteFinchAviary...are the ten eggs all fertile

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

dutch it depends on how well they're incubated but in the example I mentioned, 8 out of the 10 would have hatched if I had left them. They pushed 2 towards the edge of the nest so they were dead in shell by the time I removed them. A clutch of 8 would have over exhausted my pair so removing eggs is really important. I try to draw the line at 4-5 max, ideally 2-3.

[Colt]

Fantastic set up. Very jealous.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

I just finished my Gouldian aviary last night! It came out exactly as I wanted it to. Can't wait to fill it next weekend.

I used Manzanita & smaller "privacy perches," rope ladders, 2 week seed hoppers, 20oz baths, a 3-way mirror, a wooden ladder & fake plants. I do plan on doing some mixed breeding but not until they're settled in. All of the pairs I'm getting are 1.5-2 years old so they'll be ready to breed as soon as they're comfy. Something tells me they're gonna love this aviary.

[debbie276]

Looks great!!
Can't wait to see it full

[Colt]

Very pretty. I live the plants and perches. Decorating is my favorite part.

[Ginene]

Beautiful job!!! Post lots of pics when your gouldians arrive

[dutch]

TheWhiteFinchAviary....that's the exact avairy i started of breeding zebras in

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

Thanks Everyone for the kind words! Always makes me smile.

Debbie I promise to post lots of photos & videos!

Colt I enjoy it too! After as many cages & aviaries as I've decorated in the past couple of months though, I'm ready for a break. It's nice to sit back & enjoy the flock. Definitely worth the sore shoulders.

Ginene oh you know there will be lots of pictures!! I have a local photographer coming by next week to take professional photos of everyone. His camera will do them justice!

Dutch I wish I had this aviary when I started keeping Zebras like you did! I used a 30x18x36 cage back then for offspring and it was great for a few pairs, but I surely couldn't use that now. Good times.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

They're here!! And they're so ridiculously pretty. I could only get one not so great picture but I'll definitely take more tomorrow if they're settled in.



I have YH, RH, BH for the head colors, GB & YB for the body colors. A little mix of everything! Haven't sexed them yet. I also have 2 pastels but I have no idea what that even means. Time to hit the books.

[finchmix22]

Congrats on the new goulds!