Aviary plans

[steph]

Hello all! I'm new to the board. I've recently made the decision to get my very first finches, so I'm in the process of planning their future home. I have a really good spot for an aviary in my screen porch, but I wanted to run my plan by all you finch veterans

Here's where it will go in my porch:


And here is a sketch as if you were standing in front of the aviary looking in: (sorry, I'm not an artist!)


So, my concerns right now are...

1. What's the best type of flooring? I was thinking linoleum...

2. Any advice/experience with fountains in an aviary? I saw one I really like at Lowe's. Its a few feet high; looks like a natural rock waterfall with lots of little pools for the birds to play in. I'm just wondering how to keep it clean...

3. I want to create a perch system from real branches (see pictures). I'm trying to avoid using plastic so it will look more organic and natural, so I don't want to use the store bought bird swings. I'm wondering how I could keep the branches clean...would wiping them down with a wet cloth and vinegar be enough?

Feel free to share any other thoughts you have. I am very new to all of this! Can't wait to get my first birds

[EddieNorCal]

Congratulations on your plans for the aviary and welcome to the forum! A screened porch is a wonderful and safe spot for an aviary. Great choice! Regarding some of your questions:

1. Any kind of flooring that is easy to clean would work. Finches may be small but they are messy, especially when you have a number of them. Linoleum would work well because you can wipe it down easily and it's pretty cheap.

2. Finches LOVE to take a bath and it's so much fun to watch them enjoying the water. To help keep it clean, make sure you don't place any perches above the fountain because the birds will undoubtedly soil it rather quickly and your fountain will turn into a poop soup. Same thing where you end up placing your water and food dishes. Make sure there are no branches above these so they will remain as clean as possible.

3. It's hard to keep natural wood branches clean so I end up just replacing them with new ones every so often. It's never a problem for me because I'm surrounded by plenty of safe trees. But make sure when you do put in branches that they are safe for the birds.

Best of luck to you and post some pictures of your aviary during the construction process and once it's all finished. What type of finches do you want to keep and how many?

[Christopher Smith]

1. What's the best type of flooring? I was thinking linoleum...

2. Any advice/experience with fountains in an aviary? I saw one I really like at Lowe's. Its a few feet high; looks like a natural rock waterfall with lots of little pools for the birds to play in. I'm just wondering how to keep it clean...

3. I want to create a perch system from real branches (see pictures). I'm trying to avoid using plastic so it will look more organic and natural, so I don't want to use the store bought bird swings. I'm wondering how I could keep the branches clean...would wiping them down with a wet cloth and vinegar be enough?

Feel free to share any other thoughts you have. I am very new to all of this! Can't wait to get my first birds

The most glaring problem I see right away is the fountain. I would never put a fountain in an aviary. In no time you will have poop, feathers and seed husk in you fountain. This will make it a disease pit! All of your water sources should be gravity or tube waters. This way they stay much cleaner. And never have water more than an inch or two in your aviary; your birds can drown in them.

Also use a gravity feeder for your food. Remember, poop is the number one vector for disease. So keep the poop out of your food and water.

Natural perches are great. They are easier to keep clean if you peel the bark off of them. I use sand paper and wire brushes to clean mine. Use a mask so you don’t breath in the poop dust.

Linoleum is a great floor covering. But I would put down a bit of sand over it. That will stop the poop from sticking to it as much.

BTW, did I mention all of the poop!

What kind of finches are you getting?

[steph]

Eddie - replacing the perches is a good idea. We have a lot of branches around here!

Chris S - I might heed your advice about the fountain. I thought I'd heard of people putting fountains in their aviaries before, so I figured it could be done. I'd be interested to hear how people with fountains in their aviaries keep them clean or if they realized it was a mistake.

The cordon bleu was what gave me the fever, so I will probably get a pair of those first. I saw them at a pet store and fell in love! I also like the owls, parrots, and Lady Gouldians. I used the calculator on Finch Info and it said I will be able to house 12-16 birds, so I want a mixture of species. I couldn't possibly choose just one!

I will definately post pictures as I build (or should I say as my husband builds while I take pictures!...all right, I'll help)

[Sally]

The people who have used fountains in their aviaries often use tabletop fountains, so they would be easier to clean. In a 3'x8' aviary, cleaning and maintenance need to be as easy as possible. If you use live plants, you may want to have two of each plant, so you can rotate them out of the aviary--they will get torn up or pooped on by the birds and will soon look ratty.

Since the back and one side will be next to the screen, window screen is too fine to be used as aviary mesh--smaller birds like Cordon Bleus can get their toenails hooked in the screen and be caught. Ideally, if the screen is mounted on the outside of the posts, then you could mount your aviary mesh, 1/2"x1/2" or whatever size you plan to use, on the inside of the posts. Don't know if I'm making myself clear or not.

Where do you live? A screened porch in a mild climate is a wonderful place for an aviary--even in colder climates, you can close in the aviary or work something out to keep the aviary warm.

I love the Cordon Bleus, too--they are not only pretty, but they sing. Your selection of finches should work well (I'm assuming you are talking about parrot finches, not parrots!), a very colorful and interesting combination. Before you buy from a pet store, see if you can find a breeder in your area.

[FeatherHarp]

How fun to have plans for a nice Aviary.....I would love to do that to.....someday! Keep us updated on how things are coming along!

[dfcauley]

I have an enclosed porch turned into an aviary.

My floor is tiled and I love it. I sweep it every day, put newspapers down in the target spots (under perches... etc....) and i mop it every weekend.

I spend about 20 -30 minutes per day cleaning and that is including changing water and food dishes. I had a table top fountain and loved it, but it quit working. I do not use tube waterers. I have two LARGE shallow dishes that I change twice a day. I have their food in dishes, but the way it is set up , it is seldom pooped in.

I have two silk trees and lots of live plants. I take them outside and wash them down with a hose about once a week to clean them off.

It is truly alot of work and not for the faint of heart. But it is worth all the effort in my opinon.

[L in Ontario]

Sounds like you're in for a great project with fun along the way. I'll be watching your progress with interest and cheering you on.

[steph]

The people who have used fountains in their aviaries often use tabletop fountains, so they would be easier to clean. In a 3'x8' aviary, cleaning and maintenance need to be as easy as possible. If you use live plants, you may want to have two of each plant, so you can rotate them out of the aviary--they will get torn up or pooped on by the birds and will soon look ratty.

Good idea about switching out the plants. I will probably do that!

Since the back and one side will be next to the screen, window screen is too fine to be used as aviary mesh--smaller birds like Cordon Bleus can get their toenails hooked in the screen and be caught. Ideally, if the screen is mounted on the outside of the posts, then you could mount your aviary mesh, 1/2"x1/2" or whatever size you plan to use, on the inside of the posts. Don't know if I'm making myself clear or not.

I will not use the screen as part of the enclosure. I planned on the enclosure being somewhat movable...might use casters...If we get a hurricane I would like to be able to roll the enclosure into the garage. Also, I would like to be able to move the enclosure to clean behind it.

Where do you live? A screened porch in a mild climate is a wonderful place for an aviary--even in colder climates, you can close in the aviary or work something out to keep the aviary warm.

I'm in Central Florida, so we rarely have cold weather. I plan on having a heating system in place for those rare cold nights. Still researching the best setup for heating...

I love the Cordon Bleus, too--they are not only pretty, but they sing. Your selection of finches should work well (I'm assuming you are talking about parrot finches, not parrots!), a very colorful and interesting combination. Before you buy from a pet store, see if you can find a breeder in your area.

I've been on the lookout for breeders in my area, but have had no luck so far. Still looking...

[steph]

I have an enclosed porch turned into an aviary.

My floor is tiled and I love it. I sweep it every day, put newspapers down in the target spots (under perches... etc....) and i mop it every weekend.

Someone suggested putting a thin layer of sand down to make the poop easier to sweep out. Have you tried this before? What do you think about it?

I spend about 20 -30 minutes per day cleaning and that is including changing water and food dishes. I had a table top fountain and loved it, but it quit working. I do not use tube waterers. I have two LARGE shallow dishes that I change twice a day. I have their food in dishes, but the way it is set up , it is seldom pooped in.

I have two silk trees and lots of live plants. I take them outside and wash them down with a hose about once a week to clean them off.

It is truly alot of work and not for the faint of heart. But it is worth all the effort in my opinon.

I'm sure your birds appreciate all of your hard work! How many birds do you have?

[steph]

The first step I've taken is to build a wood frame model (made with wooden skewers and masking tape!). I used Crystal's "California Flight" as a starting point for my design. I ended up changing the layout of the doors since I will not have side entry access; only front access.

The aviary dimensions will be 7'L x 3'D x 4'H on 2' high legs w/ casters.

On the front wall of the aviary (the wall I will use to access the interior of the aviary) there will be a plexiglass panel spanning the length of the aviary. It will start at the floor and go up 12". The plexiglass will be hinged so that it opens upward so I can have access to the floor of the aviary. The floor will be mesh with a removable plywood panel which will be covered in craft paper. This way I can take the wooden piece out for disinfecting without the birds from escaping.

Above the plexiglass panel will be 3' of mesh to the top of the aviary. There will be 18" wide panel doors on each side of the front wall.

The roof of the aviary will also be mesh. There will be wood beams every 12" of depth spanning the length of the aviary. These will be for hanging things inside the aviary.

There will also be a wood beam running through the inside of the aviary 12" from the floor and 12" from the rear wall. This will be to prop potted plants on. I thought about making it a solid ledge, but decided it would be one more floor space to lay paper on and have to change all the time, so I think just the beam will be enough support.

For materials, I'm going to use non-treated pine and powder-coated wire mesh.

Is it okay to paint the pine with interior paint like the kind you buy at Lowe's to paint inside your house?

Now for the pictures!

[mickp]

why not stain the pine a darker color instead of painting it, stained timber always looks bettter than painted

[jamezyboo21]

I just built a small aviary bout 2 months ago and i love it. Im ready to build another, lol. Good luck and make sure you post up pics of the new aviary when you finish it. I love pictures.

[franny]

why not stain the pine a darker color instead of painting it, stained timber always looks bettter than painted

Yes I agree. But use a waterbased stain, then if you want a smoother surface for washability, coat it with clear semi-gloss or gloss verathane. Non-toxic when dry, and wipes clean easily. That's what my cage is coated with.

[jamezyboo21]

Thats what i did with my aviary, we water proofed it then painted it 3 coats on it to make sure during the summer months when it rained everything would be water proof and not get damaged.