How High to the Cages have to be?

SilentFeather · Post by **SilentFeather** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:33 pm

I might build my own flight cage, and I'm planning on making it big enough for 2-3 birds. I wouldn't think 1 foot is high enough, so 2 feet high or is 3 feet better?
I may just go up in the attic and look for a big enough peice of furniture to transform into a bird flight.

There's tons of stuff lying around.
Thank you,
SilentFeather

bonnies_gouldians · Post by **bonnies_gouldians** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:47 pm

The smallest that I normally hear about people using as breeding/flight cages is 18". Mainly because finches don't normally use height so much as the length. You can check with the FIC link to the left of the postings and put in a few different dimmensions to see the minimum size for the number of birds that you want to keep. Or if you find your ideal piece of furniture to convert, you can the put its dimmensions into the calculator and have it spit out a maximum number of finches that can be kept in that space.

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 2:25 am

for finches width and depth are more important than height

franny · Post by **franny** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 3:28 pm

Also keep in mind that if it's a cage, you have to be able to reach everywhere inside it easily, so unless you have unusually long arms, probably 3 feet would be the maximum height. Anything higher and you couldn't reach top or bottom to catch a bird, place a perch, etc.

Here's a link to the cage I built, in case it might help give you some ideas. The cage size calculator says mine will house 3 finches. I keep a pair of Goldbreasted Waxbills in it, and they recently raised 4 babies. They all got along well in this size cage, until the babies were weaned (about 6 weeks from fledging). Cage is 3'L by 2'W by 3'H give or take a couple of inches.

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=3356&highlight=

I like the height, and I find that they do fly straight up from the cage bottom to the highest perch. So the vertical space does get used and gives them plenty of exercise. But it doesn't mean that you can put more birds in. If you can find a piece of furniture that will convert, that doesn't have so much height, then go for it!

SilentFeather · Post by **SilentFeather** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:47 pm

Ok thanks. I do understand that the length and width is much more important than the height. Just wanted to check on the height.
Well I found 2 dressers, and empty, one measures 18.5''x36''(fits 2-3 birds) the shorter one is around 58''x17.5'' (fits 3-4 birds). I'm leaning towards the bigger one. But I'm not sure on what to measure becaue it does have a frame on the inside... Without the frame it would be 59''x18.5 and that would hold up to 5 birds... so which is it?
Thanks
SilentFeather

franny · Post by **franny** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:08 pm

SilentFeather wrote:...But I'm not sure on what to measure becaue it does have a frame on the inside... Without the frame it would be 59''x18.5 and that would hold up to 5 birds... so which is it?
Thanks
SilentFeather

Take the inside measurement to calculate how many birds it will hold. Meaning,if you staple the wire to the inside of the frame, then that's where you measure. You need to estimate how much square footage of actual flying room they'll have.

Just edited to add what a good idea that is to use an old dresser!

SilentFeather · Post by **SilentFeather** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:23 pm

Ok thank you so much!
Im sorry that these questions are endless...
but How would you suggest to build this dresser flight cage? I'm still planning on how this would work... but could i just staple a screen over the front? Or would it have to be more open? I will include a door, easy bottom cleaning and all the extras.
I'm going back out right now to take some pictures of the dresser.
Thank you

Edited to also say that with the other dresser I could divide it in half horizontally and have two seperate 18''high cages. So I could have a total of 6 birds. It would be good if I decided to let a pair breed... i could seperate them easily.

oh boy the finch fever you talk of is catching up with me...

BillD · Post by **BillD** » Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:02 pm

As you've already heard from others.. Finches LOVE to fly.. so the longer and wider you can provide for them, the happier they will be.

franny · Post by **franny** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 2:08 pm

SilentFeather wrote:Ok thank you so much!
Im sorry that these questions are endless...
but How would you suggest to build this dresser flight cage? I'm still planning on how this would work... but could i just staple a screen over the front? Or would it have to be more open? I will include a door, easy bottom cleaning and all the extras.
I'm going back out right now to take some pictures of the dresser.
Thank you

Edited to also say that with the other dresser I could divide it in half horizontally and have two seperate 18''high cages. So I could have a total of 6 birds. It would be good if I decided to let a pair breed... i could seperate them easily. oh boy the finch fever you talk of is catching up with me...

Yes you could just staple a screen across the front. Especially for breeding, they would like the feeling of security they would have from 3 solid sides. And it would be easy to put a couple of doors in, for easy access, or for attaching a nesting box.

But my one concern would be the wood frame on the inside. Any flat edges will just be a place for the birds to perch and poop. I'd be tempted to either sand any flat (horizontal) edges so that they are curved, so that a bird trying to sit would slide off, or glue a piece of 1/4 round molding over any horizontal surfaces around the inside of the dresser. Am I making any sense to you?

You want them to perch away from the sides where they'd just dirty the cage, and perch on actual perches, so that they feces ends up on the bottom, in the catch tray.