making a wire cage is NOT easy, the wire won, I lost :-(

[ac12]

poohbear and mickp
For the wood back cages, how are the perches installed. That is what has puzzled me when looking at the cages with only wire mesh/bars in front.

The solid back cage is getting my attention, as I found poop on the wall...again
I had a towel covering most of the back of the cage, but they figured a way to poop over the towel, maybe by clinging to the cage above the towel.

[mickp]

I use tree branches up to 1/2" in diameter. I always cut them an inch longer than the cage and then just force them in. creates a nice solid perch for the birds and once the wood dries out it still stays in place. you can purchase perch holders, have a look at fairestfinches web site

[ac12]

I did not see a perch holder, but I think I know what you mean. You stick a branch into it, and screw the holder onto the screen. So the branch is supported only on one end, the screen, the end nearest the back wall is unsupported.

hmmm. The 1/2x1/2 mesh that I used would flex too much. Sounds like I would have to rig up some kind of support on the back wall. Or use stiffer mesh.

[ac12]

I had a minor success today.
I made a smaller cage 17Lx12Dx12H to use as a quaranteen cage.
I cut all the sides individually, rather than try to bend the front, top, back and bottom out of one piece of wire mesh, as I did the first cage. That made the corners form much better. And the smaller cage is stiffer than the longer 32Lx13Dx17H cage.

17 inches long seems to be about the limit for the 1/2x1/2 mesh. Beyond that it will need support of a frame.

After this success, I might try a 32Lx13Dx15H breeder cage but this time with a wood frame.

Then I want to try making one similar to the European breeder cages, but using coroplast. That would save on the extra step of putting plastic sheeting on the sides and back, to stop the birds from shooting poop on the wall.

I had almost given up on making my own cages.

[franny]

...hmmm. The 1/2x1/2 mesh that I used would flex too much. Sounds like I would have to rig up some kind of support on the back wall. Or use stiffer mesh.

You can also just screw a bolt into the end of a branch, then use a wing nut and washer to attach to the wire cage. I have a light weight 3/8" square wire and it does support a perch just fine. In fact the perch has a bit of natural bounce when the birds land and take off and I think they like that.

For the solid wood back, you can cut a small square of 1" pine, drill a hole for the end of the branch. When you've stuck the branch in you put a screw into the side of the pine square or cube, to go into the branch and keep it from slipping out. Then you screw the cube to the back of the cage with 2 screws (so it won't spin). Somewhere on this forum I think there may be pictures... I'll see if I can find pics of what I mean.

[atarasi]

Ac12, just for reference on how much stiffer the 1/2" x 1" wire is, I constructed a cage that is 24" tall, 24" deep and 48" long without a frame. The wire cage just sits inside a wooden box that with 5" tall sides.
The screw thru Manzanita perches have enough support with this wire. Also the 16oz water feeder is very stable mounted in the middle of the long part of the cage and doesn't get jostled everytime there is movement.

[franny]

Found the link to that great perch holder for the solid backed cages:

http://www.javafinch.com/perch/perch.html

[ac12]

I figured out how to install perches in a coroplast cage.
I used the idea from Fran's link to make a 2 layer thick block of coroplast, then drilled a hole and reamed it out to TIGHT fit a branch.
Then I taped the block to the back wall of the cage (did not want to make holes).
Then I stuck the branch in the hole and out one of the holes in the wire mesh, or braced against the wire mesh for a larger branch.

[L in Ontario]

Sounds good ac. I'd love to see a photo or two!

[ac12]

Posted pixs of my coroplast cage

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=5339