Aviary Plans

Post by **Hilary** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 1:10 am

Something stretchy for the roof would be ideal, as long as you don't have a fat cat who will want to lay on it!

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:41 am

actually when I mentioned the strechy roof to John his first response was, "not unless you want a cat in your aviary"

I wouldn't put it past Hades to jump up there once, he'd better hope I don't catch him though

Although the last time he tried it he fell in the crab tank and I"m pretty sure he either got pinched or he hurt himself b/c it was the only time someone has jumped on the crab tank and it sits conveniently right below the finch cage.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:53 am

hi tahlia
if you put some netting on top i dont think he will try to get up there as i have heard they do not like unsafe surfaces..or is hades an exeption to the rule

ken

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 12:50 pm

lol well he's 13 lbs, so my guess is if he hopped up 1 time would be all it would take for him to crash through, he might never do it again, but he'd also open up the roof and my birds would get out lol. I think I might get some cotton batting or foam rubber and just pad the top of the cage until I"m sure the quail won't boink themselves into unconsciousness or worse!

Oh good news! I called the birds store and they said they'd give me credit for the babies, they also said they'll have Shaft tails in at the end of April and although they have button quail now, they said they should still have some at the end of April too!

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:17 pm

OK here's the new plans, this is what I'll eventually be building. What do you all think? Any improvements that you can think of?
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o265 ... eplans.jpg

spooble · Post by **spooble** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:39 pm

Looking good Thalia. Be sure to post pics once you get started. The flight I'm planning will be similar... but I'm shooting for 60" wide and 48" tall. I was wanting mine to have wheels so I could roll it out on the deck, but I did some measuring and a 60 x 24 flight won't make it from the computer room, down the hall, and out the back door. So now the plan is to make 2 30" flights that will combine to make 60 inches. If all goes well, I'll be able to slide in 2 dividers, unhook a few latches and have 2 halves that WILL make it out the back door. Wish me luck!

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:57 pm

that sounds cool spooble! I'm planning on making a divider for mine so that I can shoo all the birds to one side and clean, then take out the divider, shoo them to the clean side and clean the other side. Less chance of the birds getting free and becoming cat snacks. The quail I'm going to let run around on the floor (after removing the cats from the room) I'm actually looking forward to doing that and having to catch them again

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:16 am

hi thalia
nice plans!when you have the actual thing made dont forget to give us all some photos to look at

ken

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:22 am

thalia
thats the way my cages are made i put a slider inbetween each one and when they need cleaning they get scooted over from one side to the other

ken

plantsandbirds · Post by **plantsandbirds** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:41 am

Oh, Ken! Everytime I see a photo of your lovely set-up I get jealous!

I've been pining for a garden/potting shed and your lovely bird house could be one of those too!

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:13 am

You do have a lovely set up kenny

How did you make your dividers? Do they slide in from the front? I'm just wondering how to make them easy to put in, but not leave a permanent gap in the cage that dirt could come out of...

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:58 am

hi thalai/plantsandbirds
didnt put it up to make anyone jelous but to show how the dividers fit...my cages were made on one level and each cage is seperated .at the top and bottom is a peice of wood with a groove in it thick enough to take a peice of hardboard...pegboard or mdf would do as good as long as it doesnt get to wet i painted mine white to match the cages the top is an inch thick and the bottom is 2 inches thick to prevent anything from spilling out of the cages and the sliders are made to fit inbetween the 2 peices of wood so that there is no gap at the top or bottom of the divider so if say you had an ill bird you could put it in one cage push the divider in and put a lamp on it without the other birds getting access to it..and as i have already said you can clean one end move the birds and then clean the others

ken

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:27 am

hi thalia
if these help i will be really glad as i like to pass things on ,so i have just been to take these and put them up to see if it will clarify what i have just written

ken

Thalia · Post by **Thalia** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:34 am

OH I see, ok, so your little crack in the outside of the cage doesn't let a lot of dirt out? that's the only thing I'm worried about. I'll have to show John your pics and we can design something.

kenny · Post by **kenny** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 11:47 am

hi thalia
with the cages being lower than the groove there is very little that gets out the reason why the sand is in there is..i seived it in there on sunday and didnt vac it out which is also another good thing about them just dstick the vac at the front of the groove and everyhting is sucked out..the cage front are made to do the same thing i just flip the toggles and take the cage front off and stick the vac in it takes about 10 minutes to clean all three in the row

ken

ps i seive it as it spreads easier and it takes all the rubbish out also