My new aviary. Any suggestion on my planned set up?

[AndreasLon]

I’m have recently bought an extension to my aviary and by the time I’ll have finished building it the outside section will be 17.3 feet long x 6 ft wide (5.2 m x 1.8 m) and the indoor section will be 7 ft x 3’5” (2.1 x 1.05). The indoor part is actually within my house and it’s decorated with fake and real plants. The outside will also be planted.

I’m going to describe what I plan to have and I would like your opinions on whether you can see anything wrong, right or that may need improving.

The total area will be 128 square ft (11.5 square metres) and 7” tall (2.1m).

Birds: 17 in total: Gouldians (3 males, 2 females), Green singers (1 pair), Heck finches (2 females), Owl finches (2 pairs), Forbes parrot finches (1 pair), Lineolated parakeets (1 pair). I know most people don’t like to mix hookbills with finches but mine have lived together for over a year now, and they are absolutely fine. Neither is scared of the other or seems bothered by the hookbill/finch presence.

Plants: Indoor: Weeping Fig, orchids. Outdoor: sambucus racemosa (red berried elder), pyracantha, fruit tree, honeysuckle, passion fruit. The plants are both decorative and provide edible fruit and attract insects.

Floor: plants planted in soil through weed suppressing membrane and covered with metal netting and 2-3” of gravel. This is to minimise infection from worms or other soil borne parasites.

Watering: automatic sprinkler system that goes off daily from 5ft down, so birds can shower on a daily basis or stay in the upper part that will stay dry if they don’t want to.

Nesting sites: throughout the aviary.

Feeding station: only indoors.

The aviary won’t be covered and I aim to minimise infection from wild birds by keeping the floor covered in gravel. Nests will have individual shelter boxes build to keep them dry. Birds will be wormed twice a year.

Things that I know some people may comment on are:
- not mixing hookbills with finches. I totally agree with the vast majority of hookbills but Linnies are fine. I know from first hand experience.
- Weeping fig can be toxic. This may be the case but my birds have lived with a weeping fig for one year, only initiallly picking at some leaves and they are fine.
- Green singers can be aggressive during the breeding season.

Other than the points described above, what do people here think of this set up?

[cindy]

That sounds absolutely like a finch paradise! Photograph as you build so we can see it in it's building stages...if you can.

You can try adding some Rosey bourkes, they are very passive and are sweet, they do well in large aviary settings. I had them and their beautiful pink coral color is eye cathing. They are most active in the early morning and love to fly quickly across the aviary singing a very soft gentle song.

A friend of mine raises linnies, I love the deep rich blues/turquoise colors. Really sweet birds.

Best wishes on a lovely aviary.

[AndreasLon]

That sounds absolutely like a finch paradise! Photograph as you build so we can see it in it's building stages...if you can.

You can try adding some Rosey bourkes, they are very passive and are sweet, they do well in large aviary settings. I had them and their beautiful pink coral color is eye cathing. They are most active in the early morning and love to fly quickly across the aviary singing a very soft gentle song.

A friend of mine raises linnies, I love the deep rich blues/turquoise colors. Really sweet birds.

Best wishes on a lovely aviary.

Thank you Cindy. I intend to take photos and long term put some web cameras so I can watch my birds during the day from work (and also make them public so anyone interested can see the birds in the aviary).

I had neophemas with finches before but found they would really unsettle the finches every time they would take off. I had two beautiful turquoisine parakeets that I had to give away because of that. Burkes are even worse cause they are active at dawn and early morning when the finches are still waking up/settling down for the night.

In my experience they really disrupt any breeding attempt by the finches.

[cindy]

Your bourkes sound more active than mine were, mine were pretty laid back. They are early risers but so am I so my finches and bourkes were use to the lights and early sunrise. I can see were you would be concerned with them startling the finches.

I must say your setting sounds absolutely lovely and any finch would be lucky to live in such a nice setting. The fruit trees sound ideal for food and to perch in.

[AndreasLon]

Your bourkes sound more active than mine were, mine were pretty laid back. They are early risers but so am I so my finches and bourkes were use to the lights and early sunrise. I can see were you would be concerned with them startling the finches.

I must say your setting sounds absolutely lovely and any finch would be lucky to live in such a nice setting. The fruit trees sound ideal for food and to perch in.

Thank you for your kind words. I'll make sure to post photos. Should all be ready in 1 month (perhaps minus the plants as it's still too cold for them to be planted out).

[Sally]

Sounds like a fabulous setup for the birds, so much space! Yes, please, photos as you progress. People are always looking for ideas and advice on how to build and setup an aviary, and it is hard to find it on the web.

Are your birds used to the cold? If not, it might be best to wait till it warms up a bit before moving them outside. They usually have to get accimated gradually to colder weather.

[AndreasLon]

Sounds like a fabulous setup for the birds, so much space! Yes, please, photos as you progress. People are always looking for ideas and advice on how to build and setup an aviary, and it is hard to find it on the web.

Are your birds used to the cold? If not, it might be best to wait till it warms up a bit before moving them outside. They usually have to get accimated gradually to colder weather.

Hi Sally and thanks,

From November through to March, my birds are only allowed outside on nice sunny days and only during the warmer hours of the day. From March they have the have free access to outdoor and they chose if and when to come in.

Mine are a big bunch of softies. My Gouldians won’t even go near the peep hole unless the temperature outside is over 8 degrees celcius. They actually really like the indoor bit more than outside for the time being as it has lots of plants and it’s very bright and warm, whereas outside it’s grey and wet (this is England after all).

Indoor the temperature is 15-20 degrees and more importantly, it’s dry!

[Ursula]

That sounds like a great setup! I can't wait to see pictures...

I have budgies mixed with finches and they get along just fine.

I would only worry about toxic plants with the hookbills. I also have a mix of fake and real plants and my finches don't touch the plants unless there are dry leaves and stems that they can pull off and use for nest building. The budgies on the other hand will chew on everything, so I am very careful with what I put in the aviary. The weeping fig has some milk in the leaves and stems that is irritating, I think I wouldn't put it in. But if you have had it before and they don't touch it it should be fine. Maybe your parakeets aren't as heavy chewers as my budgies are...

[AndreasLon]

That sounds like a great setup! I can't wait to see pictures...

I have budgies mixed with finches and they get along just fine.

I would only worry about toxic plants with the hookbills. I also have a mix of fake and real plants and my finches don't touch the plants unless there are dry leaves and stems that they can pull off and use for nest building. The budgies on the other hand will chew on everything, so I am very careful with what I put in the aviary. The weeping fig has some milk in the leaves and stems that is irritating, I think I wouldn't put it in. But if you have had it before and they don't touch it it should be fine. Maybe your parakeets aren't as heavy chewers as my budgies are...

No, definitely the Linnies don't chew as much and they prefer other woods and plants to the weeping fig. I think they too a few bites and found out the sap didn't taste nice. Clever birds.

[Ursula]

Yes, maybe they just know that it isn't good for them.

The budgies on the other hand seem to be pretty stupid. There were even starting to chew on the wooden window frames (and the paint really can't taste good!) so we had to cover them with metal strips that they can't chew on. Or they try but really can't bite anything off... And believe me, they have plenty of other things to chew on in there, like wooden perches and toys and seed sticks and what have you...

[HoangQuan]

AndreasLon, I read your post and couldn't help myself imagining about such a wonderful place for finches, wow, your birds must be so lucky having an owner like you . Be sure to post photos here as soon as possible, I'll keep watching this topic for sure.
About the automatic sprinkler system, that's great. but make sure you have a control over humidity, I found that finches wont doing so well in a high humidity-environment.
And, orchids? wow, which kind?

[AndreasLon]

AndreasLon, I read your post and couldn't help myself imagining about such a wonderful place for finches, wow, your birds must be so lucky having an owner like you . Be sure to post photos here as soon as possible, I'll keep watching this topic for sure.
About the automatic sprinkler system, that's great. but make sure you have a control over humidity, I found that finches wont doing so well in a high humidity-environment.
And, orchids? wow, which kind?

I think the parrot finches and the parakeets would be fine with humidity as they originate from heavily forested areas but he Gouldians would definitely suffer with humidity.

Luckily we don’t have that problem in Europe as we have relatively dry and sunny summers and I plan to open the sprinkler at 9 am so the sun is already up but it’s not too hot so it won’t scorch the plants and then the gravel will have the rest of the day to be dry for evening. The aviary will be completely open on all sides so no danger of damp areas developing.

Winter humidity is however a big problem, but then they will stay in where it’s warm and dry.

[franny]

Floor: plants planted in soil through weed suppressing membrane and covered with metal netting and 2-3” of gravel. This is to minimise infection from worms or other soil borne parasites.

My concern here would be mice or rats getting in. The opening in the metal netting around each plant (for roots) could allow access by rodents. I would think it would be better to bury the wire deep enough so that soil above it would be enough to sustain the plants' root systems. Maybe MikeP or someone who keeps a planted aviary can comment on how they prevent rodent/snake intrusion...

The aviary won’t be covered and I aim to minimise infection from wild birds by keeping the floor covered in gravel. Nests will have individual shelter boxes build to keep them dry. Birds will be wormed twice a year.

Why would you not want to have at least some cover in the outside part of the aviary? I think it would be nice to have one area (perhaps right near the entrance to the indoor part) at least partially covered and protected from wind on one side. This would also help to prevent too much draft or rain from blowing in to the inside portion. Just an idea... Might make the gouldians less timid about venturing outside, too.

Otherwise it sounds wonderful! Lots of sunlight for your birds, so no worries about them getting enough D3.

[AndreasLon]

Hi Fran,

Absolutely right on both fronts and I forgot to mention that the area adjecent to the indoor area is covered and protected on both sides. That area already exists and my birds love to sleep there on a warm summer's night.

As for the planting, this is what I do: I cut the netting in X shape, then lift the four parts which gives me a nice circular shape. Then, plant the plant and with metal wire, sew the netting back. It just leave about 1x1 inch of room for the plant stem. The whole thing then gets covered by 3" of gravel. This weighs the netting down and makes it very difficult for mice or rats to get in (if they manage to get past the hole left for the stem.

All the area around the aviary gets the same treatment: membrane, netting and gravel.

It should be rodent proof.

[franny]

That sounds fine for plants with a single stem. A mouse can get through a pretty small hole...but with the gravel on top you will hopefully be OK. I was assuming that you might be planting something like grasses or shrubs. I guess if you want those in the aviary they could always go in pots.

Oh how I wish I could have so much room to let my fids really fly! And to give them natural sunlight. I'd be sitting outside watching them enjoy the sunlight all day long! That is, I would be sitting outside in the sun...if I didn't live here on the "wet" coast of Canada! We get about as much rain as you do here. It's not called a rain forest for nothing!!!