Aviary Advice

[deb 0]

After my aviary got flooded we have decided to concrete the floor but finances are limited at the moment so what would be the best way to do drainage but is not going to cost heaps.i cannot move the aviary so would the drainage be better to be on the outside to stop any water from getting in. Should i do concrete tiles or concrete the whole base.Posted a picture so any advice would be helpful.

 

[melbournebudgies 0]

I guess the problem is if that whole corner of your yard was flooded including the aviary then drainage ain't gonna make a whole lot of difference in bigger flooding like you had th other day. If you had the concrete or tiles just marginally sloping towards the front of the aviary then excess water would simply draine out through the wire. But don't slope it too much or everything will slide towards the front!

[deb 0]

The aviary floor is level but the problem is our yard is on a little slope so when it rains all the water runs down to the bottom of the yard which is where the aviary is. We cannot build on the top side because it is too close to the neighbours house.

[Dave_McMinn 0]

okay Deb, I gave this some thought and here are 2 options.

 

1) You want to build the aviary up so it sits a little higher than that rest of the lawn. That means that water will not flow into it. The best way to do this is to conrete it a little higher. To do this, you will need to temporarily move the aviary. The next thing you do is get some sleepers, nice thick ones, to set as your floor bounday. You place them around the aviary, making them at least 10cms higher than the lawn. Make sure they form up into a rectangle larger than the aviary. You conrete in the middle of these, ensuring that the floor/slab is higher than the grass. This will mean that when it rains, no water will flow into the aviary as it cannot flow up hill.

 

2) Another cheaper option might be to put a trench around the aviary. You dig a moat if you like around the sides of he aviary. In that trench you get some wire tubing. You can get material like a stocking to go over this tubing. The point of this material is to allow the water, but not the dirt go into the tubing. You run the tubing away from the aviary, on a slope, so the water flows away. So you don't have a big gaping trench there, you fill the trench in with pebbles. Now, if you are looking for ugly, you can cover the trench with basic blue metal (cheaper), but you can use white river stones that would look good, or maybe even some scoria. This will stop water getting in, but is still leaves you with a dirt/sand base in your aviary.

 

personally I think that option number 1 is the way to go. It is of course possible to combine 1 and 2. After thinking about your backyard, I think that it would be best to combine 1 and 2. Stretch the trench all the way across this avairy and the new one you are constructing.

Edited April 25, 2008 by Dave_McMinn

[Norm 0]

My suggestion would be that you would have to remove the birds & then lift the whole aviary up on some blocks, to give it clearance above the ground & then put the concrete or blocks down & lower the aviary onto it. Usually concrete would be at least 4 inches in old measurement. Also as suggested have a slight slope towards the front so that any water runs away. If you get water any deeper than the height you can make the floor you would need to do some drainage around it to direct water away. If the aviary was a bit higher like I suggest that would also help prevent rusting of the base metal of the aviary also.

[deb 0]

Thanks for the advice, i think the idea of lifting the aviary up and putting on blocks sounds good. We did not think it would flood like it did, we do not normally get this much rain but we have blue sky today. Yeah!

[Norm 0]

Looking good here also Deb, but I hope it lasts more than a couple of days this time. After the years of drought, it’s always the way, now it wont stop. Moderation isn’t how Australia works but, I guess.

[Julie 0]

Looking good here also Deb, but I hope it lasts more than a couple of days this time. After the years of drought, it's always the way, now it wont stop. Moderation isn't how Australia works but, I guess.

 

Guess that's why the poem goes...."Land of drought and flooding rains" ')

 

Back on topic ... I like option 1 as well but if that's not possible then the moat seems good too.

What about making a 'barrier' around the aviary, like they do with sandbags? If you made like a wall that you could still get over but would impede the water flow getting to the aviary? Maybe with some concrete or wooden sleepers?

[*libby* 0]

i like norms idea, with an aviary like that it's a simple fix and low cost

[**Liv** 0]

Thanks for the rain Deb, We are have dark skies and lovely RAIN!!!! Hope you are enjoing our blue skies hehehehe

 

All the best with working out your aviary floor.

[deb 0]

Thanks for the rain Deb, We are have dark skies and lovely RAIN!!!! Hope you are enjoing our blue skies hehehehe

 

All the best with working out your aviary floor.

 

 

you are welcome to the rain, i have been enjoying the sun and got the aviary cleaned today. i have been browsing ebay for pavers, working out if it is cheaper to put down pavers or concrete the base.

[**Liv** 0]

I have pavers as the floor in mine. Cheaper and easier (in my opinion )

Edited April 26, 2008 by **Liv**

[Little one 0]

Yes, mine is also brick paved .

[deb 0]

i am going to go with pavers, it sounds like a much easier way to go

[Julie 0]

i am going to go with pavers, it sounds like a much easier way to go

Sometimes you can score pavers in the local papers as give aways. That's how I got my first lot.

[deb 0]

Thanks Julie, i have been browsing the net last night and i am going to check out the recycle centres as well.

[Guest DrNat]

If it is only temporary and low cost could you raise it up on wood palettes with a solid sheet of marine ply nailed to the top of each palette as the floor?

[**KAZ** 0]

If it is only temporary and low cost could you raise it up on wood palettes with a solid sheet of marine ply nailed to the top of each palette as the floor?

Thats a very good idea

[deb 0]

i thought about wood pallets but was worried that after a few years they would rot with moisture. What i do is going to be a permanent solution.

[CYCLEPRO101 0]

How do u clean the bottom of the aviary? I want to do a concrete floor in mine and have a grated drain going to the storm water when I do mine.

 

Steve

[deb 0]

i just use a little shovel and bucket and pick up all the poo and other mess the budgies have made. i do it every second day but still takes me a while so that is another reason why i am changing to pavers.

[CYCLEPRO101 0]

So what would change with pavers? Would u just hose it out onto the lawn?

 

Steve

[deb 0]

i will hose the pavers and with my yard being on a slope the water will run behind the aviary where i have a heap of trees so they will get watered when i clean the aviary.

[CYCLEPRO101 0]

Sounds like a plan to me :hap: