Wire Cages Versus Wooden Or Plastic Coated Wooden

[fordmob 0]

Previously I have used wooden cages. Since re-entering the hobby I decided to go with wire cages. At the moment the big issue I see is seed wastage, but the advantage of this is that the seed doesn't end up in thier **** on the floor. I may get some seed catchers sewn up to prevent it ending up on the birdroom floor. The wire cages were inexpensive and I like the idea of them being portable.

 

The chick situation i have thought about and I will put a small timber box in the cage when the time comes.

 

The distraction issue, have noticed it, still yet to decide if it is a major problem. If it becomes an issue I will place some kind of visual barrier between the cages which will be fairly easy done.

 

Also I have decided that I am going to start breeding at this time for a couple of seasons to see how it goes. I will have less need for warmth and more need for air flow during the warmer months.

[splat 0]

I am swaying between the two to be honest because they both have their good points and their bad points, But I think the mess turns me off the most on the wire cages.

[Bubbles 0]

I have wooden box type cages like most , my friend has 28 wire breeding cages a similar size with an automatic watering system connected to the mains using edstrom waters. The only fault with the watering system is that it occasionally drips when the birds play with it rather than just drink from them , hence the wire cages , they are not affected by water where wooden ones swell and if chipboard fall apart .

If I was starting again I would go wire , but like most I built up my 12 breeding boxes 3 at a time to what I have today and would find it hard financially and motivationally to start all over again , my systems are built one on top of each other as I went along .

 

Bubbles

[GenericBlue 0]

well i use wire cages

the only issue i can see with them but i figger would be same with wooden is if you had an out break of illness im guessing wire cages close to eachother would be less able to prevent it from going through your whole breeders

personally this has not happened to me thank goodness

i just use a knife to clean poop off and remove clumps dayly or second day

i put news paper on bottom on the tray so i just take first few layers away when gets too many seed husks

 

advantages

water never dampens floor if ever leaks out

they fold away after breeding season

to clean just place them all out in the rain for few wet days cover with bleach and give a scrub rinse off with gerrny dry them off and done

(although im lazy and i stack em in shed and then wait few weeks before breeding to clean them all in which i undo them all to flat pack status and scrub down with bleach in the outside bath tub

(this year was inside one but out side one is ready now for these jobs )

i recently put sand in bottom instead of news paper im going to see if feather dust sticks to it rather than sits on the paper as it does now

they are also portable if something happens and you need to remove a pair for any reason just lift with the handle

like two day i moved 6 nests and removed 5 cages to make more room as they were now out of use

also they hang by three screws screwed into wall very handy

as my breeding room can trance form into baby flight after breeding

well thats the plan when i get a safety door

 

wire for me all the way

only ever had the birds on the flight side play up and i just clip cardboard their and fixed

i brought some really good melamine ones but

i couldnt move thenm

and cleaning was like omg

as they are all joined

i ended up giving them away to a beginner whom had none not a show breeder but the smile i got was worth it

Edited August 23, 2011 by GenericBlue

[Finnie 0]

Just to throw in my two cents, this is the worst cage I have ever owned!

 

 

 

 

 

(I know, it's in bad need of cleaning! )

 

Before I put that seed skirt on, I was having to sweep twice a day. The skirt does a great job now, of catching all that mess. But the down side is that it fits too tighly, and it's hard to empty the seed and debris out of it.

 

This style of cage is way messier than my other wire cages that have a deeper plastic bottom part. I think if I were breeding in this cage, it would drive me bonkers!

 

My breeding cages are wood, by the way. I think they are okay.

 

I'm with Matt, it's going to be messy either way.

[GenericBlue 0]

Just to throw in my two cents, this is the worst cage I have ever owned!

 

 

 

 

 

(I know, it's in bad need of cleaning! )

 

Before I put that seed skirt on, I was having to sweep twice a day. The skirt does a great job now, of catching all that mess. But the down side is that it fits too tighly, and it's hard to empty the seed and debris out of it.

 

This style of cage is way messier than my other wire cages that have a deeper plastic bottom part. I think if I were breeding in this cage, it would drive me bonkers!

 

My breeding cages are wood, by the way. I think they are okay.

 

I'm with Matt, it's going to be messy either way.

 

 

okay that is messy but can i ask

why is their news paper on the bottom of it

finnie in obstructing the cages natural design

of course its going to get mess the news paper i put in is in the slide out tray bit

and you just slide out the tray ever few days and wrap up and remove the paper

you have turned this cage into a disaster

i have 18 out back all the same as that

none ove them has ever been that dirty even if not cleaned for two weeks

yes a bit of seed comes out the front but not much i find the mason jar feeders are great to prevent the lose of seed only a few of my birds do the scrapping out thing i think its as i offer thee jars with three different seeds they eat what they like then

finnie do your self a favor take th e papper out and put it in tray bit

just get a pot scrubber to wipe floor over with ones every few days it will remove the poop i use a knife but still o is good also

gb

[splat 0]

Boy your lucky Gb, I have newspaper in the bottom of my trays and still the mess that gets beside and behind is a pain in the but, I even took the wire base out for a trial out and just had newspaper in the tray, I did find it better for the babies because they can pick at the seed instead of going through the wire and being wastes but still it made NO difference on the mess.

I clean probably once a week and in between I try and vacuum up what I can get. I don't like to pull the cages out with the nest box attached when there are eggs or chicks in there but I did the other day and the mess I found, I got nearly a bucket of seed and husk from under and at the back of just one cage.

Plus I am not really strong so I find it difficult to lift the cages out but when I cleaned the other day probably I had an empty cage on each shelf so I pulled those cages out and then slide the other along to try and get all the seed.

I am still torn between the 2, but I do think I find the melamine much easier to maintain and even to clean , easier than a painted surface.

 

This is really interesting on all your views.

[GenericBlue 0]

i was vacuuming every day splat

my bird room was cleanner than my house

i just i guess im over it

and now vac once every two weeks

i do clean cages every second day or if i see poop i just clean it out as i do feed and water

it doesn't become a job then just a routine

[splat 0]

I am always vacuuming to GB, the floor every day, in between wire cages, but only clean cages once a week unless they need it earlier which sometimes the cages do. Especially feeders need to replace them often because the hens poop on them.

 

Can't wait to finish breeding actually so I can finish off my birdroom, I have lino to put down and that should make it heaps easier to clean and mop.

Well better get back out there, cleaning cages. Have a really mess at the moment because I come inside for a break.

[GenericBlue 0]

here is few snaps my cages

 

 

the sand in tray has helped