Posted August 18, 200816 yr Tomorrow I am going to start work on my new Aviary, I'M EXCITED :hap: I have always wanted one and now I think i need one cause my little bird family has grown a bit and I don't think my patio aviary is going to fit 17 birds. I can't afford a new one so I am going to build it, I helpfully reduced a neighbours pile of timber the other week and as would luck would have it there was 1 14m sheet of iron left over from the new roof so all I need is some screws, nails, hinges, brackets and mesh, I got everything but the mesh today (will pick that up tomorrow) It's going to be 2m wide 1.7m deep and 1.8m high and the best part is it's only going to cost me about $120. Hopefully I can get it finished soon cause the new birds will be out of quarantine soon and I need somewhere other than my laundry to put them. So wish me luck guys I think I am gong to need it :hap:
August 18, 200816 yr YAH!! I look forward to watching it appear :hap: Have you got some plans drawn up? I'd love to see them too :hap:
August 18, 200816 yr YAY! I am doing mine too .. Good luck with it and yes Pictures , pictures,pictures please :hap: :hap: :hap:
August 18, 200816 yr Author I will take pics as I go along and show the progress, I have no plans thats I can show you on the computer but basically 1 end and most of the roof will be iron and the rest 12 by 12mm mesh from top to bottom with the door being at the end with the mesh if that makes sense. Thanks Neat and I hope yours turns out well too, I look forward to your pics. :hap:
August 18, 200816 yr Well i hope both of your plans and Avairies turn out the way you want them too ,,good luck with the building of them and cant wait to see both your pictures with the progress of your Avairies...John & Swanacilli
August 20, 200816 yr Author okay I thought now is a good enough time for an uptate since I am stalled till I can get to the hardware store AGAIN, the sides are done, the rest of the timber has been cut and the tin for the back is ready to be attached when I finish the frame. It is coming along well I think, I wish I had a car cause I hate stopping when I am on a roll and there is still plenty of day light left, its slow going when you are doing it yourself. It's not going to be the prettiest looking aviary but it will do the job I hope
August 20, 200816 yr Wow That is SO GOOD ....wonderful progress......cant wait to see it finished. Its going to look great  Must be a day for making things...I am currently making a rocking horse for my Grand daughter
August 20, 200816 yr Mate... LOOKS as Kaz has said once FAN FLIPPN TASTIC Â can't wait to see more :hap:
August 21, 200816 yr Looking good. Remember to mouse proof it - no gaps anywhere as if they get in you will lose a lot of budgies. Mice and rats can and will contaminate food and water.
August 23, 200816 yr Author okay an update on my aviary, yesterday was a write off due to the weather and I had done everything I could till I needed help, enter hubby today, it's now standing I put on almost all of the remaining wire, the door is almost ready so tommorow I need to finish the door and attach, put the roof on, fix the iron in a few more places and then deck it out Here are a couple of pics (yes that is me wielding the hammer :hap: ) It's not to pretty but it will do the job :hap:
August 23, 200816 yr Author thanks everyone Thats going to be just great There's a lot of work involved isnt there ? Â Your not kidding but it will be worth it in when I can sit and watch some very happy budgies living it up and have a ball in their new home Ohhh not to mention that it will be 4 less cages to clean am off to the park near by on monday to get some branches for perches, how do you all fix perches up in an aviary? I was thinking of getting some chain and hanging them from the cross beams, is that okay? If anyone has pics of the insides of their aviaries to give me some ideas I would appreciate it
August 23, 200816 yr Heya, I use either wire or poke ends thru the holes in the mesh... I use chains to make my swings .. Which they !
August 24, 200816 yr Author well it is ready to be decked out YAY so i am off to the park tommorow to find some branches, ohh and I need to go to kmart and get a new latch (the one I had doesn't fit) and some of those screw in hooks to hang some of the perches. I blew the estimated budget, I had to get more wood (some of the stuff I had ended up being treated so no good) and a few other things so all up it ended up costing about $250 by the time I finished. Will get some more pics when the budgies have moved in A few question though How many budgies do you think I can have in there? Â I am thinking of get a cockatiel or 2 will they be alright in there with the budgies? Â and what about food and water placement, on the floor or hanging nearer the top?
August 24, 200816 yr okay Looks great! A few suggestions though. Your roof, is that an open part ( mesh). If so You may want to cover it up Just my opinion ,( as wild birds will fly over or land and poo on it and drop all their yuckyness ( lice, mites, infected poo) in with your birds)  Be careful with your door, a lot of members use a safety door ( a door that leads to another door) this will stop any birds that may escape ( I am in the mist of working out how to put one on mine). I have lost a few birds due to not having one  okay Budgies and how many ... Really I haven't a clue Kaz is good at that! But i will say with a Novice guess 10- 15 Teils, I am not expert in this a lot of members have them with their budgies With the food and water - That is up to you. But as the mesh is from bottom to roof I would have hanging ones so that mice and etc will not get to it Or you can use a Bird Bath or a pedestal as a feeder ( i have used the bas of a stool and put a frying pan on it.  I can't wait to see the final results all decked out and etc ... I need to pull my finger out with mine  Thanks soooo much for sharing
August 24, 200816 yr Author thanks for that Neat I was going to put some shade cloth over the top, something that I can hang down the side and roll up as needed. As for the door I was wondering about that, will have to come up with something. Do mice really get in through holes that small (it 12mm) I can maybe see a baby one squeezing through but a full grown one?????? The Tiels I was thinking of getting from an old guy near me that handraises them in an aviery with budgies, but I might have a think on that, I don't really think my aviary is big enough.
August 24, 200816 yr thanks for that Neat I was going to put some shade cloth over the top, something that I can hang down the side and roll up as needed. As for the door I was wondering about that, will have to come up with something. Do mice really get in through holes that small (it 12mm) I can maybe see a baby one squeezing through but a full grown one?????? The Tiels I was thinking of getting from an old guy near me that handraises them in an aviery with budgies, but I might have a think on that, I don't really think my aviary is big enough. Â If you get one of those nets that hang from ceilings for over kids beds...the long drapy kind on a hoop...rig it up over the door area....step through the net to get in and then hthrough the door ...but it stops escapes and when not using unhook it or throw it up on top out of the way. Does your door open inwards or outwards...because inwards is better. How many budgies....around 30 would be fine without overcrowding assuming no breeding will happen in there ? Lots of feeding areas and perches. Pedestals feeders are good or hanging ones. YES...mice do get through the average aviary mesh which is 12mm....if you look at the holes in the mouse bait traps they are a 12mm hole. I have seen them get through...adults ...YES not just babies. Tin up from the ground level for around 2 feet is a very good idea, or some clear sheets. I dont mix anything with budgies but others have tiels in with them. I find tiels prone to "night frights" and budgies dont much like their beauty sleep interrupted. Personal choice though. Check for any holes where your corrugated iron joins...anything amouse can get in or a budgie get out. Your aviary is a major accomplishment...looks fantastic. Well done
August 24, 200816 yr Author thanks for that Kaz, the door opens out but I think i will change it. That net idea is great
August 25, 200816 yr Author IT'S FINISHED YAY I went and got the branches this morning, I washed them and sprayed them with mite spary for good mearsure. While they were drying I went to Kmart and got the latches for the door, when I got home I changed the door around so it opened inward (thanks for that Kaz it's heaps better) attached the latches, built a shelf for a food dish, arranged the branches, did a final check that everything was secure and moved the budgies in to their new home, AND THEY LOVE IT so here are the final pics   a few of the lads taking it all in   It seem Zac (the albinoe) has fallen in love with Mack   he wont leave Mack alone, follows him everywhere and pecks anyone that gets between them, I don't think Mack minds too much though  and Hulk says thanks mum :hap:   I am going to get a bird bath and put in a couple more shelves for feed dishes and take out the red dishes hanging on the sides. please let me know if you think of anything to make things better. thanks for all your suggestions and encouragement on this, I have had a great time building it and sharing my experiance with you all.
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