Hey all, hope your all having a wonderful time. I am wanting to buy an aviary to house budgies. Now I'm not sure how many or how quickly I will want to expand my budgie population, but by the sounds of most people here once you have one you've got to have 20 :(Laughing out loud): I want to start of slow though so I'm thinking start with 4 and see how I go with that first.

 

Obviously something like DAZ's is extreme, awesome but extreme, I'm not going to be breeding for a while (years) but eventually I'm pretty sure I'd like to go down that path... SOooo... what size is a good starting size, remembering I am in suburbia and I have neighbours...

 

Thanks for the help guys, apprieciate it.

I live in the middle of a new estate and this is my aviary

 

 

It's 6 feet high, 9 feet long and 5 feet deep and cost about $700 new. it comfortabley holds 20 budgies and i do a bit of breeding in there too

Edited August 15, 200816 yr by **Liv**

Oh and another thing, do I spray it down with anything before I put birds in there??

 

Thanks for the response Liv, Gawler is a nice place... plan on taking a holiday there in may with the wife and kid... family reunion.

Edited March 7, 200817 yr by JimmyBanks

Yep, Vinegar is used on any galvanized wire etc to neutralize the Zink

 

Thanks, Gawler is lovely. it's not too country and not too city, just right

Edited March 7, 200817 yr by **Liv**

You seem to be doing lots of research! I LOVE it. You've definately come to the right place as the members here have loads of experience, different set ups, and interests.

 

I have an avairy in my backyard. The photo below is not my original one. If you look closely, it is actually two avairies joined together at the corner... So I started with one avairy (1.5 length, 0.75 depth, 1.8 height) and four budgies. Then I bought another and breed two clutches (7 in total)... so double the size of the original avairy above!

 

I then bought two tiels and decided I needed more room for storage... so came about this extension/re-arrangement below. The budgies live in the original 'side' section, the tiels live in the back section, and I store all my food, toys, etc... etc... in the room.

 

 

The room on the end is made of wood mainly as no bird 'live' in that section.

 

I found it pretty simple to join them together, I just pulled walls off, moved them around, added bits and it was done. Always remember to have a safety door. This makes sure no birds ever get out as you open the door when you go in (that's how I lost one of my babies, Pop. I installed a saftey door the very next day)

 

I don't keep to many birds in my avairy. I have 6 budgies and two tiels (separated) in a space that could fit more, but I just choose not to keep too many as they're used to living in a spacious home ... but I'm not ruling out adding some more...

 

I'll try and get some photos of the new avairy over the long weekend...

 

( I also washed/scrubbed down my whole avairy with vinegar and then washed it off well... or you could set up your avairy and leave it to weather for several months... but who wants to do that!!!)

Edited March 7, 200817 yr by maesie

Thanks a heap for that... Yeah I don't think leaving it to the elements is an option. Budgie fever is coming on and I think the only way to solve it is to jump in running. The best way to do that is with lots of information. Everyone on the site is really helpful so thanks a million everyone... hopefully soon I will be able to put the theory into prac.

Thanks a heap for that... Yeah I don't think leaving it to the elements is an option. Budgie fever is coming on and I think the only way to solve it is to jump in running. The best way to do that is with lots of information. Everyone on the site is really helpful so thanks a million everyone... hopefully soon I will be able to put the theory into prac.

 

No worries!!! I personally find the best way to learn is to do things myself... so go for it!!! (but doing research before hand as you are is fantastic!!!) Ask anything you want here... we're more than happy to help. When you do get started, we can all help you through the teething moments- training, feeding, biting, breeding, etc... the list goes on... I feel I must end this post with... WELCOME TO THE FAMILY :hap: After 3 or 4 days, your fitting in already.

Thanks. I must say I've spent hours on this website just reading and reading. Hopefully it will mean less hiccups along the way. Am I right in saying you colony breed? I didn't see a spot in your aviary/bird room for breeding cages...

Thanks. I must say I've spent hours on this website just reading and reading. Hopefully it will mean less hiccups along the way. Am I right in saying you colony breed? I didn't see a spot in your aviary/bird room for breeding cages...

 

I'm not breeding at the moment. When I first started, I had a pair who breed and a female who was 'partnerless' I ended up giving her away to a friend as she was being attacked by the mum and dad. Since then, this pair have had another clutch, but I separated them from their bubs (who were old 6 mths old and didn't need them). I have breed unsucessfully this year: (due to ants attacking newly hatched chicks, hens throwing eggs out of the nest box, eatings eggs and leaving the nest). In this case the avairy was divided up into section so one pair per section. I won't colony breed. I had an issue the first time and don't find it is worth the risk of parents and chicks. That's just my opinion. I know others do and have no problems. For a first time breeder I would suggest against it... So, to sum it all up... I'm not breeding at the moment :hap:

okay. :hap: Most people don't seem to be fans of colony breeding. I'll follow the masses in this case I think... but that is still a long way off... I don't want to start something I can't handle.

okay. :hap: Most people don't seem to be fans of colony breeding. I'll follow the masses in this case I think... but that is still a long way off... I don't want to start something I can't handle.

 

You're a smart MAN!!! When you get your budgies, you could get young ones, and they shouldn't be breed untill they are atleast 12 months old. Anyway... there's no hurry. You're young(ger than me), and budgies will be around for a long time... Why rush it, as you say. Enjoy them... I'm sure you will.

Thanks a million for your help maesie. I will have to think long and hard obout my aviary and then about what budgies to get... I am thinking I like cinn-lacewing... :(Laughing out loud): I can't believe that I actually sort of know what that looks like. I so can't tell what a pied is though... they just look like natural occuring budgies to me... :(Laughing out loud): I think I'll buy a budgie breeding book just to see photo's of all the different types... then decide what I wanna have to begin with :hap:

Edited March 7, 200817 yr by JimmyBanks

Thanks a million for your help maesie. I will have to think long and hard obout my aviary and then about what budgies to get... I am thinking I like cinn-lacewing... :(Laughing out loud): I can't believe that I actually sort of know what that looks like. I so can't tell what a pied is though... they just look like natural occuring budgies to me... :(Laughing out loud): I think I'll buy a budgie breeding book just to see photo's of all the different types... then decide what I wanna have to begin with :hap: I'm off to draw up ideas for the aviary...

 

No worries. xxx We're a very helpful bunch here! Even try searching on this site and in Google. You'll be amazed at what you'll find. Happy planning!

This site should have a warning on it... Caution: Highly Addictive. I go away for 10 minutes and have to come running back... tsk tsk tsk...

This site should have a warning on it... Caution: Highly Addictive. I go away for 10 minutes and have to come running back... tsk tsk tsk...

 

:hap: Tell me about it. I've racked up over 1,000 posts in just over 3 mths (I have no life... I know (Laughing out loud))

and I've moved up a notch in 4 days... I'm a baby budgie now :hap: yay!!! Just thinking about birds for a minute... is it important to get a budgie with a band on its leg? or not really?

and I've moved up a notch in 4 days... I'm a baby budgie now :hap: yay!!! Just thinking about birds for a minute... is it important to get a budgie with a band on its leg? or not really?

 

One notch in four days... well done. I better watch my back Yeah... back on subject I guess. No, not really. I think when you show them it is important to have a band on them, and if you really get into breeding and want to know the birds background... ie grandparents etc... you can trace them from their bands... but for me, it's not an issue. That's just my opinion... I have however, put bands on my breed budgies. I'm glad I did as some of them look the same and if they didn't have different bands on them I couldn't tell the difference!

Is it better to have all the birds in together? I was reading one thread and most seemed to think that it made for happier birds, but then I saw DAZ's aviary and he's got Cocks, Hens and Juvi's all seperate... And I think KAZ is doing that too... can't remember...

Is it better to have all the birds in together? I was reading one thread and most seemed to think that it made for happier birds, but then I saw DAZ's aviary and he's got Cocks, Hens and Juvi's all seperate... And I think KAZ is doing that too... can't remember...

 

It all depends on how much room you have and what you want to do. I have mine mixed. They do seem happy, and do participate in recreational sex :hap: , but without nestboxes they haven't laid eggs. I guess it's a personal choice. On this forum, many have mixed sex avairies/cages, but many also have separated ones...

:hap: So many choices... what to do, what to do... I did ring the council today... anything over 10 square meters needs permits... so I'm not going for quite that big... the good news is I can have as many budgies as I like... 5000 here we come :(Laughing out loud):

Hey there lots going on in your topic while I was away

My two cents worth....

 

1. when you choose your budgies aim for a good size budgie...the smaller they are the more chance they have been bred indescriminately (brother/sister/father/mother ) in backyard bird mills. This kind of breeding just for the dollars doubles up on inherited faults and issues.

 

2. go to a breeder with a good set up and see the quality of the birds and their establishement. If anything looks dodgy, unhealthy and dirty...walk away...never be tempted to buy just to save a poor budgie as often you are buying a problem.

 

3. Choose bright and happy and lively budgies....never choose a budgies just for its colour if it sits looking "frumpy".

 

4. As with advice for cages....advice for aviaries is...there is no such thing as too big. If you have the space to build big...go for it. Sounds to me like you will get hooked in a hurry if not already :hap: so aim for the future.

 

5. when building your avairy...think like a mouse and figure out all the ways you can to stop them getting in as they can kill your birds by contaminating their food and water supply.

 

6. Seperating sexes in an aviary isnt important unless you absolutely have to be sure of parentage for breeding purposes. Budgies in a mixed aviary WILL have recreational budgie sex....heck...even the boys will try it with other boys !! :fear ( PS I dont seperate the sexes at all. )

 

Anything else I will be happy to help you with.

 

Cheers kaz

 

Hi Jimmy,

 

Don't forget to check out your local "For sale" publications, local papers, sunday papers etc. I picked up this aviary for a couple of hundred dollars...

 

 

 

I did have birds in both sides, but after selling quite a few birds I now have breeding cabinets in the smaller right hand section of the aviary, with the flight birds in the left hand side.

 

Ebay throws up some great aviaries now and then too..

 

 

Feathers.

I had my first budgie dream last night... is that a sign of insanity?? I feel like a little kid at christmas. But it did give me a few ideas as to what I'd like... I agree with you KAZ I don't want to buy some small aviary just to turn around in 12 months and then need to upgrade.

 

Better get to work... will check in later... thanks again for all the help...

Ahh KAZ, thanks for reminding me... My solution for mice usually is to set traps... but.... I'm guessing If I have an aviary I don't want to set a bunch of mouse traps in there.... even if budgerigar does mean 'good food' as I read the other day... So what are the best ways that you guys have found to keep mice out? I'm guessing it isn't as simple as keeping the door shut and cleaning regularly...

Ahh KAZ, thanks for reminding me... My solution for mice usually is to set traps... but.... I'm guessing If I have an aviary I don't want to set a bunch of mouse traps in there.... even if budgerigar does mean 'good food' as I read the other day... So what are the best ways that you guys have found to keep mice out? I'm guessing it isn't as simple as keeping the door shut and cleaning regularly...

Concrete floor not earth.

Tin up the sides of the aviary to at least 2 ft.

Mice can get through the standard half inch by one inch aviary mesh.

Place all food on pedestals that do not allow any intruders to climb up. Dont hang food containers from the wire sides of the aviary.

Edited March 8, 200817 yr by KAZ