I have hopes of buidling an entirely new aviary, but this is what I was able to do with some old dressers, mesh, and plexi-glass.

 

 

This was an unused 4 drawer dresser. We gutted the inside, used the drawer slats to build a platform, added some dowls and feed station, made a door and sealed the front with plexi-glass.

 

 

This is the top section of another dresser. Took out the drawers, painted, put in some perches, cut a hole in the top of the existing aviary and attached it to the top. I hand painted the "Behold the Birds of Heaven (Matthew 6:26) and hot glued a bird nest and cross and then finished off with another piece of plexi.

 

 

So then this is how it looked.

 

 

Then I took the remaining part of the second dresser and did the same as I did before. This time putting mess on the front instead of plexi. I drilled holes in the side of the existing aviary and in the side of the new section so they can go in and out. And then took the two cages I had and attached them to the top of the dresser.

 

 

I have since divided these sections off with one breeding pair in the top left cage, a single male in the right cage, another breeding pair in the lower cage and three females in the main aviary. I have hopes of building a new one fron scratch not using "furniture" this time, but this did make for an affordable aviary and I can enjoy them fully. Give me your thoughts, good or bad.

Edited July 18, 200816 yr by **Liv**

That looks like fun.....as close to a budgie apartment building as you can get. Do they find their way around through all the areas a lot ?

Very creative of you

Just an FYI in case anyone wonders.... Since these pics have been taken I have removed the nesting boxes from the main aviary where all my girls are kept and have added nesting boxes to the two secontions being used for breeding. I have also put a divider between the top two cages so the breeding pair cannot see the single male next to them. I've added more feeding stations, ladders and toys to the main aviary too.

You have some pretty birds

Before I divided it off, yes they found their way around well. Some prefered the open feel of the cages others like the main aviary, but all of them took advantage of all sections. They all seem to love the seclusion of the upper part of the main aviary. They dont' perch their at night surprisingly. My hopes for a better set up and more OPEN area is in the near future. I think I will hold on to this aviary even after the new aviary is built to either quarentine new birds or use them for breeding or babies once they leave the nest to avoid inbreeding.

 

And thank you for the compliment on the birds. I like them too !!! My green pied is my favorite, she's so pretty and takes a good picture.

 

my concern is how well will this wood respond to wet things (such as poo & cleaners) also what is the depth of the dressers? It looks very small depth wise but width it looks okay?

my concern is how well will this wood respond to wet things (such as poo & cleaners) also what is the depth of the dressers? It looks very small depth wise but width it looks okay?

This is one reason i am looking to rebuild. The entire dresser (besides the platform) is painted with satin finsih non-toxic paint so it has held up well to moisture and cleaning. The plexi makes for easy cean up too. The dept is only 20 inches and I know that is not deep enough, but it has made do while saving money to build one the right way and it was much better than being in 18x18" cages. I know it's not the best and there is much inprovement of even total overhaul that can be done and I am working on that. But as we all know aviary done right can be costly and I'm saving to do so.My previous pics were too large so here they are again....

Edited July 18, 200816 yr by KAZ

I like those - Very cool and creative idea

My only question is - ventilation?? where do they get their air from??

With you on that one Liv, Being Flexi Glass, To me it would have no Ventilation ???

Even if their were holes Drilled into the sides still not enough air flow?

I fould have 1/2 Flexi down the bottom and 1/2 Mesh for the top half

With you on that one Liv, Being Flexi Glass, To me it would have no Ventilation ???

Even if their were holes Drilled into the sides still not enough air flow?

I fould have 1/2 Flexi down the bottom and 1/2 Mesh for the top half

 

 

On the main aviary section ventalation is provided through holes drilled on the sides and the small gap were the litter tray slides in. The other section is all cage or mesh so that is much better ventalated. I will take into consideration the mesh on the upper part of he main aviary. If the plexi is easy to remove I will try to do that today. I didn't think the air flow was an issue but if you think it would be best to add mesh instead on the top I will try to remove the plexi now.

 

Thank you for the advice.

okay, I did it. I removed the top plexi and replaced it with mesh. It was an easy fix and only took 10 minutes. I'll send an updated picture when I down load my camera the next time. Thanks for the advice.

okay, I did it. I removed the top plexi and replaced it with mesh. It was an easy fix and only took 10 minutes. I'll send an updated picture when I down load my camera the next time. Thanks for the advice.

 

That great Your budgies will be very happy with the mesh. :hap:

okay, bad news... the mesh i put on in place of the plexi.... my females chewed right through it. I looked over and one of the female's heads was sticking out the hole they created. :fear

 

So I had to remove that and put the plexi back on for now... I have a design made for a new aviary... but I need imput... please look at this and tell me what you think. This is just a rough idea right now. My messurements are based on the space I have available. My thought is to have it appear to be one aviary but have a cock and hen section along with 4 breeding cages. The screen between the cock and hen sections can be removed to make a larger avairy....

 

Please give your advise on this. One question I have is the nesting boxes... most pics I've seen of breeding cages show the next boxes in the front... would it be a bad idea to have them on the side like my design shows....? okay.... advise away... i need to do this right. Thanks

 

 

http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...viarydesign.jpg

Edited July 24, 200816 yr by **Liv**
photo turned to link because it was over the size regulation of 640x480, resize before posting images again

Mesh ??? what did you use ? We are talking wire aviary mesh and a bird wont chew through that.

 

 

Your drawings are too small to read and will not enlarge. Try keeping it full size on photobucket and just use a link here .

Edited July 24, 200816 yr by KAZ

I used mesh screen, same that I have on the lower left section. It's almost like window screen mesh.... and now I know that is NOT the same as avairy mesh..... (the weird thing is that my other breeding pair that is in the lower section hasn't bothered their screen at all and they have been in there for a few weeks now.

 

Here is another copy of my picture, full size..... let me know if it works.

 

 

http://s337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...viarydesign.jpg

The picture shows but the writing and lettering cannot be read. its too small.

I used mesh screen, same that I have on the lower left section. It's almost like window screen mesh.... and now I know that is NOT the same as avairy mesh..... (the weird thing is that my other breeding pair that is in the lower section hasn't bothered their screen at all and they have been in there for a few weeks now. Here is another copy of my picture, full size..... let me know if it works. http://s337.photobucket.com/albums/n400/ch...viarydesign.jpg

Just note that although the avairy is shown in three sections they will all be attached, but will be divided. The Breeding Cage section will have a solid pannel but the section between the hen and cock avairy sections will be divided with wire... and that wire will be a removable section that allows the hen and cock section to become one unit if ever needed.

The picture shows but the writing and lettering cannot be read. its too small.

If you click on "full size" button it will enlarge and you can read it. Try it and let me know.

If you click on "full size" button it will enlarge and you can read it. Try it and let me know.

Thats better

 

Your breeder cage set up looks good and the sizes are good too. The aviary sections would be better wider across ways instead of taller giving them more flight room.

With your panelling board, you would want it thickish as birds chew easily through 3-5 mm board.

Choose your mesh carefully :fear

 

Good fun to plan ahead.....

If you click on "full size" button it will enlarge and you can read it. Try it and let me know.

Thats better

 

Your breeder cage set up looks good and the sizes are good too. The aviary sections would be better wider across ways instead of taller giving them more flight room.

With your panelling board, you would want it thickish as birds chew easily through 3-5 mm board.

Choose your mesh carefully :fear

 

Good fun to plan ahead.....

 

what would you suggest to use for the sides.... ??? I was thinking the "shower surround material" because it is easy to clean and waterproof... maybe that and plywood??? I don't know what to use since I want the back and sides solid and not wire?

 

Also you mentioned better longer than taller, would you recommend taking this same basic design, but laying them down and stack them... like two rectangels on top of each other making the hen aviary on the upper half and the cock on the lower ???? then these two sections (not including the breeding cage area) instead of it being 72" high and 60" wide would be 60" high and 72" wide???

 

Give me more... I'm taking it all in and want to do this right the first time. Thank you so much for the advise. You are always sooooo helpful KAZ. THanks

If you click on "full size" button it will enlarge and you can read it. Try it and let me know.

Thats better

 

Your breeder cage set up looks good and the sizes are good too. The aviary sections would be better wider across ways instead of taller giving them more flight room.

With your panelling board, you would want it thickish as birds chew easily through 3-5 mm board.

Choose your mesh carefully :fear

 

Good fun to plan ahead.....

 

what would you suggest to use for the sides.... ??? I was thinking the "shower surround material" because it is easy to clean and waterproof... maybe that and plywood??? I don't know what to use since I want the back and sides solid and not wire? wood of at least 10 to 12 mm thick

 

Also you mentioned better longer than taller, would you recommend taking this same basic design, but laying them down and stack them... like two rectangels on top of each other making the hen aviary on the upper half and the cock on the lower ???? then these two sections (not including the breeding cage area) instead of it being 72" high and 60" wide would be 60" high and 72" wide??? perfect

 

Give me more... I'm taking it all in and want to do this right the first time. Thank you so much for the advise. You are always sooooo helpful KAZ. THanks

If you click on "full size" button it will enlarge and you can read it. Try it and let me know.

Thats better

 

Your breeder cage set up looks good and the sizes are good too. The aviary sections would be better wider across ways instead of taller giving them more flight room.

With your panelling board, you would want it thickish as birds chew easily through 3-5 mm board.

Choose your mesh carefully :fear

 

Good fun to plan ahead.....

 

what would you suggest to use for the sides.... ??? I was thinking the "shower surround material" because it is easy to clean and waterproof... maybe that and plywood??? I don't know what to use since I want the back and sides solid and not wire? wood of at least 10 to 12 mm thick

 

Also you mentioned better longer than taller, would you recommend taking this same basic design, but laying them down and stack them... like two rectangels on top of each other making the hen aviary on the upper half and the cock on the lower ???? then these two sections (not including the breeding cage area) instead of it being 72" high and 60" wide would be 60" high and 72" wide??? perfect

 

Give me more... I'm taking it all in and want to do this right the first time. Thank you so much for the advise. You are always sooooo helpful KAZ. THanks

 

 

 

okay, I have the set up down (longer is better)... now about the "wood 12 mm thick"... if I use "wood" it is not water proof and not as easy to clean... as my current aviary is made of painted dressers. So to avoid that do you think it would be okay to use the 12mm wood and adhere the shower surround to that wood to make a clean smooth surface thats easy to clean..? I don't know if they could chew through that and if they did I worry about the adhesive that they would expose IF they were some how able to chew through it.... so if I don't use a "shower surround material" then what would you suggest to use on the wood besides paint for easy clean up or am I asking the impossible by insisting on solid sides and back???

Use Melamine instead of bare wood

 

This is Daz's picture of the melamine he used to build some awesome breeding cabinets.

It's easy to clean

 

 

Also, Why are you separating the sexes? Normally it is not needed as boys and girls get along fine if there is no nest boxes

separating the sexes can harm breeding patterns too, as they can bond to birds of their own gender (if you get what i mean)

Edited July 24, 200816 yr by **Liv**
added more

Thanks for this post Chrissy, i have anold cabinet that i was thinking of turning in to breeding cages and wasn't sure if it would work but since you have done it then i thik i will give it a try, ohh and i agree with Kaz that you should make the divided sections long instead of tall and put the perches front to back insead of side to side, gives them alot more flight room

Godd luck with your new avairy and let us know how it turns out

Ps you can get the proper cage wire on ebay i think or your local hardware store, it would be safer rather than running the risk of them chewing through the mesh

Is mesh screen okay for budgies? I would not like oty think about what metals and paints they use on that stuff.

Use Melamine instead of bare wood

 

This is Daz's picture of the melamine he used to build some awesome breeding cabinets.

It's easy to clean

 

 

Also, Why are you separating the sexes? Normally it is not needed as boys and girls get along fine if there is no nest boxes

separating the sexes can harm breeding patterns too, as they can bond to birds of their own gender (if you get what i mean)

 

 

I was going to seperate the sexes to avoid breeding among my youngest hens (2 are only 8 months old), but now after talking to KAZ I know that as long as I cover over the nest box holes (or remove them) they can be kept together an not breed. I didn't know that, I thought if they pair off they would breed regardless. I've heard of hen laying eggs in the bottom of the cage or in feed dishes even without the presence of a nest box so I thought the only way to prevent breeding would be to seperate them... now I know !! And I have not seperated them, I have all in one aviary now and have to cover over the nest box holes.