I agree with what everyone is saying here, I am no expert on building an avairy but those with the nicest aviary still experience pest issues and have learned the hard way that is why they are always updating to their aviaries and learning how to keep them safer for their birds and they share it here.

 

I feel fortunate to be part of this forum because of the advice I can get and how to improve myself for my birds. I also believe that anyone that can have an outdoor aviary is very luck (as where I live I can't because of the weather conditiions) so to me your are very luck to be able to have an aviary.

I am also FAR FROM AN EXPERT, but I personally don't feel this is a good set up at all. The picture you have seems like something that maybe you'd bring your indoor birds outside for an hour of fresh air or something, but NOT for living in. There are no sides or roof to block the elements. There's no floor to prevent preditors. And as for the mesh... please take it from me. I used mesh to allow better air flow in my indoor aviary and not even one day later I looked over to see two of my birds chewing it and one of them hanging half in and half out of the aviary. I have been on this site for a few months now, and all I can say is Please follow the advice given, you can't go wrong. I agree 100% with eveyones' posts.

 

The other thing I wanted to mention is that it doesn't have to cost alot of money to make something nice for your birds. My first aviary was a dresser converted into an aviary. My current aviary is made out of a five shelf storage unit that I bought at Lowes and added wire to.... it doesn't have to break the bank to make it safe.

Edited September 16, 200816 yr by chrissy0705

I would advise you mesh in all the sides, including the bottom, with wire mesh, so that your birds don't chew through the greenstuff (they may take a while to realise what it is, but once they do, they will be out very quickly), so that other animals do not break in and also because that stuff is not very sturdy. Wire up the bottom, so that dogs, do not tip it over, so that the wind does not tip it over, so that rats do not get in.

Cover the top of the cage with something solid, so that they will not get wet from the rain, so that wild birds will not poop on them and give them diseases.

Raise them off of the soil floor so that they do not get parasites.

Cover two sides, so that they have shelter from the elements and feel secure.

Provide some natural perches to exercise their feet and prevent them from getting bumblefoot.

Save up some more money, you'll need it.

Wait for a good 9 months before considering putting a nest box in the cage.

Provide some toys

Invest in a small cage for vet visits and transport etc.

Sorry, I couldn't see, was there a water bowl in there?

 

Also do not keep their food box outside, wild animals will get into it, it will get rained on and go gross.

Edited September 17, 200816 yr by Sailorwolf

Couldn't have said it better myself SW ...

 

I couldn't see a water bowl either -

How is the cage and birds working out ?