It gets pretty hot in Perth, Australia. Today was abnormally hot for this time of year, the hottest October day on record at 35C or thereabouts, and does not bode well for the upcoming summer. Usually it heats up around mid-November and peaks over Christmas through to January at 40C+.

 

Anywhere over 35C and the budgies get heat stress so it's important to set up your aviaries to keep them as cool as possible.

 

In the past we have set up shade cloth about a foot up over the roof of the aviary so that the heat is reflected off and air can circulate in that space.

 

But even so, on the hot days were out there every half hour hosing the roof to lower the temperature.

 

So for those of you who live in hot climates, what do you do to keep your birds alive in the scorching hot summer?

You know what I know this was brought up just recently, I know others will respond but if you do a search I bet you will find the more answers too .

It was brought up in the topic titled, Will the eggs be okay or something like that Personally my budgies like a direct spray so I give them a mist with the hose a couple of times a day on any day where the temp is over about 38. The breeze blowing through the damp aviary then seems to keep t cooler for a while. This year I'm thinking of trialling hanging sheets on the windows of the aviary and keeping them wet, the same way people used to keep their food cool on hot days before we had power.

Edited October 28, 200816 yr by Neat

I think you'll find blocking the air flow and having wet sheets/towels will make it very humid and yuck in there for them with no circulation and alot of moisture.

I put a fan on and hose the aviary down plus leave the sprinklers blowing a fine mist over them a few times a day. The cabinet birds have the luck of the aircon coming from my window, but get sprayed with a hand held bottle.

Sorry should add Libby that system only works if you have airflow going through them at the same time, you generally use something with a loose weave, in the old days they used hessian. The theory is the same as an evaporative airconditioner so if done right the humidity isn't too bad

Edited October 20, 200816 yr by melbournebudgies

Gotcha Yeah with airflow, a fairly strong one that will work better, or else it'd be like being trapped in a steamy bathroom, not pleasant.

i spray the hose into the avairy and place ice blocks into the water containers to keep their drink cool

i spray the hose into the avairy and place ice blocks into the water containers to keep their drink cool

 

I did that last Summer but then I heard all the horror stories about bacterial growth from damp patches ....

 

Maybe an irrigation system on top of the aviary? I think the pvc piping is called Arizona Mist ... and you can set it up to run on a timer for forecasted scorchers.

So we've just bought a lovely gazebo from Bunnings which we are going to erect over and around the main aviary. Unfortunately it only came in dark blue, I was hoping for green or a very pale colour ...

 

It's raining today, so we'll put it up later in the week and I'll post pictures.

 

Also we're going to go ahead with an irrigation system on top of the aviary, below the gazebo roof. We have applied to the Water Corporation for a special dispensation, because of water restrictions you can't just go ahead and set it up, you have to ask for permission.

 

Any way, when we get round to doing that I'll also post a step by step guide of how we do it.

 

So, watch this space! :hug:

I had a gazebo last year but we get extremely strong wind at our house (we are on the top of a hill) and it got badly damaged the first really windy day we had, despite being weighted down so I'm not going to spend the money on one this year, I'm installing some shade clothe over part of the back of the house including the concrete that opens up behind my breeding room and I'm hoping that might help.

 

I never worried about the damp as if it's a hot enough day for them to need a spray the aviary is dry again within a few hours anyway

I had a gazebo last year but we get extremely strong wind at our house (we are on the top of a hill) and it got badly damaged the first really windy day we had, despite being weighted down so I'm not going to spend the money on one this year, I'm installing some shade clothe over part of the back of the house including the concrete that opens up behind my breeding room and I'm hoping that might help.

 

I never worried about the damp as if it's a hot enough day for them to need a spray the aviary is dry again within a few hours anyway

 

Hmmm, yes I had shade cloth up last year but because it's quite a large aviary (4mL x 2.5mW x 1.75H) I couldn't get a shade sail to cover it all.

 

I hear you about the wind but I'm hoping that 'cause of the location we won't have any problems. Actually it's because the wind doesn't really get to that location that we are going to set up the irrigation system as well as the gazebo.

I have sprinklers on top of my aviary, but we don't often use them anymore... I just hose them and the aviary down or turn on a side sprinkler for them to bathe on the wire with which they love and watered down branches

Edited November 5, 200816 yr by KAZ

So it's stopped raining and the gazebo is up:

 

 

 

It's taken a little while, but after quite a few telephone calls and to-ing and fro-ing I've finally received a verbal approval from the Water Corp to water the aviaries as needed in the heated 35C+ days.

 

Written confirmation should be coming in the post and once I receive that (probably next week) we'll move on to Stage 2: designing and installing the retic system. :bump:

:bump: Good Stuff!!!

Good Stuff!!!

 

Yes, my belief in doing the right thing has been rewarded in this case.

 

There was a point when I thought it wouldn't come through and my exasperation was palpable, as I said to the Water Corp rep, "I think I might be one of the few people who has actually contacted you for approval PRIOR to installing a system!" But in truth I don't think that was important to them. Whatever the reasons for their reconsideration of the original proposal, I am deeply grateful and relieved.

 

I have lost a number of budgies to heat-stress before and it's not an experience I wish to revisit.

 

So Hip Hip Horay! :bump:

 

This picture is so pretty, I can just imagine how nice it would be to just sit next to them with a cuppa and watch their antics! I'd love to have a nice "open plan" set up like this one day!

This picture is so pretty, I can just imagine how nice it would be to just sit next to them with a cuppa and watch their antics! I'd love to have a nice "open plan" set up like this one day!

Thank you very much! Actually that is exactly what my hubby and I do. We always remove the chair when I take pics so it doesn't clutter up the photo. :bump:

Edited November 5, 200816 yr by renee

It's been very balmy lately so we haven't stressed about getting the retic system up and going earlier.

 

Any way we went down to our local hardware and bought the following:

Cheap hose, reticulation piping, timer, double hose attachment (we invested a bit and bought brass), , hose to pipe attachment, hole puncher, pipe stopper and reticulation sprayers.

 

I wanted to run the timer at 3min/1/2 hour but unfortunately there isn't a timer available for those settings, so I had to settle for 10mins/1hr. It is a manual timer so on very hot days we need to turn it on in the morning and off in the evening.

 

Here's a photo of the double hose attachment and timer-

 

I bought really cheap hose and have run it straight from the tap to the aviary, luckily for me it's virtually in a straight line.

 

I decided to go with a circular set up because it makes more sense to me to keep it simple. So we laid out the retic piping on the lawn in the shape we wanted and my hubby punched the holes and attached the sprayers.

 

 

Here's a close up of the sprayers

 

The tricky bit was getting it onto the roof, under the shade cloth in the same shape that it was on the lawn .... but after some huffing and puffing we got it done.

 

Then I attached the piping to the hose-

 

Now to keep the piping in place we have used a silicone glue.

 

We need to give it 24hs to dry properly and then I'll give it a test run, photos to follow.

Edited December 3, 200816 yr by renee

Do you guys not have water restrictions over in WA?

Yep we do, but Renee said she had got approval.

Yep we do, but Renee said she had got approval.

 

Oh yeah... I remember reading that now you mention it... My appoligise... been a very long few days!!!

This year has been quite mild, with temps only reaching about 38 in Oct and has been good since. Last few years we hit the 40's in Oct, averaging mid to high 30's with summer at its peak at 40-45, this isnt a once off or a few days it can be weeks. The killer can be the hot desert nrothern winds but we angled the aviary away from them this time round.

I ran the sprinkler last year over the aviaries in the peak of the arvo which we and the dogs sat under, it also cooled the ferret cages. This year I dont think will be as bad we have moved and set up the aviaries differently, maybe at its peak I may hose them a bit- they love a bath but they generally just park up for the day.

Havent lost a bird yet and they have seen some high temps.

okay, so the glue has set and we did a test run this arvo. To my delight the water pressure is sufficient and the retic piping keeps its shape when the water is circulating!

 

 

Edited January 14, 201213 yr by **KAZ**

Very cool

 

Is there anyway you can collect and recycle the run off water for other things ?