Hi,

 

My aviary has been empty all winter ( I thought it was too cold for them out there), I moved the two pairs I had in there into two separate cages into my laundry. One lot have bred, and had five chicks, after the last one left the nest, I discovered there were two eggs, and since the hen has laid another five. (I wasn't sure whether to throw them out or not, so left them alone, in hindsight, probably not the right thing to do). I moved the chicks into a separate cage last weekend, as they were all cracking seed, and eating the vegies quite happily, and they seem to be thriving, and I was worried, if I left them in the cage with the parents, their may be problems with the new eggs.

 

My questions are:

 

1. These chicks are now 6 weeks old, would it be too soon, to put them out in the aviary outside? (It is well protected from the weather.)

 

2. If the answer is yes, can I put the non breeding pair in the aviary with them? (they have all been sharing the same space in the small laundry, just separate cages)

 

3. If the answer is no, how old should they be?

 

Robyn

Edited November 19, 201014 yr by RJT

Hi,

 

My aviary has been empty all winter ( I thought it was too cold for them out there), I moved the two pairs I had in there into two separate cages into my laundry. One lot have bred, and had five chicks, after the last one left the nest, I discovered there were two eggs, and since the hen has laid another five. (I wasn't sure whether to throw them out or not, so left them alone, in hindsight, probably not the right thing to do). I moved the chicks into a separate cage last weekend, as they were all cracking seed, and eating the vegies quite happily, and they seem to be thriving, and I was worried, if I left them in the cage with the parents, their may be problems with the new eggs.

 

My questions are:

 

1. These chicks are now 6 weeks old, would it be too soon, to put them out in the aviary outside? (It is well protected from the weather.)

 

2. If the answer is yes, can I put the non breeding pair in the aviary with them? (they have all been sharing the same space in the small laundry, just separate cages)

 

3. If the answer is no, how old should they be?

 

Robyn

 

I'd leave them a bit longer than six weeks. I keep mine in a kindie cage for a lot longer than that. Also whats the weather like where you are ? Heatwise ?

Hi Kaz, I am in Melbourne, the weather isn't too bad now, sunny days, cooler nights. It's just that I am going away for two weeks, thought it might be easier for my friend who is going to come and check on them each day, if they were all together in the aviary. I will leave it for another few weeks then. Thank you.

Hi rjt,

I have put chicks out in aviary about the age of yours. If your cage isn't very big in laundry and they are all fully feeding etc I think I'd give it a try.

I would try non- breeding pair in aviary first, then add chicks they will be able to start flying and you can keep check on them. I usually hunt my adults out into flight for a while, a few days before releasing chicks into aviary and let chicks have a fly in aviary on their own for an hour or so each day. Then I put them in with adults and watch to see none get into trouble I haven't had any problems, so far, they seem to find seed water etc in very short time. Plus by having the non-breeder pair in it's a case of " monkey see monkey do". If they are only in with one other pair I think they would soon learn the ropes.

Since she is going away.....she wont be able to check that all is well.

Thanks Robyn (great name!),

This morning I put two of the chicks in the cage with the non breeding pair, to see how they would go, and so far everything seems fine. I have been looking in at them all day, and Harry (the cock) even appears to be feeding them. The hen (Gladys) is staying clear of all of them! This cage is almost a metre long, so plenty of room.

 

I go away at the end of next week, so do have at least 5 days to keep checking them in the aviary if I did put them in there, but I am a worrier, so think maybe they may be better off in the laundry.

 

Thanks for the advice, it is much appreciated.

Robyn

Hi,

 

My aviary has been empty all winter ( I thought it was too cold for them out there), I moved the two pairs I had in there into two separate cages into my laundry. One lot have bred, and had five chicks, after the last one left the nest, I discovered there were two eggs, and since the hen has laid another five. (I wasn't sure whether to throw them out or not, so left them alone, in hindsight, probably not the right thing to do). I moved the chicks into a separate cage last weekend, as they were all cracking seed, and eating the vegies quite happily, and they seem to be thriving, and I was worried, if I left them in the cage with the parents, their may be problems with the new eggs.

 

My questions are:

 

1. These chicks are now 6 weeks old, would it be too soon, to put them out in the aviary outside? (It is well protected from the weather.)

 

2. If the answer is yes, can I put the non breeding pair in the aviary with them? (they have all been sharing the same space in the small laundry, just separate cages)

 

3. If the answer is no, how old should they be?

 

Robyn

I would not be worried about the cold,ive never lost a bird to the cold & it gets very cold where i live .