I'm working on expanding the Pink Budgie nest which is exciting.

I picked up a 2.3 x 2.3 shed from the hardware store and its going to add onto my flight as a breeding room. So I will have two flights and a whole lot of space to store my **** lol

So today, I worked on moving the door from the front, to the side, so that it will open up inside the shed. Took me all day as well as quite a few cuts on my hands from the wire, but it looks good. Just needs a few more things to budgie proof it.

 

However, I need to be more diligent when it comes to the gaps in the metal framing as I had 3 spiders come out at me during the demolition process.

I even found some nice pictures to share with you all (links because they are SOOOOOO not budgies lol)

 

Black house spider Badumna_insignis_F0862.jpg

Netcasting Spider Deinopsis_subrufa_F1688.jpg

Sac Spider Clubiona_ZZ143_F1607.jpg

 

As you can imagine, coming across these lovelies stalled my work on the aviary as I would do the spider dance and make a wild dash for the bug spray, then give it a good 10 mins before going back in

(I don't cope well with spiders)

So I've come to the solution to buy a whole can of surface spray to keep inside the aviary and spray it every week to keep out the nasties lol

It wouldn't of been so bad, had these spiders not come out of places I was holding onto at the time *shudders*

 

But once the flight part is done I will take some shots to put up.

I still need to put down the foundation for the shed, but to me this is the hard part. So it will be out of the way

Edited August 2, 201113 yr by **KAZ**

Well done Maddy !!!! You are always on the improve for your birds....great job. You made me laugh about the spider dance....I laughed so hard I nearly choked LMAO.

 

About the spider spray..............avian insecticidal liquidator which is safe for birds and can treat feather mites and other things like red mite infestations, also works for spiders and cockroaches etc.

Try having some of that on hand instead of surface sprays.

 

Cant wait to see more photos

Wow sounds great Maddy, you will have heaps of room now.

Had a giggle at your spider dance too, I am much the same, tonight while sitting out side having a UDL,

went to pick up my tinny and a rotton spider was crawling around almost onto my finger, I did a bit of a jump scream and dance too. Greg just laughed at me and said, crikey it is only a LITTLE Huntsman, it won't hurt the poor little thing.

I gave it a quick spray and Greg jumped up and saved it's life and put it in the grass.

Edited August 2, 201113 yr by splat

Yea the spider dance is not a proud moment I have to look around to make sure no one is watching over the fence lol

 

Thats a good idea, I have some of that liquidator. I had no idea it worked on regular creepy crawlies.

That will definitely be the first thing to do once this is all finished I can guarantee you that lol

Huntsman's are the worst. They just like to crawl on you, plus they're ugly little buggers.

Me and my mum have this habit of spraying them so much that they move and there is a clear spider outline on the floor/wall

(I think I may get my spider love from her)

I have red backs hiding in my aviaries, always out trying to kill them.

They find little dark places, I am really freaked out by them but they are deadly.

Yikes, at least black house spiders are big but harmless

 

The weather took a turn for the worst today so I won't get to take pictures or work more on it

I have red backs hiding in my aviaries, always out trying to kill them.

They find little dark places, I am really freaked out by them but they are deadly.

 

 

i too have though nasty ones in my little flight i was really suprized really i use the avian stuff kaz doesnt work for me however i just use peeboe i spray everything just take out food and water and clean floor after i spray even spray the birds if they fly by doesnt kill them not yet anyway use it to kill air sac mite so ..... thought why not

well maddy things sound great cant wait for pics

i dont dance i just grab the closest big flat object but i dont kill huntsman;s i just leave them be as they keep out the rest and daddy long leggs they keep the white tails away so they stay to

Maddy you need to record a demonstration of the spider dance. sounds like you have found your calling in life:P

I managed to finish the flight part today which made me feel good.

 

The door used to be on this side.

Its not the neatest job in the world but its budgie safe which is the most important thing.

 

And now the door is on this side.

This is where the shed will join, so that the door opens on the inside, making a safety cage of sorts.

That big piece of ugly plastic is there to keep the rain out. When it looks like the weather is going to go bad on me I attach the loose corner to the roof.

But once the shed is connected that won't be a problem anymore.

 

This was before I cleaned up as you can see, the tools are still lying around.

 

I gotta say I love being a handy woman

 

 

 

Looks great Maddy. ha ha the first thing I thought , look the tools are still lying around, us women are very handy when needed don't you think, it's quite amazing what we can achieve when we put are minds to it. LOL who needs men around.

Thats it, just give us a drill and a project and we're off

lol I think I have made Greg nervous around me now when he does adventurely help me. He complains that he never gets it right. lol. I think it is because women are more particular and men are more slap bash and that will do,lol

Great work Maddy! As a tool lover myself, I'm loving your pictures and journey!

Okay so, just to let everyone know I havn't disappeared off the face of the earth....

 

The expansion to the aviary is up and the cabinets are in. Just need to clean up and get a door lol.

The shed door, when closed, cut off all the light. And though I'm going to get a solar light, I want some natural light too.

 

So the door is being modified to be all wire instead of tin.

Then there is just the tiniest gap abve the door to the aviary to cover with wire and its bird worthy.

 

Will get pictures soon.

Well, after all this time (and inactivity) I have finally gotten my aviary and bird room up and running.

Its cleaned and fairly organised enough now that I don't feel ashamed to share photos.

 

My camera had some over exposure problems in the first photos but I fixed it by the last two.

 

 

Getting the sleepers down

 

 

And a big jump to the finished thing

 

 

Inside the bird room

 

 

And inside the aviary (now two parts)

 

 

I have a heap more space now, I can actually use a broom (thats how cramped it was before.

I just need to figure out how to give the second aviary part (the one that now has my hens in it) some more perches or a tree branch without sacrificing space.

Figuring out an alternative for the first part would be great too as I need to duck around it to catch anyone.

 

The shelf/table in the middle of the aviary is two parts connected through the wire and supported by the legs.

The old setup the shelf got rained on a lot and the wood was starting to rot.

 

The Bird room has the 12 cabinets and some space between them and the side of the shed where I am currently storing some wire and mesh.

The white cabinets I made are now my storage shelves for food dishes, medicine, writing implements etc.

Next to that is the three tier cage frame where new birds are kept (I know the rule about 5 metres but it is not possible in this case).

I'm in the process of cleaning out the cabinets which is why there is nest boxes on the ground.

 

So this is what all my hard work has come up with as my new set up

Great job Maddy The only problem I would say it has, is that the aviary doesn't look like it's double wired, if you don't know what this means, then there should be a gap between two wires so that budgies don't try to kill each others' footsies

Great job Maddy The only problem I would say it has, is that the aviary doesn't look like it's double wired, if you don't know what this means, then there should be a gap between two wires so that budgies don't try to kill each others' footsies

 

 

You dont need to double wire between two flights when budgies are each side. Now if you had budgies one side and lovebirds the other THEN you would need double wiring.

Yep I know what double wiring is and its not needed.

 

It was funny today though because I caught a male on one side trying desperately to feed a female on the other side, with a bit of success

Really great job Maddy, hope your birds appreciate all your hard work and produce some A1 chicks for you.

Congratulations on your spacious set up, Maddy! It's very nice.

 

 

 

This one thing concerns me, though:

 

Next to that is the three tier cage frame where new birds are kept (I know the rule about 5 metres but it is not possible in this case).

 

 

Are you saying that you quarantine your new birds right in your breeding room with your parents on eggs and with babies? That means that if you bring in any new birds with an airborn illness, it will go straight to the most vulnerable members of your flock. Is there nowhere else at all that you could do quarantine? If there is no other option, I would consider (for the future) having a strong rule to not buy new birds during your breeding season. In other words, not overlapping breeding and quarantine periods.

 

 

I would hate to see you having a repeat of the devestating losses you had last time around.

Yea I am aware of that finnie, and there isn't anywhere else I can put them...but due to my massive loss of birds, the ones in there at the moment arent my best. My main breeding plans involve the new ones, and their quarantine is almost over ( it sounds careless, but I did time it )

Edited February 27, 201213 yr by Maddy

Well, we all have to make due with what space we've got. I think you're lucky to have such a nice set up. I would love dearly to be able to have an outdoor aviary and breeding room. Yours looks very nice. I can't wait to see what your new birds produce for you.

Thank you finnie

 

Yes I was limited my space when the garden was redone and my parents didn't want seed, feathers, and little grass plants growing all about.

Also, the previous quarantine spot was also restricted as it was my dads shed and we are still cleaning out the seed lol

 

But I expressed my concerns about the 5 metre rule to my club members, and quite a few of them were limited on space too.

They said that they haven't had problems as long as the new birds and old birds don't share water, food, and feed each other etc

Edited February 27, 201213 yr by Maddy