I am starting this thread because I want to know what breeders think and prefer.

 

As for me I find the wire cages easy to clean but are very dirty when it comes to seed going every where.

Seed comes out the front, sides and back. Just awful I think.

Babies hate to walk on the wire and when the birds empty their jar out for some unknown reason, what a

waste of good seed.

Edited August 21, 201114 yr by **KAZ**

I have never used wire cages, just because when collecting cages i was always offered wooden ones. I think another pro of wire cages you didn't mention is that you can just take out the trays, and everything falls down.

 

When It comes to designing my own breeding room, I will use wooden cages. They are easy to clean (the walls) and it also offers a sense of security for the hen. They cannot see other birds and get distracted. It also isn't possible for a deep litter system, if you ever want to try it.

I have a wire hospital cage and its not to hard to clean.

I have a wire hospital cage and its not to hard to clean.

 

When you have 20+ pairs, with hen's that let the big one's out before they lay the eggs, it can get very messy! especially when the cock birds like to sit on the same place on the same perch everyday, and basically just s***.

I use timber with internal boxes, I like the look of it . But number one reason is that the internal box builds up humidity and temperature and maintains more even temperature especially during winter months. I notice when i slide the box out and put my hand on the bottom and side it feels warm to touch.

Can you post a photo of your cages and the internal one Matt.

 

Pride I said that wire cages are easy to clean that is the good part about them but they are messy because seed goes out the wire all sides.

 

Yes Squeak today when cleaning cages, one wire cage had a lot of chewed oats and when I pulled the tray out most of the oats stayed there and then fell on the shelf once the tray was out.

Edited August 21, 201114 yr by splat

Can you post a photo of your cages and the internal one Matt.

 

 

 

 

 

Breeding Birds is Messy whether you have Wire or Wooden in my opinion.

I have ones like those, not as nice looking though

I agree completely Matt. even the wooden cages make a big mess too but at least it only comes out the front so easy to clean and access.

Matt do you mean that your nest boxes a box inside a box?

 

My view on Wooden boxes or white coated are they are easier to keep clean, the mess only comes out of the front.

 

I use both I have the wooden ones on one side of my birdroom and wire on the other and also 6 wooden ones in the middle.

 

The only reason I have put this thread on is to see what others think and use.

 

Today I spent hours cleaning the wire cages, pulling them out and sliding them along trying to get all seed out from behind,

I do this every week and it is unbelievable the amount of seed and husk that is behind and under the cage. I filled up a bucket nearly. Which makes me think that it is breeding hazard for air born diseases.

Where is the wooden ones, when cleaning, I just roll up the newspaper and take out which has most of the seed on it and all the droppings and then if there is a tray I pull the ray out and empty seed and then I use the vac to get every bit of seed, then a quick wipe down of walls and perches and then replace tray and paper and feeders and done.

But when I do the wire ones unless I pull the hole cage out which I don't like to do when there are eggs in it it. but i do slide them along a bit. BUT I can never get all the seed that is under or behind.

Not a box in a box type , Just that my box slides inside the cabinet so has timber around the box , see the picture.

Cleaner as in the seed will only come out the front, Yes. I think this keeps the dust levels down between cabinets.

I also built a v type shoot that takes my cabinet tray so the paper, seed and S**T slides down into a garbage bin.

Not a box in a box type , Just that my box slides inside the cabinet so has timber around the box , see the picture.

Cleaner as in the seed will only come out the front, Yes. I think this keeps the dust levels down between cabinets.

I also built a v type shoot that takes my cabinet tray so the paper, seed and S**T slides down into a garbage bin.

 

That sounds interesting Matt, lol Can you post some Photos of the V type shoot too please.

Not a box in a box type , Just that my box slides inside the cabinet so has timber around the box , see the picture.

Cleaner as in the seed will only come out the front, Yes. I think this keeps the dust levels down between cabinets.

I also built a v type shoot that takes my cabinet tray so the paper, seed and S**T slides down into a garbage bin.

 

That sounds interesting Matt, lol Can you post some Photos of the V type shoot too please.

 

Gee next you will want me too build one , Flat pack it and ship it !

Always looking for easier ways of doing things lol

Mine are all melamine or painted wood cabinets. They ARE easier to clean .... have you ever tried cleaning the wires?

 

I don't use the trays and all mine have a 10cm lip at the front. I do the deep litter ... even easier. Just scoop up the poops and replenish with attapulgite. I keep the seed deispenser towards the back of the cabinet so very little seed makes it out of the front.

 

Most of my nest boxes are external. The hens lay on a bed of attapulgite within a plastic ice cream container. Again very quick and easy to clean with minimum disruption to chickies and hen.

Yes Renee , that is what I was saying that the wire cages are easy to clean especially if you are finish for the season or between clutches, take them out side and pressure was them and basically done.

 

Last year I turned my fronts upside down so I didn't have to cut the fronts to put the nest boxes on. BUT I found that a pain only having the little door to do everything with.

 

This year I put the wire fronts back on the right away and cut wire away to hang the nest. and I took the wire floors out and put newspaper on the floor. I actually found this better.

 

But today i decided to put the wire floors back on. Big job in the end. Having the wire floors back on at least I get get the vacuum hose in between the wire floor and the bottom to suck out some seed.

 

But then I have one wire cage with babies that has a little build up of dry poop and I tied scraping it off ans washing it bad couldn't lift it all. That was annoying.

But then I have one wire cage with babies that has a little build up of dry poop and I tied scraping it off ans washing it bad couldn't lift it all. That was annoying.

 

I hear you. I have 2 wire cages I keep for temporary holdings. The poo drips down on the wires and sticks like cement. As you said, not only do you have all the seed flying everywhere but cleaning these cages is a pain. Also you make the valid point about little chickies hobbling around on the wire base. By putting the paper in you mitigate this but then you have to change that newspaper more often.

 

Also I can't remember whether you mentioned it or Matt but I DO think that Air Bourne diseases such as French Moult is more of a danger with the wire cages.

 

I have read somewhere that one breeder likes the Wire cabinets 'cause the budgies can see eachother and that stimulates their breeding behaviour .... Well all my birds face eachother so that behaviour can be seen by them ...

But then I have one wire cage with babies that has a little build up of dry poop and I tied scraping it off ans washing it bad couldn't lift it all. That was annoying.

 

I hear you. I have 2 wire cages I keep for temporary holdings. The poo drips down on the wires and sticks like cement. As you said, not only do you have all the seed flying everywhere but cleaning these cages is a pain. Also you make the valid point about little chickies hobbling around on the wire base. By putting the paper in you mitigate this but then you have to change that newspaper more often.

 

Also I can't remember whether you mentioned it or Matt but I DO think that Air Bourne diseases such as French Moult is more of a danger with the wire cages.

 

I have read somewhere that one breeder likes the Wire cabinets 'cause the budgies can see eachother and that stimulates their breeding behaviour .... Well all my birds face eachother so that behaviour can be seen by them ...

 

Renee, My birds have the Radio on , Tuned to the Local Rock station for their Stimulation !!

I actually think that sometimes wire cages next to each other is a pain because are fussing over what the other birds are doing next door, quite often I have put a piece of white perspex between the cages to stop it.

 

My plan is to convert my wire cages into wooden breeding cages.

 

I have shelving up to hold the cages. I am going to fix more white wood where the cages should be, converting it into 9 cages.

I am going to take the front off each cage and use these for my wire fronts. I will put a rail up so I can still use the trays and they can slide out under the rail, The best thing is I am going to make each segment so it will slide in and out so I can make one huge cage or a what ever or if I want to put a cock with 2 or 3 different hens.

They will be quite roomy.

Greg can store the rest of the wire cages once I take the fronts off.

I will have to wait until the breeding has finished.

 

I am also thinking of shopping a bigger hole in the front, so the nest boxes go inside, which will look heaps better but then it will be good to have them for holding cages for show prep etc. so I will have to think on that one.

 

Renee that Alp stuff you use I can't find that any where around here, not even that fussy cat litter

Edited August 21, 201114 yr by splat

I actually think that sometimes wire cages next to each other is a pain because are fussing over what the other birds are doing next door, quite often I have put a piece of white perspex between the cages to stop it.

 

Yes, precisely!

 

 

]My plan is to convert my wire cages into wooden breeding cages.

 

I have shelving up to hold the cages. I am going to fix more white wood where the cages should be, converting it into 9 cages.

I am going to take the front off each cage and use these for my wire fronts. I will put a rail up so I can still use the trays and they can slide out under the rail, The best thing is I am going to make each segment so it will slide in and out so I can make one huge cage or a what ever or if I want to put a cock with 2 or 3 different hens.

They will be quite roomy.

Greg can store the rest of the wire cages once I take the fronts off.

I will have to wait until the breeding has finished.

 

Good luck with that, I think you're definitely on the right track.

 

 

I am also thinking of shopping a bigger hole in the front, so the nest boxes go inside, which will look heaps better but then it will be good to have them for holding cages for show prep etc. so I will have to think on that one.

 

I have recently bought a bank of 9 cabinets with the nest boxes inside .... the only problem is that when you slide it out there is a big hole through which the birds can fly out .... next year I will modify them to prevent it.

 

 

Renee that Alp stuff you use I can't find that any where around here, not even that fussy cat litter

 

The Fussy Cat Litter brand IS Attapulgite. You can get it from the City Farmers chain .... or why not ask your local Pet Store to ship it in?

 

Renee, My birds have the Radio on , Tuned to the Local Rock station for their Stimulation !!

 

He, he, he! I have tried that but this year, due to numbers - I have close to 80 birds down - I let their own little chatterings do the magic! However, I AM keeping an oil burner going with Eucalyptus essential oil .... very bush smelling!!!!

I have a radio going too.

Melamine cages here too. I find them easier to clean.

 

Radio set to MMM Brisbane. Helps the breeder with his cleaning as well.

I think over the years I've tried every possible combination of cages and nest boxes. Last year i gave away all my malimine cages and have gone to all wire with external nest boxes. Why: because I can and it makes absolutely no difference to the birds, if anything I have a little better breeding results in the wire cages, numbers wise. But the truth is IF the birds are in top condition they will breed anywhere. I have a friend who had a hen [good show bird] raise a clutch of chicks on the floor of his outdoor avairy. Cheers Clearwing

Melamine here too. Still messy in regards to seed chucked everywhere but easy to clean and disinfect. Dried on pooh washes off easily. Down side is they do harbour mite in the crevasses but you can deal with that. The only all wire cage I've ever had though was a holding cage but I did find it actually harder to clean that the melamine.

 

My birds (and me) prefer Triple J.

Clearwing the way you have your birdroom set you really need the wire cages so the birds can see each other but for you know I have cages on each side of the room plus some in the middle on the back wall that the birds can can see each other so it wouldn't matter if I use wire cages or wooden.

But boy I was measuring up the cages today and the shelving that is holding the wire cages up, well each cage will be 45 cm deep and 45 cm high and will be 63 cm long. Very roomy.

 

Keep the inputs coming in

My birds are in wooden cages, and cannot see each other at all. My set-up