Hi all,

I have been reading posts on this forum for the last couple of hours and now am not quite sure which way to go. Hubbie is building an nice walk-in aviary for me and I have the following questions:

• what is the best and most economical wire to use and what should be the must-have "furniture" in the aviary besides the obvious like feeders and perches;
  
• as in an aviary you cannot control which bird is breeding with which, would cages be better;
  
• what should I use as flooring - concrete, hay (as I have horses) or maybe pebbles or road base.
  

 

Questions, questions ....... Hope someone can help me and answer my questions.

 

Thank you. Gaby

Hi Gaby,

Firstly, welcome to the forum

I can't answer all your questions as I am not 100% certain I have the correct answers (I breed pet budgies and decidedly, do my own thing rather than listen to hundreds of peoples different advice as it can get all too overwhelming lol) , however, I will say that I prefer aviary breeding rather than cages. I can choose which pairs I would like to breed by placing them in a cage together before moving them into the aviary once they are paired up. I don't do this very often as I don't normally breed for colour/mutations, I have done this often in the past though (and will in future) and it works effectively. Also, my aviaries all have dirt/grass flooring as my birds like to pick at the fresh sprigs of grass.

Hope this helps a little, sorry I couldn't be of further assistance. Good luck with the breeding and be sure to upload any photos of babies when they come

LeoOlive I had 2 budgies in a cage for a year and now they have separated in the aviary.

The male is a loner now lol he just chatters away to the other males.

As I said L__J I don't have all the answers, but it has been effective for me in the past, but also as mentioned, I don't do it very often

Hi all,

I have been reading posts on this forum for the last couple of hours and now am not quite sure which way to go. Hubbie is building an nice walk-in aviary for me and I have the following questions:

• what is the best and most economical wire to use and what should be the must-have "furniture" in the aviary besides the obvious like feeders and perches;I use 1/2" square galvanised wire (washed down with vinegar if new) Toys and branch's for play and chewing maybe. Calcium & Iodine bells or cuttle bone
  
• as in an aviary you cannot control which bird is breeding with which, would cages be better;If you want to pair your birds, cages, if colony breeding, box's on shelf all same height not to close. BUT read up on the pitfalls that can happen when colony breeding goes wrong.
  
• what should I use as flooring - concrete, hay (as I have horses) or maybe pebbles or road base.Cement if possible to save any soil born "bugs" wet floors and seed are a big no no.
  
• Hope this helps, good luck with you aviary. Pics are great under "aviary's" etc. or budgie pics for your birds.
  

Questions, questions ....... Hope someone can help me and answer my questions.

 

Thank you. Gaby

Make sure before the birds are introduced into a new aviary with new wire,to get a bucket and fill it with a vinegar & water solution. Then broom it onto the wire.

Thank you so much for your friendly advice and encouragement! None of the above I knew

If your wire has been weathered (left out in the weather for at least 6 months) it will not require the vinegar wash. However if in doubt this is a must with chewey birds like budgies. Cage breeding gives you greater control over the results. Birds in avairys, even if previously cage bonded, may not stay together for a number of reasons. Hen or cock not as far advanced in breeding condition as their suposed mate is a common one. Avairy breeding is easier. However! If you do not have more nests than hens murder will take place. If you do not have even numbers of sexs murder can take place. There are considerable pitfalls. Cage breeding the birds may not like your choice of mate and ignore each other. Nothing is guaranteed. But the birds are darlings and worth all the effort.

Good luck.

LML