# Any Aviary bird keepers?



## bustergrey (Jan 23, 2009)

Hi I am looking to build an aviary in my newly refurbed garden. I have kept african greys, lineolateds, budies indoors but never in an aviary. It may sound a bit strange bu how do these tropical birds keep warm in the winter?

Does anyone have any good sites for bulding an aviary and mixing species?

Thanks


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

As long as they have dry, draught free indoor accommodation, they don't need heat.
Be very careful about mixing species as plenty don't mix well, for instance, lovebirds.
Why not have a look at some aviary manufacturing websites and look at the designs. Probably the cheapest and easiest way to do it is to buy a 6 X 4 foot shiplap shed (not overlap or featheredge as it warps and gives draughty gaps.
Then buy some roof battens from the woodyard and make yourself aviary sections measuring 6 X 3. You'll need a good saw and some screws to do so. Then you need proper twilweld aviary wire and you staple it to the battens, then just screw the sections together to whatever size you want. The shed needs to be raised up off the ground so you can put rat bait under as it will attract rats. The flight needs to be roofed to keep out thw rain. You also need a safety porch to enter the shed and the flight without birds escaping.
To be honest, if you've never built one yourself, I think it might be better to buy one or buy the shed, fit it out and buy the aviary panels to put together . Screw the panels to the shed and cut a pop hole out so they can get in and out. Don't forget to buy a door section. Have a look on ebay. You might even find a 2ndhand one cheaply enough. I find it easy to build but to expplain every signle step in the process to someone who's never done one before and who may not have a good tool kit, is a bit long winded.
Have a look in google images.


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## bassy 1019 (Sep 26, 2006)

dont need heat? exoticbirds need heat if kept outside, fact. i had java hill mynahs out side and they needed heat. most dont, cockertiels, budgies, ect dont when acclimeatised. but be very careful, gouldian finches will need heat. also some species of parrots if they have no heat outside, will loose their toes. you can buy long tubeular heaters, from rob harvey, ect. cage and aviary birds sell heaters. sibias, bulbuls,barbets,toucans,yuhinas,pekin robins, tanagers,zosterops, the list is endless, all need outside heat. any others questions pm me. i have kept and bred loads of birds, if you dont want to have them die in the winter, get heating please.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

At our Sanctuary we have a budgie/cockateil aviary, a canary/finch aviary,a Quaker parrot aviary, a Bob White quail aviary and a soon to be new Rosella aviary. We do provide a tubular heater in all but the Rosellas prefer to sleep behind the shed


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

bassy 1019 said:


> dont need heat? exoticbirds need heat if kept outside, fact. i had java hill mynahs out side and they needed heat. most dont, cockertiels, budgies, ect dont when acclimeatised. but be very careful, gouldian finches will need heat. also some species of parrots if they have no heat outside, will loose their toes. you can buy long tubeular heaters, from rob harvey, ect. cage and aviary birds sell heaters. sibias, bulbuls,barbets,toucans,yuhinas,pekin robins, tanagers,zosterops, the list is endless, all need outside heat. any others questions pm me. i have kept and bred loads of birds, if you dont want to have them die in the winter, get heating please.


I hope none of my parrots reads this post because they all live in aviaries outside with no heat. I must have missed the bit where the OP said he wanted to keep sibias, bulbuls,barbets,toucans,yuhinas,pekin robins, tanagers,zosterops etc.


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

Bassy - are the birds you listed not less commonly kept that the average budgie and such that are usually in aviaries in the UK?

I know several people with unheated aviaries and flights - they do, as Fen said, have covered and enclosed indoor areas they can retreat to though :no1:


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## Juzza12 (Jun 12, 2008)

*Cockatiel feed question*

I'm looking to get one of the premium feeds rather than the usual seed sold in pet shops. The premium already has fruit and veg in it so how much more fresh fruit and veg would i need to add in?


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

What bird do you have?

We get our senegals a premium Avian specific food for poicephalus species and then they get a small bowl with a selection of fresh fruit and veg daily. I don't weigh how much it is - just give them some each day and then change it for fresh evrey morning when I do thier seeds


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## Juzza12 (Jun 12, 2008)

Ok point and laugh at the idiot (me) i meant to put this up as a seperate thread but somehow ended up posting in yours lol sorry


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## brittone05 (Sep 29, 2006)

Not my thread hun lol - am sure the OP won't mind


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## Schip (Mar 31, 2007)

I kept 30 pairs of various species of Parrots in open fronted Aviaries without heat for over 25 yrs. Had African Greys and Macaws laying on Xmas day, 3 sides and 1/3rd roof well insulated and thick plastic added to fronts for windbreaking during the winter mths. They had no indoor houses, used their nest boxes if they decided it was too cold, never had any losses toes, chicks or adult birds even with a ft or more of snow outside.

New birds were started outside during the day once the frosts had stopped then had the whole summer aclimatising ready to winter out with no problems. Your more delicate finches need extra heat and support over the winter but that's about it from my experience.


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