10. Foundation

If the aviary has a concrete floor, and you want to scrub it regularly, the wire cage must be put on a foundation of bricks. This looks nice and keeps the frame and wires from rusting were they come in contact with water from scrubbing. Of course there must be an opening on the foundation for the water to drain out in. This opening should be screened with wire to keep out rats and mice.

9. Gates

An important tip to keep in mind is that the gate should never be to much higher than your head. If the gate is low enough to force you to bend over on entering. This is extremely important in the case of small aviary housing. Because quick birds can fly past your head in a flash. The gate should not be so low that you have to bend almost half way just to go in the cage with a bucket of food. A gate with a spring witch closes the gate automatically, is also very handy and has prevented many birds in escape.

8. Rats, Mice and snake problems

To make it more difficult for pest to get into your aviary, Put some smooth tinplate 60–70 cm high on the outside of the bottom part of the aviary. You can also place fine mesh chicken wire vertically into the ground to a depth of 40cm and then bend it out horizontally. This will not keep out small field mice or small snakes but it keeps out the rats that kill larger birds.

7. Wire

Chicken wire, welded wire mesh or even diamond mesh wire is suitable for aviaries for birds like cockatoos and Macaws. However diamond mesh wire openings are very large that snakes and mice can easily enter, causing a lot of damage to eggs and contaminating the food. Ordinary 12mm chicken wire is the cheapest and is suitable for most bird species (except Cockatoos and Macaws) and is used often. Chicken wire is either woven first and then galvanized, or galvanized first and then woven. Both types are available, but pre-woven galvanized wire is more rust resistant. Wire that has been galvanized before being woven tends to crack were it was bent during the weaving process and tends to rust at these cracks. Chicken wire has a lifespan of about 10 years if painted regularly. If u have the wire for more than 10 years a hailstone can easily punch a whole through the wire, resulting the cause of your lost birds. Bright paint like silver reflects light and makes the birds less likely to see in an aviary. Darker paint like green or black makes the birds more seeable. When you have bird that likes to chew on the wires, it’s important not to use any paint with lead, because lead is poisonous to birds. Chicken wire should be repainted every 2 years. Welded wire mesh is expensive but is excellent for aviaries. It looks better and has more support and does not stretch as much as chicken wire.

6. Dimensions

Birds need room to fly. It is better to have long narrow aviaries than small round ones. The bigger the bird; the bigger the flying area of the aviary has to be. Finches can be kept in aviaries of 1-2m long x 1m wide x 2m high. Smaller parakeets and parrots such as conures (budgies), grass parakeets and lovebirds needs a flying area of at least 4m long. The larger parakeets and parrots need a flying area of at least 6m or more in length in order to help them stay fit. In case of the large birds like Macaws, Cockatoos and Amazons, the width can be 1m but 2-4m in height. (only one pair is kept in an aviary).

5. Plans and Frames

Plans

First draw the aviary plans on a piece of paper and accurately calculate the dimensions. Then determine how many materials you will need.

Frames

An aviary is usually made from wood or metal covered in wires. The material for shelter is normally fixed to the frame on the outside of the wire cage. The frame and the sort of wire used should fit with the type of birds. For the larger members of the parrot family, who will happily chew through wire if possible. The frames and wire for the aviaries should be tougher for parrots than for finches. In South Africa aviaries frames are usually made of iron piping or sometimes angle iron (for larger birds like Macaws).

4. Displaying aviaries

Breeding Aviaries and displaying aviaries is not the same thing. Aviaries built to show of birds with rockeries, plants and housing a large variety of bird species do not produce the best breeding results. Small species such as grass parakeets, parrots and parrot-like birds can’t be kept in display aviaries because they will chew all the plants to ribbons, unless the aviary is particularly large. Only put one pair (male and female) of parrots per aviary, otherwise they will fight to the death. If a variety of birds are kept in one aviary they will pester each other, rip apart each others nests and fight. Pheasants and ducks living on the ground, may kill and even eat baby finches and doves that can’t fly. Its also extremely difficult to keep such a big aviary free of mice. Mice spread diseases and eat chicks and eggs.

3. Siting

Aviaries that are closed on 3 sides should preferably face north. If the aviary is faced east, west or south there should be a partially uncovered flying area so that in the winter the birds can sit in the sun from early morning. In the beginning aviculturalists can only afford 1 or 2 aviaries. When you get to a time were there’s not much room for more bird – this calls for more aviaries. Be sure to site the very first aviary in a way so there is enough room to attached the next one on it. So that the aviary eventually form a neat whole.

2. Designing an Aviary

Aviaries may range from showy enclosures with small gardens and lawns, ponds, rockeries and waterfalls, to simple yet neat and functional designs. The only important thing about the design is that there should be enough room and shelter for the birds. Aviaries consist of a flying area (flight) with or without a roof and a shelter with a roof at the back of the aviary. The shelter protects the birds from the cold, rain and wind. Its also were birds sleep and normally breed. There food is also placed under the shelter so that it doesn’t become wet. In case of finches who are quick to fly out through an open gate, a Double door for a single aviary or a safety passage in front of an entire row of aviaries is necessary. You enter the extra cage, close the gate behind you and then open the gate of the aviary itself. When a bird escapes it wont go further then the extra cage or safety passage, were it can then be captured.

1. Look before you leap

It is wise to sit down and take stock before you leap headlong into aviculture. Birds in an aviary are totally dependant on its owner. It is not everybody’s idea of fun to look after an aviary full of birds all year long.

It is cruel to neglect birds and good breeding results cannot be achieved under such circumstances. If you do not have the time or enthusiasm, do not take up aviculture.

Something you should guard against is to weaken the birds you own through inbreeding. Often birds bought as pairs are actually related (brother and sister).

For many birds threatened by destruction of their habitat, an aviary may be the only place where they will survive. This is the case with the New Zealand parakeet, which is a threatened species in its natural habitat, but they breed well in aviaries.

A local bird club can be a rich source of information and most breeders will be willing to help or give advice to beginners.

It is also important to understand and abide by the local regulations and restrictions regarding the keeping and breeding of birds.