Sanitation...?

[LittleBird]

hi all
so we have a rather well constructed aviary (made it myself ) except for one, rather crucial thing: sanitation. this is something we have to fix soon as its impact on the flock is really severe. we have birds dieing from yeasts (Avian Gastric Yeast and Candidiasis) and even spider bites ( Black Widow spiders, really horrific to see) so ,i guess, what im really asking is:

1) how do we clean the floor? do we replace it with cement that we can spray feces and decaying food off? we cant put mesh so that the poo falls through cuz we have to be able to walk in.
2) Finches, Budgies and nests. how do we accommodate the finches sleeping places when the budgies just take them to lay eggs? is there a special nest? do finches NEED nests?
3) how do we keep their water clean? the water bowl we have at the moment is all jucky and the finches EAT stuff from it, how do we keep it clean and safe?

and lastly, but most importantly, how do we stop bugs being around? we have had over six babies die this year painfully from spider bites, it is my number one concern.thank you all for you advice in advance
LittleBird

 

[finchly]

Is it a dirt floor? I don't know how to keep that clean. Concrete is fairly inexpensive and easy to sanitize.

Finches do NOT need nests. Don't give them any until you work all these problems out, at least.

You need to place the water somewhere that they can't poop in it. Beside the perch or above. Also change the water several times a day! I use drinkers with a spout instead of bowls, some people use lixit-type bottles (I do not use these because sometimes the little ball gets stuck and you don't know it until somebody dies.)

Drinker

Lixit bottle

For bugs, try diatomaceous earth. It is safe around the birds and kills spiders along with many insects.

 

[karen256]

I hope you can figure out the problems.
What I've always heard is that black widows prefer areas where it's damp and there are places to hide.. like around decaying wood/stacked firewood, ect. If your aviary is enclosed by wood on every side but the front, as some are for shelter, you might want to open it up a little more, maybe have 2 or 3 sides and part of the roof mesh to keep it more open and airy and less appealing to spiders. But, in winter, you would still probably want to board over those areas to protect from the wind. The spiders shouldn't be a problem in winter.
Finches don't need nests except to breed, and I don't think it's a good idea to encourage breeding until you can get the spider problem under control. Not only that, but enclosed nest boxes may be appealing to spiders. I'd just place some perches up high in a more sheltered corner of the aviary, and they can sleep there (put enough that they don't fight over sleeping spots).

For water - you can use tube style waterers or water bottles for water but with either of these, you do need to be very careful and check that they actually have water every day. Bottles can become plugged, or get bumped and knocked off the side of the aviary, ect. They will still need a bowl of water for baths, as well. I'd probably first try moving their water dish to a new location. Try somewhere away from the food dishes and with no perches over it, where it may stay cleaner. If it still is getting dirty, then you might try resorting to a tube waterer, just be careful they always have water. If you do switch to a tube waterer or bottle, then you'll still want to give them a bowl of water for a few hours once or twice a week for baths.

 

[Distaff]

Start noticing where you find black widows, and black widow webs, and you will get a sense for what they like. Get rid of any nearby junk, esp. cardboard boxes and crumpled paper. If you use cement blocks to support things, make sure the holes face out, not up and down. If they have nothing to hide in, they will go elsewhere.

Sand and dirt can work ok if you rake it out, and replace. You can also install small pavers yourself, and hose down that.

Water dishes should always be sparkling clean. I clean and refill all my outdoor water dishes twice a day. I keep extras so I can switch out quickly.

 

[Distaff]

Is the structure portable? I move my hen house when the grass underneath starts getting gross. They are pastured within an electric net fence (night time predator protection), and I move their pasture about once a month when the grass overall starts getting thin.

 

[Distaff]

I'm going to harp some more on dirty water bowls. Pick up a slimy water bowl, and you can SMELL the yeast. Yeast *cells* (Can you call them that? Sorry my biology is rusty.) float free in the air. Sun warmed water, plus starchy birdseed (not to mention chicken mash!), plus time... grows yeast. Keep those bowls clean! If you are always pressed for time, you can use disposable plastic cups of a size that fits snugly into the heavier dishes (a popular reptile keeper method). May seem wasteful, but your birds will be drinking clean water.

I know bottles and Lix-it styles are popular, but those too need frequent cleaning, and it is harder to do with all the extra parts, and the tube needs a little brush, or some pipe cleaners. To each his own, but I don't trust them to function w/o failure. I find bowls to be fool-proof, and faster.

 

[LittleBird]

sorry I only got on now, internet was down
thanks you all for your amazing suggestions and i will definitely edit where there need be too my aviary
LittleBird