Daytime aviary - design and ideas

[Cazcooky]

We are looking at building an aviary for an Amazon, for daytime use while we are at work.
How much space would she need? What sort of substrate do you recommend for bottom of the cage? And how do you clean it? Will I need a safety door?
My old cage was home made, kept in shelter of the verandah. This was 0.8m (to fit through doorway of enclosed verandah at old house) x 1.2 m x 2 m high, on wheels.

I am thinking 2m deep x 3m long x 2m high. Sheltered along back, 1.4m each side and on roof. Concrete slab floor.

Please comment on design.

Other thought was to get it made with a slideable division down the middle, so could get a second bird and seperate them if necessary or open up if they get along well.

I don't have another bird yet (my 5 yo baby died about a month ago).

 

[JLcribber]

There are 2 kinds of aviaries. Supervised and unsupervised. Supervised they can be made of anything because you are there when they are there.

Unsupervised is a whole different ball game. Now you need a zoo quality enclosure that is a proven design and constructed in accordance with that. Shelter from the elements. Heat/cool should they need it.

This is not just to make sure your birds are safe and can't get out but to make it secure from predators getting in. And humans are the biggest predator of them all.

My advice is if you're not going to be there (supervise) you had better dig deep into your bank account and build it right.

 

[Cazcooky]

This one will be made by either shed company (aviary option) or aviary/kennel manufacturer. Just after the ideas so I get best design. The aviary/kennel manufacturer will design to suit. Sheds m/f have standard sizes.

Wondering do you go dirt floor with concrete around base of walls, full concrete base, size, any other ideas I may not have considered.

 

[JLcribber]

Here are the standards that sanctuaries use. I would try to meet or exceed those standards.

Standards for bird sanctuaries.
http://www.sanctuaryfederation.org/...2016/01/Arboreal-Perching-BirdsJuly2013HA.pdf

The first couple sections deal with housing.

A double entry is an absolute requirement.

 

[allie136]

This one will be made by either shed company (aviary option) or aviary/kennel manufacturer. Just after the ideas so I get best design. The aviary/kennel manufacturer will design to suit. Sheds m/f have standard sizes.

I am in the same situation looking for an outside aviary too, shame there isn't a thread on outside aviaries, people aren't replying much in this section. Anyway, I too am looking at those made by shed company's and manufacturers of chicken coops with run, cat enclosures and dog runs...those types of searches.

Also looking for used ones that are cheaper but not 100% about the ones I have found so far, and there aren't many near my home or with people willing to deliver for fuel cost.

So far the best I think I've found is a chicken coop with run style, but not sure if this would be okay for birds? I don't see why not. It's classed as the company's biggest because it's the tallest one which is obviously what I want for birds to fly in. Chicken runs tend to be long but low to the ground, so I've found a couple of taller ones that are looking likely for me. Have you found anything like that? My yard has plenty of concrete so it will have no bottom on it and just go on that I think. I'm trying to learn what is safe and what isn't... I'll only go for one that says fox proof etc.

Excited to get my poor budgie girl who is in a very small cage, into a fairly large aviary! (hopefully most of the day while it's summer and then figure out a heating solution when it gets colder and for at night too eventually)

 

[karen256]

Sounds like you old aviary was really more of a large cage than an actual aviary for flying.

The size you are planning sounds very nice, though perhaps a bit small if you actually do make it with a divider in the middle. I'd make it a little longer if you plan to have it divided, so each bird has a little room to fly. Bigger is always better, though it sounds like she's only in there when you're at work, so it doesn't need to be as big as if she was living in it all the time.

It will need a secure entry way - either a double door or perhaps a door that opens into your veranda or other enclosed space. It will need to be predator proof if she will be out there alone while you're at work, although it will help that she's indoors at night. The concrete slab floor will help as well.

It basically sounds like a good design with the right amount of shelter, the safety is up to your construction quality and materials, really. Try to use stainless steel hardware whenever possible, if you can't afford stainless steel mesh, GAW (galvanized after welding) mesh is the next best and pretty safe if you clean it well and leave it to weather for a bit before using it (to remove any loose zinc). With toys and branches to chew on, she probably won't chew on the mesh anyway.

 

[rockybird]

You need to construct this with the bird's safety in the forefront. I know several people who kept their birds in outdoor aviaries only to come home one day and they were gone! I have also heard of hawks getting into them and of a raccoon biting the beak off a bird in an aviary.

I dont believe you want a dirt floor. I thought I read that this is not good due to risk of parasites and predatory animals burrowing in (even with concrete borders).

I thought about building an aviary myself but decided the risk wasnt worth it. There are too many predators here from snakes, to hawks, to evil humans. Not to mention the extreme heat and heavy thunderstorms. I am instead building a large air conditioned and heated room off the side of the house with floor to ceiling glass. But if I lived in a climate that wasnt so hot and where I could keep an eye on my birds, I would love to build an aviary for them, provided it was completely secure and safe from predators, weather elements, and disease.

 

[finchly]

There is an aviary design group on facebook with lots of ideas and photos.

 

[jmfleish]

I second the aviary group on FB, I'm a member there and they have lots of great ideas although you have to dig for them but you can ask questions. It's called Home Aviary Design and covers inside and outside aviary design. I really like John's idea of actually contacting a zoo too. It's serious business to consider leaving a bird outside unsupervised. The only other people I would consider talking to who do that with regularity are breeders. I personally would be too scared to do it and the costs involved are astronomical but incredibly interesting!