AVIARY CONSTRUCTION

By James B. Taylor M.A.Sc. P.Eng

All copyrights reserved by the author 2008

Main Topics

1.                  Introduction

2.                  Location

3.                   Lighting

4.                  Confinement

5.                  Cage

6.                  Feeding/watering

7.                  Cleaning

8.                  Privacy

9.                  Misc. comments

10.             Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

There is no way to explain how to build an aviary for all species, locations etc. in a single book. What you need to do is the research and planning first before building. An aviary is a system for keeping birds for display and or breeding. A system is only as good as its weakest component. This book is basically a check list of components that need to be considered in building any aviary successfully.

First, I will give you an example of what not to do.

Our first pair of breeding birds was a pair of rainbow (green-nape) lories purchased sight unseen from a pet store in Vancouver. We set the birds up for breeding in our dining room in a clear plastic cage that I designed and built myself with too little research.

Location: The birds screamed any time we were in either our dining room or kitchen.

Lighting: There was far too little light except for mornings when direct sunlight shone on the cage causing heating problems. This also woke the birds up at dawn.

Confinement: None if they got loose. They had the run of the entire house.

Cage: The cage was too small especially when they went to nest.

Feeding: The dishes had to be changed wearing welders gloves. Even these only worked marginally.

Cleaning: nearly impossible without letting the birds loose in the bathroom.

Privacy: They screamed when disturbed especially when they went to nest. (Within a few weeks of purchasing them) We ate a lot of takeout for the ten weeks they were nesting.

With this as our first experience you might wonder why we continued breeding birds. My wife puts it up to stupidity.

If you take anything away from reading this checklist, I hope that it is to do your research, then plan, then build. This can save you a great deal of time and money as repairs, add-ons, redesigns are generally expensive, difficult and may be impossible without a total rebuild.

The order of the topics is not necessarily in importance. The order is more of how I go about planning a project. Ignoring any of the topics can get you into trouble just as easily as any other. This is why a check list works.

There is a certain amount of overlap and duplication as some of the points fit into many categories.

How do go about filling in the checklist? Read, check the internet, ask other aviculturists, go to bird club meetings, ask to see other aviaries. Not only ask how things work but where they don’t work.

This checklist works for any size aviary from one bird in a cage in your house or for a thousand pair commercial breeding establishment. The problems are the same, only the solutions differ.

LOCATION

 Type of aviary:

      Indoor

                  Single cage

                  Indoor flights

                  Multi-cage breeding setup

      Indoor/outdoor

      Outdoor

      Add on to a house

Patio or lean-to style

      Stand alone

                  Garage

Convert a garage or use a garage package

                  Specialized building

All should consist of a building – roof, walls, and floor. The walls might be wire or framed walls. The floor might be gravel, concrete or house flooring.

Design:

      Practical

                  No concern for looks, totally functional

      Pretty and practical-depending on taste and where you live

      Building code requirements. neighbors

Cost:

      Self built – depending on your skills, appearance requirements

      Contractor

                  Partly both contractor builds outside, you do cages inside

      Types of material used, size etc. Reclaimed, new

                  Standard size is much cheaper than custom sizes. 4’ x 8’ 16” or 24” centres. Built on 1’, 2,’ 4’, 8’

Noise:

      Neighbors:

                  Can be a major unsolvable problem

                              Small lot, wrong species house location on lot or facing wrong direction

                  Sell them or give them a bird best to work with not in opposition to neighbors. Get them interested in birds, pet birds, wildlife, conservation etc. If they share an interest they may be more tolerant

                  Try to control lighting to contain noise between certain hours

Most tropical birds only need 12 hours light so aim sunrise and sundown to minimize noise complaints

      You:

                  Disturb family sleep

                  Birds like to wake up (and you) at dawn.

      Sound absorbing materials

                  Investigate noise reducing materials for buildings. Many methods can be incorporated with heat insulation.

      Planting – sound deflection shrubbery

      Orientation - orient doors, windows away from neighbors, your home.

Access to:

      Power most locations would require underground services run.

       Look into local codes or get estimates from electrical contractors

      Need estimate of power requirements –

                  worst case in winter heat, summer cool.

Power backup if extremes with unreliable power.

                  Artificial lighting 

                  Heat 

      Water hot/cold. Berried service/ heat traced

                  Cleanup – using hose for washing cages, food bowls etc.

                  Convenience water for dishes

      Drain

                  Washtub for cleanup Wash water removal

                  Rainwater runoff

Security:

      Wire fencing

                  Electric fence may not be allowed in residential neighborhood.

                  10 foot high fence with electrified razor wire may not either.

      Security alarm security service problems with false alarms

      Guard dog look mean but care with possible law suit

      Build out of sight – what is not known won’t be bothered

      Limit access

                  Placement on property only opens to inside of house

                  Limit who knows your address

Size: never big enough need to estimate what you need today and tomorrow. Not as critical if a number of small aviaries can be built instead of only one large. 

Easier if cages/flights can be combined, divided into smaller cages

      Number of cages

      Size of enclosures some birds need large enclosures, others don’t do well                 in too large a cage.

      Number of birds:

                  In cages

                  In total how many can you ;look after comfortably and properly.

      Amount of work relative to the number of cages, not the number of birds

Cost of food relative to both number of birds and to number of cages

Building codes

      What permits required may depend on aviary being a permanent or temporary structure. Whether it is stand alone or connected to a dwelling. Serviced or not.

      Zoning

                  Limiting building types a garage may be your only choice other than inside a house.

                  Limiting number of birds – animals that can be kept. May depend on in a dwelling or external.

Weather protection:

      Wind max wind – sheltered or not sheltered. wind tolerant birds. Wind chill.

      Temperature

                  Max/min sheltered or not.

Artificial temperature control or methods of generation heat/cold in emergency

      Snow load

                  Roof load wet or dry snow.

      Rainfall

                  Rain load land drainage. Type of roof

Drainage:

      Water removal from roof, around buildings

      Flood prevention

Access: Access to outside/ inside walls roof inside and out

      For cleaning,

      Catching birds

      For viewing watch for birds fighting, breeding, in trouble

Surrounding vegetation: growing into cages

      Poisonous plants

      Falling branches damage to cages, flights

      Tree litter collecting on roof

      Privacy

LIGHTING

Types:

      Natural

      Artificial

      Diffused

      Direct sun

                  For lighting

                  For passive/active solar heating

                  May cause heating problems

Length of day:

      Affects heating/cooling requirements

      Affects breeding of some birds

                  Parrots are mostly equatorial

Again noise

Direction of light:

      May require more than one source

      Affects orientation of aviary

      Affects breeding of some birds

                  Light into nestbox

      Some birds may require shade or darkness

CONFINEMENT

Always separate confinement from cages. Each has different problems.

What you keep in cage:

      Birds

      Heat

      Mess

      Noise

What you keep out of confinement:

      Varmints:

                  Insects:

                              Mosquitoes– West Nile

                              Ants

                              Roaches

                              Stinging bugs

                  Snakes;

                  Rodents:

                              Rats

                              Mice

                  Mammals:

                              Opossums

                              Raccoons

                              Squirrels

                              Bears

                  Intruders - security

                  Weather

                  Droppings from wild birds

                  Light

                  Wild birds

Roof:

      House type:

                  Shingle

                  Shake

                  Rolled Roofing

      Patio type:

                  Plastic – fiberglass

                  Wire with plastic sheet

                  Just Wire – not recommended

      Indoor/outdoor flights might require different types

Walls:

      Solid:

                  Wood frame construction

                  Metal studs – minimize chewing damage

                              Rot proof

      Wire

      Plastic

      In/out require two types

      Each direction requiring different type -  wire inside, plastic outside

Floor:

      Cement

      Gravel

      Wood/Metal

      Wood if cages confined

      Ceramic tile

                  Consider tunneling rats/mice

Airlock:

      Keeps in birds

      Keeps in heat/cold in/out

Ventilation:

      Filter air intake

      Air filtration

                  Dust removal

                  Odour removal

                  Pathogen removal

      Makeup air - heating/cooling

      Air flow

                  Minimizing air mixing cage to cage

                  Pressurizing building to control where air leaves

Heating/cooling:

      For birds

                  Determine temperature limits for all species kept

      For you

                  Freezing water dishes, pipes, door latches

CAGE

Strength:

      Chew proof in both directions

      Free standing or requires a frame

Composition:      

      Wire:

                  Gauge

                              Different parts may require different gauges.

                              Rigidity

                              Chew proof

                  Size   

                              1”x1” 1” x ½”  etc.

                              Smaller size may allow lighter gauge to be used

                  Material

                              Most common is steel wire

                  Coating

                              Galvanized before - cheapest

                              Galvanized after – more expensive

                                          Galvanized for corrosion

                                          Zinc poisoning possible

                              Plastic coated – most expensive

                              Painted – possible

      Wood:

                  Coating

                              Painted/unpainted

                  Covering

                              Plastic

                              Wire

                              Metal

      Plastic:

                  Type

                              Acrylic

                              Polycarbonate

                  Strength

                  Transparent/translucent/opaque

                  Scratch proof

Size:

      Choose size for use

                  Display

                  Breeding

                              Big is not always better for breeding

      Length, Width, Height

      Maximize useful volume for birds

      Are birds fliers /climbers

      Floor to ceiling/ California style

      Fits enclosure

      Cleanable

Mounting:

      Free standing

      Ceiling

      Wall

      Permanent/moveable

      All sections accessible

Perches:

      Size

                  Use a number of sizes

      Location

                  Where they will be used

      Material:

                  Wood

                  Dowel

                  Plastic for important ones not to be chewed

      Replaceable

      Accessible

      Cleanable

Nestboxes:

      Size

      Shape

      Orientation

      Location

                  Inside/outside cage

      Material:

                  Wood

                              Chewing problem

                  Plastic

                  Metal

                              Heat problem

                  Metal with wood insert

      Replaceable

      Accessible

                  Access door

      Cleanable

                  When nesting

                  Slide out trays

Shape:

      Reducing aggression

                  Areas out of sight from others

                  Blinds

      Increasing stimulation

                  Toys

                  Chewing materials

FEEDING/WATERING

In general, feed and water from the outside. The birds will be happier and you will            have fewer wounds. Allow them their territory.

Standardize if possible

Number of dishes for:

      Soft food

      Pellets

      Seed

      Water:

                  Dish

                  Bottle

                  Auto watering system

Dish location:

      Height

      Separation – water away from pellets or dry food

      One group or more than one feeding location

                  Necessary with aggression

Dish material:

      Strength

      Cleanable

      Sterilizable

Bathing:

      Dish

      Sprinkler

CLEANING

Ease of cleanup

      Wire types:

                  Galvanized before

                              Hardest to keep clean

                              Corrosion problem

                  Galvanized after  

                  Plastic coated  

                  Painted  

      Floor:

                  Gravel

                              Hard to clean

                  Cement

                              Can be painted, sealed

                              Expensive

                  Ceramic tile

                              Expensive but easier cleaning

                  Drainage

                              Removal of waste water

      Walls:

                  Paint

                  Plastic covered

                  Metal covered

                  Plastic sheet

                              Rolls mounted on wall for ease of replacement

Cleanup method:

      High pressure sprayers

                   Can aerosol viruses, bacteria

      Low pressure spray

                  Less cleaning power

      Mop, sponge, by hand

                  Labour intensive

      Sprinklers

                  Somewhat effective though mould and bacteria growth a problem

      Combinations – sprinkler to soften up – sprayer to clean.

Advantage of inside/outside – can lock birds away for cleaning

PRIVACY For Birds

 Sight:

      Opaque or translucent dividers/ sight barriers

      Cage locations

      Plants

                  Check poison list

                  May be necessary for breeding

                  Screening from neighbors

Contact:

      Physical dividers, plastic/wood screens

      Cage separation

Sound – the most difficult to control:

      Plants

      Insulation

      Orientation

Nestbox:

      Location

      Orientation

      Light/shadow control

MISC.COMMENTS

Type of birds:

      In any one aviary try to keep birds from one continent

      Isolate birds that tend to be disease carriers from the rest of the flock

                  Lovebirds, budgies, cockatiels tend to carry particular diseases.                                  Keep them away from other hookbills.

Rules for happy bird keeping:

1.      Always feed from the outside. Do not set up any cage where you have to reach in to change food dishes. Your bird(s) will be happier, you will be happier and so will someone who might have to feed your bird(s) under unusual circumstances.

2.      Make sure at all times that you control who/what enters/leaves your building/cage(s). There is no excuse for having birds escape from cages. This is one major causes of the spread of disease. This still might happen thus the reason for the confinement structure. No one/nothing should have access to your birds unless you want them/it to.

3.      You should have back up systems for all essential services – heat, light, food/water, nets, carriers for every bird/pair, feeder etc. Things happen in our lives – sickness, accident, death, earthquake, floods, power outages etc. Your birds should not suffer because you have not thought ahead.

4.      Make sure there is someone who checks with you on a regular basis to make sure that everything is all right.

5.      Set up a proper quarantine for any new additions. Work out what tests need to be done and how long the birds should be quarantined with your vet.

6.      Develop a working relationship with a good vet.  Don’t wait till trouble happens. Things tend to happen at the worst times. A good relationship will allow you to have help 24/7.

7.      If you are going to breed birds, treat it as a business. It will be very difficult to make money or even break even. Money is not an end in itself. Money is a way to keep score. How well you are doing? How efficient are you? Are you wasteful?. Could you do a better job looking after your birds without taking more time or resources?

CONCLUSION

A carefully planned and constructed aviary can help make bird keeping enjoyable. The converse is also true. Fighting the system every day becomes a chore. The birds will suffer.