Outside Bird Aviary

[djzenjen]

I'm working on putting together an outside bird aviary for my flock. I have an African Grey, Amazon, Dove, and Alexandrian that are all flighted. So, when I bring them out in the backyard, I'd like for them to have a flighted area to enjoy the sunshine in. I was looking around for a used Dog Kennel on Craigslist. You know, the large ones that are 6'x5'x4' (ish). Then I thought about using 2x4s to build the frame and using fencing for the walls and a tarp draped over the top for shade. However, being large birds that LOVE to chew, I'm afraid they will go for the framing and start chewing it.

So, I'm looking for ideas on what I can do. I already have fencing, but would really like to find one of those dog kennels. If I can't get one at a good price, I'm looking into other options. Ideas? Suggestions? Do you have one that you could show me a picture of? Thanks for reading!

[Lori~D]

Yes the parrots will chew the wood. Your Dove will get through Chain link. I would never put a dove in with large hookbills - that would be deadly in that small of space. Other than that Im not sure where you are but our farm and garden type stores sell kennel panels with the powder coated smaller mesh and you can purchase an extra panel to put on top.
Some ideas here...
http://www.optionspluskennels.com/?g...FQzxDAodaVoB7Q

[aebowman]

I was thinking of building an aviary, too. I was wondering if instead of wood, would it be possible to build the frame out of PVC. PVC is weather-proof, resists beaks much better than wood and is less expensive. I'm still looking into it but thought I would pass it along.

[Maegen Sue Persing]

The first thing I though of as an alternative to wood was PVC. If you buy a 2 in pvc pipe and cut the bottom at a slant you can drive it into the ground really easily. You can also drill holes in it to wire the fence or mesh to the poles. If you make a basic frame it would be really sturdy.

[Jan]

First off, you have to ask yourself how much you are willing to spend.

Also, can all your birds get along fine at all times?

Is their time being spent in it, just during the day and they would come into the house at night?

What are your weather patterns like where you are located? High winds, lots of rain?

So ... because I know how some parts of Florida can be, you guys can get high winds and could come up unexpected, things can tip over and therefore there goes your birds flying off into the wild blue yonder! We can get high winds where we are at and I have had wire caging tip over, but luckily there were no birds in it when this has happened which had been 3 times it has tipped over. Twice it was not achored down and then it was anchored down with chain to stakes well the chain broke and it tipped over!

My utmost reccommended advise to you or anyone who wants to house birds outside even if it is just for a few hours per day or even if it is for 24/7 during summer months... is to make it almost permanant. It must be secure. Sucure from unwanted visitors of the animal kind and even people.

If using the ground as the flooring, then it needs to be where nothing can dig in to get to your birds. While you may think I am going a bit over the edge with this... I know from experience.

PVC framing, I'd stay away from. Go with wood framing and you can use wire caging mesh, the kind for parrots. Do not use Chicken wire. Chain link is good only for real large birds such as large Macaws and large Cockatoos. Even with that, you must place smaller wire mesh at the bottom up so far to prevent other critters and such from getting in.

This maybe one type of cage that would be good for outdoors but again needs to be secured so it can not blow over in high winds. You could even mount this type of caging to concrete. In this photo this cage is indoors. It has 1" tubular galvanized steel for the framing. This particular cage is 6 feet high and 5 feet deep and 7 feet long. For outside you would need a safety area to walk into first if your birds are fully flighted. This wire on this cage is 11 gauge wire and is 1" x3" mesh and can with stand any parrot beaks. The door is 5 feet high x 18" wide.This cage as is would cost approx. close to $1,000. This cage was actually made by California Cage Works.

[becca623]

That cage looks nice and sturdy. I like it.

[Lori~D]

I just got the doors in for mine. My frame will be wood but the birds going into it are not chewing species. I am meshing the floor to keep out predatory rodents and putting mulch down atop that with live plants and some sort of shallow fountain/pond like birdbath in the floor.

[RubyMuse]

my friend sent this to me - it has instructions and a lot of info on outside aviaries.

NaturalBird.com

[tracie]

Ohhhhh Lori, yours sounds really nice. I have been considering this, but I dont' know if I would trust them being out if I am not here, and if I am here, would they want to be out there, or around me. I worry about cats, and people stealing them.

[jakeandoscar]

Also if you use would you could find some long SS edges to go one the inside. By edeges I kinda mean brackets. THey owuld make the inside of the meatla where the outside would be wood. THis ways your bird couldn't get to the wood to chew it.