Aviary Plans Please?

[PCash]

Hi!

I'm a DIY kinda girl and would love to put together a plan and budget estimate for an aviary for my birds (and possibly an additional new bird down the road).

Currently I have two GCCs, but if I find a rescue - a macaw, amazon, or cockatoo that falls for me (and potentially has the size and background to one day free-fly), I may add that to my little flock. I want to plan to build an aviary, possibly next year where I can safely have my birds outside without constant supervision. I live in PA, so it wouldn't be in use all year (at least not during the colder months and cooler evenings), but it would be where my birds would spend most of their time (aside from their time with me, of course) during the summer.

Actually I may construct two aviaries (one for the little birds and one for the larger bird) or construct an aviary with a divider.

In any case, I've looked around online and seen, briefly, versions of people's DIY aviaries, but they lack so much information and pictures, that I'm rather confused.

I know wood is pretty much out as a building material when it comes to Macaws, but I'm not sure how people are affixing wire mesh to like carport frames and such. I fear trial and error on my part may end up being more expensive than if I just went out and bought the pre-made aviary itself. But I like DIY and don't mind a bit of hard work if I can save some money.

So my question, is there some secret stash of aviary building plans somewhere that I can't seem to find? I really, really want a plan. *weak lol*

 

[PCash]

I found this for aviary panels. I'm liking the price and the options, but I'm not sure how one would attach these to a metal frame, like a greenhouse or carport.

https://www.wingzstore.com/diy/wire/ready-panels/ready-panel.html

(Sorry, I can't figure out how to put live links here. Just copy and paste the link into your browser and it should take you to the spot.)

 

[Flboy]

Think pvc, you can attach using tyewraps!

 

[PCash]

For a Macaw?

 

[greytness]

Do research on the type of wire that's safe for birds over time. Many are zinc laden, which is toxic for birds.
We ended up going with stainless steel mesh just to be on the safe side. Yes, it's pricey, but I'd rather pay more knowing my birds won't become ill from mouthing it over time.

 

[PCash]

Where would I get stainless steel? What supports should I use to "hang" the wire?

 

[greytness]

I could take some pics of what our fabricator did to affix it to the steel frame if that might help you get an idea.
We got our mesh rolls through TWP. Again, it's the priciest stuff to get.

 

[greytness]

Wingz is in my home town. We've owned rabbit cages and guinea pig cages that came from them. For the small animal enclosures, they were a 'meh' for me. We had them bid on building our aviary, but they came out as being 8K more than what our fabricators ended up doing it for us.

 

[Laurasea]

I'm following this thread closely! I want to a small one, but I have no idea where to get the stainless steel mesh from.

 

[noodles123]

I am responding to 1 part of the OP's post about potential rescues:


I have an Umbrella Cockatoo who feels like 7 birds lol. I don't always LOVE MyToos.com, but honestly, comb through that website and then, think LONG AND HARD before making that call. They are NOT like other birds (even though they share many tendencies etc). My bird had 3 owners before me. EVEN BIRD PEOPLE WILL BACK ME UP ON THIS----again- it is possible, but I contend that it is much harder than having a human child. Heck! I work with extreme people for a living, and my cockatoo beats them, HANDS-DOWN.

Imagine an EXTREMELY smart toddler with special needs (similar to autism) who wants constant attention and has a tri-point beak +800 lbs bite force (making noises louder than a jet engine, using wings and potentially engaging in extreme self-mutilation if things go poorly...plucking/overpreening when some parrots would just shrug it off)...A rescue "Too" may not care about your other birds and will likely come with extreme behaviors...Not that you can't work with those, but I am overwhelmed with one very well-behaved cockatoo (IT TOOK SOOOOO MUCH WORK TO GET HER THERE AND EVEN MORE TO KEEP HER THERE)
Mine is my entire life.
LOVE HER TO DEATH...but dang...Even after all of the research...and even with a degree in special ed + ABA, I still feel like I am the mother of MULTIPLE TODDLERS WITH EXTREME BEHAVIORS (and 2 vets have described her as "the most well-adjusted they have ever seen".)
I am her 3rd home, and she still has a small bald spot on her chest. When I got her, I couldn't touch her.. the transition was HUGE for her, and she LOVES me (now)...I just can't ever recommend a cockatoo to anyone...doing a good job with them is WAY harder than anyone can ever articulate...

 

[PCash]

Greytness, Pictures would be great! Thank you!

What type of mesh did you use? On the TWP website, there seems to be a ton of options, so I'm a little lost.

Noodles123, yeah, I know Too's can be over the top. I'll putter around Mytoos. It would have to be a very special bird for me to consider bringing it into the family. I'm kinda in the stages of throwing ideas around. These birds aren't like dogs. You get them for life, so I'm approaching it very cautiously with eyes wide open. Thanks for the advice!

 

[PCash]

Oh, and Greytness, when you say "fabricator", what did you mean? Was this a contractor you hired? How did you find them? Thanks!

 

[greytness]

Are you in So Cal by any chance?
We'd used a contractor for some work on our home. He outsourced the aviary project to a fabricator. I'd done research for almost 2 years, and was completely picky from the type of non zinc paint used all the way down to the stainless steel fasteners. They met every request that I'd made of them.

The fabricators were in the business of installing wrought iron gates and things along those lines, so fencing type builds were right up their alley.

I believe the SS mesh we selected was 1/2 inch by 2 inch, 16 gauge. That way my little birds up to my large macaws could safely fly and play inside it.

 

[Flboy]

For a Macaw?

PVC? Sure! Two inch is quite strong! Sch40, or if available, even sch80! 80 will be very pricey and a bit of an over kill!
If you do go wood, attach everything inside, using the wood as an exoskeleton!

An advantage to PVC is it’s weight, you can move it around!

Found this link. Remember, if you do go galvanized, it must be hot dipped, after weld! Then weathered, some folks recommend vinigar wash!
https://whitesgroup.com.au/fencing-solutions/aviaries-cages/aviary-mesh-large-birds-details.html

 

[noodles123]

Greytness, Pictures would be great! Thank you!

What type of mesh did you use? On the TWP website, there seems to be a ton of options, so I'm a little lost.

Noodles123, yeah, I know Too's can be over the top. I'll putter around Mytoos. It would have to be a very special bird for me to consider bringing it into the family. I'm kinda in the stages of throwing ideas around. These birds aren't like dogs. You get them for life, so I'm approaching it very cautiously with eyes wide open. Thanks for the advice!

They are all very special (Cockatoos)---that is where they get you lol. They are HILARIOUS and they can be so sweet---no one can resist my bird's charm (even people who fear her are fascinated). That having been said, it is really hard to get a feel for the "real" bird in any setting where one could be adopted or purchased---it is just hard because even when treated very well (compared to other birds) they are like emotionally disturbed, "emo" teenagers with extreme mood swings, prone to self-destruct over tiny things (imagine listening to Elliot Smith and Radiohead, followed by the Wiggles and Teletubbies music, topped off with some "Limp Bizcuit" after that and you will get a feeling for their general moodiness (it is really hard to control those kinds of anxiety levels because they need to fly like 50 miles and forage in order to burn it off lol). I also should add that much of this angst is internal--- I am not saying mine is super mean one day and nice the next (although she can be a be)---it is more like, sometimes, nothing I do can make her wheels stop spinning..and when her wheels spin, she does compulsive things that are often harmful or annoying.

I am Glad you are aware---it is just genuinely hard to fathom the level of commitment and stress that comes with a cockatoo (especially Moloccuns (sp?) and Umbrellas, but the others can be just as difficult according to many sources). Again, I LOVE MINE SO MUCH but feel exhausted 90% of the time because it is just so hard to give her what she needs (she didn't pick this life, so I feel guilty all the time, even though she has it good compared to many)...and I expect/hope that she lives for a long time (up to 80 years)...It is hard to fathom, even though parting with her would be UNIMAGINABLE at this point. I guess it' s a bit like Stockholm syndrome lol.

I say this as the owner of a bird who is VERY good compared to many....Things can get way worse, so my stress is the tip of the iceberg. I just actually met a man at the vet yesterday who said, "i used to have one of those!" "Does it scream and bite people randomly", "Does it pluck out its feathers?" (yeah, some of the questions were silly/uninformed but, I digress).



Anyway, I asked what happened and he said that after many years, the bird was self-mutilating and plucking so badly that he couldn't keep up with the bills and had to give her away...and he has had other birds with relative success. He spoke of his bird fondly, but it was kind of like watching someone recall their time in the military....lots of good and lots of bad....and a lot of confusion/chaos and guilt.

 

[PCash]

Greytness, I actually live in PA, so, like the other side of the world. haha

Alright, so what size zip ties should I use if I don't want a Macaw to snap them?

 

[PCash]

Has anyone used a greenhouse (like from Harbor Freight) and attached wire mesh, and made sure it was ventilated very well (and possibly removed the solid panels in the summer)?

Here in PA, our winters can be very cold, but in a greenhouse, often, even on the coldest days, you can get temps pretty decent, especially if you place a space heater inside. Anyway, was thinking it might be nice to give my birds some outside time all year long, but the only way that could happen would be in something that was at least partially climate controlled.

So anyhoo, got to thinking about greenhouse frames and then about the perks of climate control, and . . . yeah, I'm a dreamer.

 

[SilverSage]

How cold does it get in PA? That might be where we are moving next, actually!


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[PCash]

PA's a bit of a mix. We get all four seasons, but sometimes they forget to take their allotted time. Like this Spring seemed to be a day or two long and over the summer it's been so rainy, it's pretty crazy. Fall is beautiful and a favorite of many of the people here in PA.

Winters, we will get down into the teens (Fahrenheit) in January and possibly February, but those are considered really cold days. Once or twice, we might even sink down to zero. I don't remember getting below zero though. Windchill can make things feel colder, and of course that would depend on your location in PA. My parents live on the side of a mountain, and wind isn't bad there. My husband and I live in a flat city and it feels like our yard is in a wind tunnel. We planted some trees and we're hoping to get some more this fall sometime, but trees take a long time to grow.

You can get a gauge for weather by googling planting zones. Parts of PA fall in zones 5 and 6. Look at those and you should be able to see when the first and last frosts are generally expected. In greenhouses, we could probably grow some things even into December and possibly overwinter some things in January and February into March.

Anyway, I'm sure that's a longer answer than you were looking for. I love PA. I love the seasons, the variety. Come, join us!

 

[SilverSage]

Thanks! My question had more to do with my birds being spoiled by a huge outdoor aviary and not wanting to live inside lol!

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