Aviary Plans Please?

[PCash]

That looks amazing! How critter proof is it? PVC, zip ties, wire mesh, and netting? What kind of wire mesh? What kind of birds do you have in it?

 

[SilverSage]

That looks amazing! How critter proof is it? PVC, zip ties, wire mesh, and netting? What kind of wire mesh? What kind of birds do you have in it?

It’s 1/2” mesh so it keeps out anything big enough to eat a bird. I have two cats and a dog, and plenty of birds of prey in the area so I haven’t seen even a trace of a rodent.

PVC, wire mesh, zip ties, tarp, and a car port frame lol. It’s Galvanized after weld hardware cloth. Birds with enough room to fly don’t chew the wire the way cages birds do, and there is no need for stainless steel in an enclosure like this one. This wire would NOT stand up to a large parrot however!

It houses IRNs, budgies, and cockatiels

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[PCash]

Thanks so much for the picture! This gives me some ideas. The adage is true, a picture is worth a thousand words.

I love how much room they all have, and your birds are lovely!

 

[Laurasea]

That looks amazing! How critter proof is it? PVC, zip ties, wire mesh, and netting? What kind of wire mesh? What kind of birds do you have in it?

It’s 1/2” mesh so it keeps out anything big enough to eat a bird. I have two cats and a dog, and plenty of birds of prey in the area so I haven’t seen even a trace of a rodent.

PVC, wire mesh, zip ties, tarp, and a car port frame lol. It’s Galvanized after weld hardware cloth. Birds with enough room to fly don’t chew the wire the way cages birds do, and there is no need for stainless steel in an enclosure like this one. This wire would NOT stand up to a large parrot however!

It houses IRNs, budgies, and cockatiels

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Beautiful pictures!!! Lucky birds!

 

[SilverSage]

They love it. The ultimate plan is to have 3 Aviaries of 300sqft each, but that will have to wait until my husband gets out of the army and we settle down lol.

It is crazy the transformation they go through when they get the space to fly and sunshine. Even in birds who were already on great diets.


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[MonicaMc]

I met a women named Nyla Copp that helps people choose what materials to buy to build aviaries and helps you find out where to get them. She's pretty knowledgeable about building aviaries and has done so for many people! I'm not sure what she charges though, but it's an idea!

 

[PCash]

I googled Nyla Copp and found her website. She looks like a good resource. Thank you!

 

[ChristaNL]

Overhere most DIY aviaries are build with pannels.

Just make a bunch of rectangular shapes (pick your favorite size) made out of square aluminium "pipes" (sorry, wrong word) joined at the corners with special pieces, and just attach the mesh on them.
All you have to do is join the pannels (screw them together) and you are done.

Companies who specialize in this will just send over a pallet full of those pannels.

I am working towards a larger enclosure (indoors) for Sunny, and If I order premade ara-proof-mesh-pannels they are 40 euro per 1 meter x 2 meter pannel.
So it's like building with lego - anyone can do it.

just some random pictures to give you an idea ...
https://img.2dehands.be/f/normal/431708369_1-aluminium-volierebouw.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/...jRmOuFIFOV2FyKsKnlj_WNbHl_ZsOmYii-EYD7iAwf1ax

https://cdn.simplesite.com/i/77/93/282600884979405687/i282600889573673595._szw480h1280_.jpg

smaller cages are done the same way... (but not that often, traditional cages are more populair)

 

[PCash]

Those look very cool ChristaNL. Does anyone know if aluminum is strong enough for Macaw beaks? ... I wonder if there is a company that does those kinds of panels here in the United States. They look awesome!

 

[SilverSage]

Sign me up for one like that!!


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[ChristaNL]

Good Question: is it macaw-proof?

Those look very cool ChristaNL. Does anyone know if aluminum is strong enough for Macaw beaks?

I am not worried about the aluminium- just use the extra bulky ones, but most of the builders just rivet the mesh into place and some parrots have been known to eventually damage those rivets to the point of destruction.
(Just like when you build with wood: make sure the mesh is attached on the inside - so the birds cannot gnaw on the structure)

Personally (because of Sunny) I was wondering about the corner/connecting pieces: they are some kind of plasctic on the outside and a metal core inside.
(the lighter grey ones in the 3rd link)
so I asked a builder...


==


I just got the "all clear for macaws" from one of these guys, a long time builder, but am still 'testing the waters'. (looking for revieuws from greenwing and large too keepers -> the biggest beaks and most determined ones)
I am going with "if it is hyacinthproof, I trust Sunny will stay inside as well" -- but we have not enough hya's here (donations are welcome, of course ) so I am aiming for the next powerfull beaks.

Sunny is a champ at destroying "normal" macawcages -> the ones who have welded bars stand no chance.
She is now in an extra durable (but smallish imho) one, where the individual rods pass through holes in the in-between spacer-bars and end up inside the endframe.
(no loose ends anywhere)

(pfffft am I still making sense? Describing things in terms I am not competely sure of - and no pictures for you to help explain)

I am really tempted to get going and give this girl a larger cage- since there is still agression from Japie (he divebombed her to the ground from the top of the cage-again-a few days ago) I cannot have them all out at the same time and actually have a life ...
She uses about 1/4th of her cagespace atm, so there is no big need but well...you know as parrotpeople/ parronts -> we want the best, no settle for "good enoough"


but...this thread was not about me or my bird ;P it's about aviary-options. (sorry)


Will let you know yea/nae.
For every other parrot these are completely fine, just fact-checking on the musclemen and jailbreakers.
.

 

[PCash]

No worries. I've been reading up about your adventures with Sunny!

So, let's say I wanted to build the frame out of wood and then attach the wire mesh to the inside. If the wire mesh is a small enough diameter, then theoretically, a macaw wouldn't be able to shred the posts to the point of destabilizing the aviary, right?

I know I can't use pressure treated wood and of course paint is out (at least I think so, right?). Is there a way to protect/finish posts so that they don't degrade super fast outside?

I read somewhere on here I think that someone wrapped their posts with aluminum sheeting. I wonder how difficult that is, and if you need any special tools. I guess then you could have the aluminum wrapped posts inside the cage and fasten the wire on the outside.

 

[SilverSage]

I would use almost anything before wood. Wood is just begging to be chewed. I used PVC (you obviously would need a larger and stronger size than I do) others use pre-made fence panel frames/dog kennel frames. I would think wood would degrade the fastest.


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[PCash]

I'd much rather use a metal (or PVC) frame, but maybe I missed something, but I can't figure out how to attach the wire mesh to the metal (or PVC) frame that is Macaw proof.

Perhaps this was already answered and I'm a little too dense to get it. :-S

 

[ChristaNL]

I have been looking into using PVC as well (for my aviary-on-the-balcony project) but the people in the Botanical Gardens vetood that for me because of the UV-influence. Appearently (just word of mouth here, I did not do my homework!) it makes the PVC brittle within a few years.

Some (online)people with macaws claim to have no problems as long as the pipe-diameter is larger than the birds beak/ so no grabbing, cutting and/or crushing possible.
(and of course others report that their macaw will gnaw through the RVS cables used to keep the mesh upright and into place..one small strand at the time, so he had to rewire his aviary once a year, every year!)


A lot depends on your bird (and the species of course).

Mesh... always choose your mesh according to the birds you want to keep.
Smaller birds are more likely to be threatened by small predators (and even non-predators like mice), have not very powerfull beaks-- so smaller 'squares' and thinner metal are usefull. (To keep out mice you need tiny squares, and also prevent them digging/tunneling in)

Macaws need a very sturdy type -> thicker wire to form the mesh, so you can get away with larger openings.




For outside aviaries: it may be usefull or even lifesaving(!) to add a second layer of insect-proof material (bug/ musquito-screen) over the aviary.
It all depends where you live.

And a roof may sometimes be essential: we (NL) 've just found the first wild birds dead from H5N6 (this season anyway), so shielding your birds from contact with migrating/ resident wild ones might be necessery as well...

 

[ChristaNL]

FINALLY tracked down someone (in the flesh) who ownes a pair of really determined greenwings (who already ate their way through 2 aviaries in a go: their own and the one next door) - and since they have been in the new panneled one they are not going anywhere.

But he said.. never say never in the parrotworld, if you have one that has learned to go for the rivets- ... no guaranties.

I asked another professional builder - he only once heard of an ara macao (we call them yellowwings, you say scarlet?) who managed to manipulate a small corner and pull it out of whack a tiny bit, but no gnawing of the connecting rivets.


so....they really are suitable for all birds.
Just pick the right size aviary and the right size mesh.


(If only one of those builders woud be interested in exporting ...)

 

[PCash]

So cool, ChristaNL! I so wish we had those panels over here. I would totally be looking into doing that.

I'm torn between trying to DIY something next summer (we're heading into autumn and winter here) or try to save up for something like (below), which isn't that big anyway and would probably need some extra mouse proofing put into place anyway.

 

[ChristaNL]

PCash: I have been looking at those (online), but they are not available in the Netherlands at all, the nearest 'dealer' I could find is in the UK (Northern Parrots) - and he stopped selling those before the summer and was not sure they would be in stock (ever) again.


The one disadvantage I found (online revieuws, not my experience) with these walk-in-aviaries is that the coating is not any good, and after only 5 years it should be reapplied ( even sooner if you aviary is outdoors) and since they are no longer made in USA but instead are shipped in from China (Centurion stopped making them, they are A&E now) the connecting holes will not always line up, so they are not realy "plug-and-play".


The stainless steel (extra large) version has me positively drooling :smile015:, but at 8000 dollars , a substantial weight and then shipping and importtaxes etc. I will need an extremely overstuffed bankaccount first! :54:
(and that will be as likely as me walking on the moon anytime soon )
and of course with my socially-handicapped birds I will need 2 at least
(to add insult to injury)


So it's pannels for me - beggars can't be choosers :09:

 

[MonicaMc]

I have the 5x5 Walk In Aviary from Centurion... pretty sure there were instructions on 'weather proofing' it... but being as I planned on keeping it inside, I never did any of that. Sadly, it's "sitting" broken down as I don't have the room to set it up... not pleased with that...

 

[PCash]

Ahh, good things to keep in mind with regard to the A and E. I hadn't realized they were not supposed to be used outside. I'd love to have one for inside too MonicaMC, but I don't think we have the room either. We live in about 1000 square feet and trying to keep the bird stuff from taking over is, uh, quite the challenge.

I just found this (link below) and if I can save up the funds, I'll look into something like this. It doesn't have as many options to customize as those ones you found ChristaNL, but it's still nice looking and doesn't seem exorbitant price wise. What do you think? I wonder how easy it would be to break down and move. We're not sure how long we're going to be where we are at right now.

https://www.wingzstore.com/birdloft-aviary-42-x-72-x-72.html