Any aviary keepers here?

[Nudibranch]

We're building an 8 x 5 ft aviary for my two canaries, who currently live indoors in a flight cage. I've kept a lot of small parrots, finches, etc, over the years but nothing in an outdoor aviary. So I was thinking of adding a few more birds in with the canaries.

I have some snowflake bobwhite quail eggs coming for my incubator, so they can go in eventually when they feather up. What else does well outdoors? There's so much conflicting information about different species. They'll have a small tubular heater in their roosting house in winter regardless.

I was thinking of a few zebra or java finches, although a lot of the birds I like tend to be parrot family. Possibly a couple of budgies or celestials? Or lovebirds.

Also, any tips for enrichment? I was going to use a mix of safe branches, plain perches and ropes, then maybe some shelves and different nestboxes although breeding isn't my aim.

Last question - any recommended rescues who rehome to aviary keepers? I'd rather offer a home to a bird in need than buy.

 

[oldandgold]

Hi @Nudibranch, I had an aviary for many years, mainly cockatiels and budgies but also canaries and they all got along with no problems. Lovebirds, personally I wouldn't add in the mix, but zebra finches should be ok. All of my birds at night liked to roost on high shelves, canaries sometimes used the branches. If breeding isn't your aim then don't add nest boxes - if they are there they will be used (although canaries use cups rather than boxes, but boxes can lead to spats between the birds and they can be vicious, and in theory you should have more boxes than you have pairs of birds so space to put them may be limited. If your birds did breed what would you do with them? Keep the youngsters you may find yourself overwhelmed with babies, I don't think the bigger stores would take them, you may find a small independent pet shop would take them but it would be doubtful that they would pay you anywhere near what they are worth. I had a small tubular heater in the shed but it was pretty useless as far as giving out warmth was concerned, birds don't do well going from warm into the cold as long as they are sheltered from wind and rain then they should be ok. My birds were rarely shut in overnight they had the choice go in or stay out the door was usually always open.

We did have a light in the shelter (and a radio), and found it helpful to leave the light on at night around bonfire night -I did lose a couple of birds who were startled by fireworks, flew up and broke their necks hence the light staying on.
The RSPCA used to rehome birds to aviaries but not sure if that has changed, but would certainly be worth a phone call. Good Luck

 

[Nudibranch]

Thanks for the information! Much appreciated. I think I'll forget the nestboxes and heater then. Good to hear your birds all got on well.

 

[rabatsa]

I bred blue lizard canaries for many years. I was able to sell them really well at a local bird auction, now no longer on the go. They were happy in their flight but sparrowhawks caused chaos as the birds paniced.

I paired up in breeding boxes and had the young birds and non breeders in the flight. I gave them trees in pots, which they killed, then branches from trimmed trees in the hedgerows.