keeping aviary birds

[chicken little]

I would like to construct an outdoor aviary to breed exotic finches.A few months ago with bird flu "fever" raging I would not have thought of this as a goer.What now?The local pet shop has fewer birds for sale because of "bio-restrictions" but the retail demand for birds is still high.Is there any good reason that I should not contain birds in an aviary in the back yard?

[Sally Furniss]

Re: keeping aviary birds

I am not sure if the following is adequete but I would think it would be at least the minimum.

Make sure the netting size is very small so you can be sure no wild birds can get in.

Have a roof over the open area so that droppings from wild birds cannot fall down into the enclosed area.

Have you considered what you will do if you finches got sick. What if you were not sure what was making them sick.

[Sally Furniss]

Re: keeping aviary birds

I would also make sure that no food can get flicked out of the enclosed area to avoid attracting mice, rats and wild birds.

[chicken little]

Re: keeping aviary birds

Thanks AnneZ...it would indeed be worrying if they became sick for unknown reasons.

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: keeping aviary birds

I would add the advice that each time you enter or leave the aviary you step into a fresh bleach solution with your rubber boots. This is what the big poultry hoses do. I would also wash my hands throughly every time. And if bf does come to town, you are going to have to treat the birds with even more caution. Wear a mask, gloves and coverall, wash hands carefully and of course continue to use the bleach dunk on your boots.

[runninghorses]

Re: keeping aviary birds

"Make sure the netting size is very small so you can be sure no wild birds can get in. "

I would use aviary wire mesh that is 0.5cm square as this is vermin-proof, preventing mice from entering the aviary for any fallen seed.

We last kept some backyard chickens a year ago, and I'm thinking of having a couple once again. (The garden's a bit quiet without them.) I just can't bring myself to do it ...just yet.