Trained Parrot BlogParrot Wizard Online Parrot Toy StoreThe Parrot Forum

Julian's Aviry

Bird rooms, aviaries, cages, foraging trees, play gyms, and stands. Discuss your parrot's locations and perches.

Julian's Aviry

Postby Roonil Wazlib » Mon Jan 04, 2016 5:33 am

Hey Guys! So it's about time I posted this!

The wire is thin, I know. Please don't blast me on that. It was the only option I could afford, I wanted to go thicker, but couldn't, and I'm on the lookout for any chewing or problem areas, so I can fix before it becomes a problem. We don't have hawks or large birds like that in the area, and Julian isn't a big chewer, so I'm confident about him not escaping or being killed/eating by anything. He is, as you can see, right up against the house and the only access from outside is to go up the stairs to the little metre by metre platform. And our cats will scare off anything trying to get to him that way. And I bring him in at night, so it's super safe with a cover overhead and everything. We can only get him in and out from the window in the inside, so no chance of flying off XD

One of the reasons for the aviary was so he could fly, as my mum couldn't handle the mess he was making in the house, so I had to make it as big as I could afford (hence the thinner wire) and so my amazing dad helped make the frame to extend out that extra metre or so, and it's wonderful. As the rest is under shelter he can get out and have a shower if it's raining, or enjoy the wind and or sunshine.

At first he wouldn't venture out very far, but new environment is worrying I know. In a matter of four days or so he was flying back and forth, and it makes my heart so happy that he can actually fly around in there, as, even though he has enough space to expand his wings in the cage, he still can't fly around in there so I'm super super happy.

He's a big wuss though. The finches we have around keep getting in real early in the morning and then don't know how to get out again, so they fly around and freak him out a little. But I've been shoowing them out when I can, and dad made some holes for them and now I don't think Julian is so worried about them - can these birds carry airborne disease? I only just thought of that :?

anyway, I can post more pics if you would like


12321113_10153730988445349_593663029020968213_n.jpg
12321113_10153730988445349_593663029020968213_n.jpg (45.97 KiB) Viewed 7405 times


12310715_10153730988545349_1663374735737860485_n.jpg
User avatar
Roonil Wazlib
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 143
Location: Australia, NSW
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Eclectus
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby liz » Mon Jan 04, 2016 5:47 am

I love it. You even work into the pattern an uncovered place in case he wants to play in the rain. Did you have a blueprint? If so tell me where you got it. My son said he would build on but he has not yet. Instruction would get him started.
I have an L shaped deck with half of it covered. I would love to enclose that but the expense would be more money than I can alot for it right now.
User avatar
liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby Roonil Wazlib » Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:20 am

Thanks :)

Dad helped a lot and did most of the figuring out, but I can give a rough idea of how it went down:

1. Measured up where we wanted it. Because it was the veranda/porch we already had a structure to work with, so it was a matter of measuring up that, and figuring out how much exta we wanted and where to put that extra and how to support that extra bit.

2. Dad then got on the computer and made a drawing up, but this could be done on paper if you're handy, and though it won't be 100% accurate, it should get the job done fine.

3. Went to bunnings to check out materials to see what we were working with. For me the treated pine was too expensive and had chemicals in it that would be harmful for julian, so I ended up get cheap pine and $50 non-toxic water based paint. And the wire was the best deal we could get at the price for what it was, so we got that there too.

4. The extra part sticking out we made the bottom part first. Dad had a nail gun, which helped a tone, but it works just the same normally. Then we made the top half and made sure it fit together before painting.

5. Then we staple gunned the wire mesh onto the wood. I don't know how you would do that without a staple gun. it was really handy.

6. Then comes the hard bit. If yours is on level with the ground it should be easier to just attach the extra bit on with nails, but it can be difficult if you're in the air like that, so I suggest if you can get away with it, get some extra wood to act as legs (like where our support beams are)

7. Because we weren't enclosing the whole deck we needed to make a frame that acted as a wall. Measure all that, build it like, well, like this:

12313826_10153730988500349_4628425448986874220_n.jpg


8. The pain with mine, is that I have to climb though the window to get in, but its good in the fact that there is no chance fro him to fly away, but you might need a door. You and your son would have to do some eatra research on how to do that, but im sure it would be similar to above except with an extra piece of wood down the side and a few hinges *shrugs* or maybe it would be a lot harder...

9. But anyway, then you measure out how much mesh you need and stape gun away away away untill its all enclosed. Obviously that bottom railing wood strcture was already there, so we staple guns down that and all done. Easy as pie :P

Good luck with it. I think mine cost about $150
User avatar
Roonil Wazlib
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 143
Location: Australia, NSW
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Eclectus
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby liz » Mon Jan 04, 2016 7:56 am

Thank you. I will show my son.
User avatar
liz
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 7234
Location: Hernando FL
Number of Birds Owned: 12
Types of Birds Owned: DYH Amazon Rambo
BF Amazon Myrtle
Cockatiels: Shadow Tammy Flutter Phoenix Jackie
Andy Impy Louise Twila Leroy
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby ParrotsForLife » Mon Jan 04, 2016 10:16 pm

Thats a nice design :)
User avatar
ParrotsForLife
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 1725
Location: Ireland,Dublin
Number of Birds Owned: 5
Types of Birds Owned: Rocko and Loki, Cockatiels
Mango, Plum headed parakeet
Tiko, African grey, Oscar, BFA
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby Pajarita » Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:05 pm

Good job! :thumbsup: VERY ingenious the expanding the already-there little stair thing so he could have more room to fly! I don't know how long the wood will last though... because when the wood is not treated, it rots very easily even when you paint it. I would have used treated wood and cover it with anodized aluminum sheeting (that's what the constructions guys did to the exterior corners of my porch and they said it would last for years and years and years) and put a door on the side so I could go in to clean it when the bird is not there (you are young but old people cannot be climbing in and out of windows that easily :lol: ). The wire gauge is not really that important, the important thing is that it needs to be stainless steel so, as long as you used that kind, it's fine.
Pajarita
Norwegian Blue
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 18701
Location: NW Pa
Number of Birds Owned: 30
Types of Birds Owned: RoseBreasted too, CAG, DoubleYellowHead Amazon, BlueFront Amazon, YellowNape Amazon, Senegal, African Redbelly, Quaker, Sun Conure, Nanday, BlackCap Caique, WhiteBelly Caique, PeachFace lovebird, budgies,
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby Wolf » Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:30 pm

The aluminum flashing can be purchased and added from the outside to help further protect it from moisture and the mesh is probably galvanized or so it looks to me and it needs to be painted with an epoxy type paint, which will require about a week to fully cure so as to be as bird safe as possible and will reduce the chance of heavy metal poisoning nearly as well as powder coating it would have done.

Other than that I must say great job and you can do the improvements as you can, but I would paint the mesh first and I would use a roller to do it as there is less work and less waste of the paint.
Wolf
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 8679
Location: Lansing, NC
Number of Birds Owned: 6
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal
African Grey (CAG)
Yellow Naped Amazon
2Celestial Parrotlet
Budgie
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby JessiMuse » Tue Jan 05, 2016 2:53 pm

It looks amazing! :thumbsup: I love those aviaries that are connected to the house. If I ever get an actual house of my own, I'd love to build one connecting to a patio, so I could give the birds some safe outdoors time (made the mistake of taking a bird out with a harness once. Not doing it again).

I don't think I could climb through a window every single time, though. I may be young, but I'm not physically fit whatsoever. :lol:

I like that little extension so he can go out and bask in some sun, but also has the option to stay in the shade for protection.
JessiMuse
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 241
Number of Birds Owned: 2
Types of Birds Owned: Pionus, Cockatiel, dove, mannikin finch
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby shiraartain » Tue Jan 05, 2016 5:06 pm

I love it! Bookmarked it for use in persuading my father once the weather here gets warm. I think we would have to make a portable one, or one detached from the house, though. None of our windows/house entrances are in a bird-friendly location.

Would love to see pictures/video of Julian enjoying himself in there :)
shiraartain
Poicephalus
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 403
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Yellow-Sided Green Cheek Conure, Quaker, Ringneck
Flight: Yes

Re: Julian's Aviry

Postby Roonil Wazlib » Tue Jan 05, 2016 9:22 pm

Pajarita - thank you :) I was so happy that we extended it. Though I don't often see him out that far, he certainly makes use of it - poop all over the ground :lol: So I know he enjoys it! - Yes, I was concerned with the wood as well - it was the best option at the time and if/when it starts going, I can replace it. The reason for wanting this to be so cheap is that it is at my parents place, and I within five years i'm hoping that I will have moved on in life with someone new and be living together with him, and thus, be taking Julian with me. The plan will be to build a new aviary at that point - larger and sturdier, because I might have money then, and my own place. :) - Yes :lol: the original idea was to have a door on the end there, but we measured and it didn't fit :( - I'm pretty sure its stainless steel. I'll have to double check that though - but the wrapping said it was aviry mesh, so if its unsuitable, I'll be a very unhappy lady.

Wolf - humm, I'll defiantly have to look into that. I'll ask my dad about it as soon as I can

JessiMuse - thankyou :) I think they are the best kind of aviaries! - what happened? I sometimes take Julian out on his harness. But I'm pretty lucky here in that we don't have large flying predators. - Well, im pretty lucky i guess that there isn't much climbing in and out - only to add new toys, because I wait at the window and he comes to me :P and then to clean I drag the hose up and into the house and can hose everything down through the window :P

shiraartain - cool XD hope it can be of help. When I get time i might go and take some more detailed pictures for you, and get some more of Julian :P Yesterday it was pouring with rain, and the little shitter (said with love) sat out in the pouring rain!! and was sooping wet like a mop :o :roll: Glad he was dry before nightfall though, I was a bit worried he'd catch his death.
User avatar
Roonil Wazlib
Conure
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 143
Location: Australia, NSW
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Eclectus
Flight: Yes

Next

Return to Housing

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests

cron
Parrot ForumArticles IndexTraining Step UpParrot Training BlogPoicephalus Parrot InformationParrot Wizard Store