Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 10/12/2006

Question
I have an aviary that my brother-in-law and I built during the summer. It's octagon in shape and is wrapped with chicken wire, half of the top is covered. I have a few nest boxes out there but I'm nervous about leaving my cockatiels and parakeets out there during the cold months. I live in Georgia, and know that during some months it can get quite cold. I thought about wrapping plastic around the aviary and putting heat lamps at the top. I'm so unsure as what to do? Should I leave them out there, put them in a more warmer invironment, or what?
Please help, I don't want anything to happen to them.
Thanks for any advise

Lisa

Answer
Hi, Lisa.  Thanks for posting!

I have several concerns.

Chicken wire is not really good to use for a bird aviary.  This is because the tiels can get their heads stuck in the wire holes (sometimes freeing themselves on their own and sometimes not), and some parakeets may even be able to wiggle their way out through these holes (depending on their size and their motiviation to be/fly free).  I have first-hand experience with tiels and keets and chicken wire!

I do not recommend housing these birds together in one aviary, and I definitely don't recommend breeding these birds together in 1 aviary (aka colony breeding).  Paired up birds you want to breed need to have their own separate breeding cage with a single nesting box for that cage (just the 2 mated birds per cage).  Otherwise, you'll run into all sorts of problems, such as females killing other females, raiding of other's nesting boxes, females killing other bird's babies, etc., etc.).  I also have first-hand experience with this type of situation!  

Tiels and keets (and other parrots as well) can survive in cool temperatures, however, it just depends on how cool you're referring to.  They have to be acclimated to cool temps gradually.  Can you tell me how cool you're talking about in Georgia in the wintertime?  What about severe weather during the winter?  

Another concern I have is wildlife that might get into an outside aviary.  What precautions have you taken against this situation (small wild birds, snakes, rats, mice, raccoons, squirrels, etc.)?  If there's food in the outside aviary, wildlife will find a way inside to eat the food.  Also, wild birds should not be allowed to perch on top of your outside aviary or otherwise be able to have access to your parrots through the chicken wire.  Their droppings can make your parrots ill if droppings make their way into the parrot aviary.  Also, if any wildlife can access your parrot's drinking water, the drinking water can be a source for transmission of disease.  I have a pigeon flight cage/aviary outside for my homing pigeons that is framed with chicken wire and hawks can get to my pigeons through the chicken wire (they can grab and hold a bird with their talons and then eat the bird through the wire).  I've had to add additional, smaller wire on top of the chicken wire in order to resolve this problem, and include other measures in order to help frighten hawks away.  

Your idea of allowing your tiels/keets fresh air, sunshine, etc., is great, however, there are many precautions you must take in order to keep your parrots safe and well.

Come back with answers to the questions I asked above, and I'll help you as much as I can.

Chrys