# Aviary project for my pigeons. Where do I start?



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hello


I am planning to build an aviary in my garden for my 2 pigeons of which one is flightless, neither of them are releasable. The aviary should up to 8 pigeons, no plan on having 8 but I would better have the space there available in case of visitors. 

I have my husband to help me build it and we have the tools but we have never seen an aviary and I don’t know the materials we need exactly.

I do not plan to keep the pigeons in the aviary over night as I can bring them in the house where I have a room for them. I just want them to enjoy the summer outside in the day time safely. 

I have cats in the neighbourhood, but no foxes. It has to be safe.

My budget is of 100 pounds (approximately 130 euros or 200usd) , maybe 200 pounds if I want until next month to start building it. 

I have found a picture on the internet of what I like; it would have to have a roof to make shadow also.

So what materials I need? And what size does the aviary has to be to hold 8 pigeons comfortably?

Any advice welcome or idea/ project would be much appreciated.


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Chris,

I would recommend getting the strongest aviary wire available in 1/2 x 1/2 inch, but a friend has the ordinary aviary wire and that has proved to be strong enough.

At one end have a shelter with both perches and nesting boxes, have this lined with aviary wire as well. It is best to build the shelter to fit the aviary rather than getting a shed and attaching an aviary. We have a shed, but rats have managed to get in to the aviary twice. The other end, where we have a shelter has been there longer and has been stronger. The pigeons also seem to prefer it as it is dark and cave-like.

I read somewhere than you need 3 square foot of ground space per pigeon.

I have a long narrow aviary and was told that this is good because the pigeons are able to stretch their wings and fly.

I will take some photos tomorrow and send them to you.

Cynthia


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hi Cynthia,

What kind of wire is that? I have found something called galvanised wire mesh with 1/2 x 1/2 19g, is that good?
The pictures would be much appreciated. I think long space aviary is great too rather then a round or square one, or perhaps it could be square with a long extension.
I will also post pictures with the area I am planning to build it in, I am off to bed now.


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Chris,
If available to you 1/4 inch wire mesh would even be better as it would be safer. Even if your birds are onlyin the aviary during during daylight hours, some predators are still on patrol. A pigeon I loved dearly was killed by rats during the daylight while on her nest in the aviary. They got through the wire mesh and she didn't stand a chance.


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

I have been thinking all morning on haw to build things around and I have measured things. I find it really complicated on haw to incorporate the aviary into the garden landscape as I have gravel and some paved cemented type side, the aviary would have to be on the gravel side as is free from plants and stuff, ideal would be to be on the both of them to be wider but we don’t know haw to do that and looks too complicated structure to build. This is my sketch for now. I have no decided on haw tall to make it, I think about 6 feet tall. Not enough for 8 pigeons at all but we can expand it for much longer in the future if we need i and have more resources.


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Charis said:


> Chris,
> If available to you 1/4 inch wire mesh would even be better as it would be safer. Even if your birds are onlyin the aviary during during daylight hours, some predators are still on patrol. A pigeon I loved dearly was killed by rats during the daylight while on her nest in the aviary. They got through the wire mesh and she didn't stand a chance.



I will be looking for the 1/4 inch wire, I am sory about your poor pigeon.


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Cris,

I was just having a bit of a browse, popped out to see the birds and when I got back I found this on my desktop:

http://home.planet.nl/~john.vd.jagt/english/bodyaviary.html

Cynthia


----------



## ND Cooper (Mar 4, 2008)

I would go with 12 cubic feet of air space per pigeon.
so a 10x10x6 ft pen, or avairy, will have 600 cubic feet of air space devide by 12, = 50 pigeons.
I would make it tall enough to walk into, or walk up to, for ease of maintainence.
In my picture, my loft is 4x4x8 ft. = 128 cubic feet, devided by 12, = room for 10.6 pigeons.
I only have 6 birds, so my pigeons have more than enough room, It's not the best looking thing, but it works for me. ND Cooper


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Cynthia, thank you for the link is very useful. 

ND Coopern – my husband totally understood the cubic feet but is all alien to me LOL

Well I just came to the conclusion that I am lacking so much space and building an proper aviary would require major garden landscape modification and on top of that I will be moving out of here within a year or max 2. Anyway I am not letting myself discourage and I will still build one. I will be off to the shops in a couple of days and see what wires and things are available for me to buy and depending on what I find I have to think again and decide what to build and what. Is unpredictable what materials can be found locally where I live but luckily the internet has more to offer if nothing good is found.


----------



## Tilly (Feb 16, 2008)

Maybe you could build one that is on rollers so you could take it with you when you move.


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Tilly said:


> Maybe you could build one that is on rollers so you could take it with you when you move.


That's a good idea.
My grandmother had a large cage she kept her monkey in during the day while she worked. She had a large cage built that had rollers so on a nice day, she could roll it into the yard while she gardened. Sometimes the monkey did escape and then there was a fast paced pursuit through the neighborhood to collect him. But that's another story...


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Charis said:


> That's a good idea.
> My grandmother had a large cage she kept her monkey in during the day while she worked. She had a large cage built that had rollers so on a nice day, she could roll it into the yard while she gardened. Sometimes the monkey did escape and then there was a fast paced pursuit through the neighborhood to collect him. *But that's another story*...


and it sounds exciting, so we want to hear it.


----------



## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

OK. Later today I'll write the story of Smokey. What a trip he was.


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Charis said:


> OK. Later today I'll write the story of Smokey. What a trip he was.


Cool............of course I always wanted a pet monkey, but probably after reading your story, I'll be glad I never had one??? LOL
Geezzzz, my two grandsons (5 year old twins) just left here after less than 24 hours and I'm worn slap out...............I'd probably be older and grayer if I had a pet monkey.

Sorry Chriss........didn't mean to highjack your thread. I'll shut up now.


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Please so tell about the monkey it sounds like one funny story, you should really write about it, I personally can’t wait to reed.


----------



## PigeonQueen (Aug 13, 2006)

Hello Chris, I think it is really great that you are building an aviary for Pigey and Tipsy.Good luck and keep us updated on your progress.
Best wishes. Jayne


----------



## ND Cooper (Mar 4, 2008)

My little loft just sits on 6 legs, not even bolted to them. the legs are green treated fence posts, cut to my height, nailed to 8ft 2x4s frame. The loft is 4x4x8, and it will fit in a pickup truck, or a trailer. Two men can lift it, but if I made it out of 2x2s, instead of 2x4s, it would even be lighter.
Even if you build it to be temporary, with light materials, it's very solid. 
I am probly going to redo it, so it will be 4' high, 8' long but only 3' deep, to make it easier to clean. (reach in) I will also put 1" expanded wire floor, and under that, slide in+ out poop catch trays. ( like dresser drawers ) It's basic, but it works!


----------



## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Cris, don't forget to check e-bay and also the free ads. Often the free ads offer free aviaries as long as they are dismantled and removed...but they would need to be thoroughly disinfected.

Cynthia


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Hello
I have just been today to the DIY store and I have found loads of things.
The best net I have found available to buy was 1/2x1/2 inches .
Loads of wood available but I am not sure what size to buy yet for the frame ( the skeleton structure for the aviary for the panels).
Not sure what to put at the bottom yet.
I have found roofing made out of some sort of plastic sheeting, made for hut roofs.
In the next few days I am going to sit down and design on a piece of paper and see what the exact measurements the materials have to be and so on.



Hi ND Cooper, I have found something called L brackets at the store that can easily be dismember the aviary back into panels when I need to take it with me.


Cynthia, I keeping an eye on ebay and I am going to start looking for ads too maybe I can find a cheaper metal aviary. That would be perfect and so safe.


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

The construction of the aviary has been cancelled for another month. Long story short: neighbour, pigeons, garden etc reed Piggi and Tipsey journal for more, is not that tragic.
In the mean time I am having my eye on these great aviaries from this webpage, great thing about them that I can buy more extensions to them when I need them.

http://www.parrotize.co.uk/acatalog/outdoor-aviaries-flight-cages.html

It looks strong and nothing can chew its way in, I just got to secure the base I think,but what is everybody thinking about them? Has anybody an aviary like that?


----------



## Avion (May 28, 2007)

I have an aviary very similiar to that one that I keep my African Grey Parrot in. The only problem with it would be the space between the iron rods is too wide. If you are going to have it outside, It would lbe easy for mice, snakes and small rodents to get in. I would cover the outside with 1/4 or 1/2 inch mesh wire to keep them out. JMO

George


----------



## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Chris,

Looks good, but I think strong aviary mesh is safer than bars. If the bars are 2.5 cm apart (or 1 inch), then that may be just enough for a rat to squeeze through (they can flatten out amazingly) and certainly enough for a pigeon to get it's head trapped, I'd think. Also, you would need the floor to be wired to stop rats digging in from below.

If you think you may at some time have more pigeons - maybe disabled but still flying - then I think it is also safer to have a little security porch, so that the outside door does not open straight into tha aviary, which is a risk of agile birds getting out.

John


----------



## DEEJAY7950 (Dec 13, 2006)

I just don't understand an aviary project for birds that can't fly, so here's my take on ----- birds that can't fly don't need a stand alone aviary only for them to be sitting on the ground, so i would and have done this, build a cage that is off the ground and can be attached to a wall or some building so they then can get all the benefits of being outside plus being off the ground! Hope this helps!


----------



## chriss80 (May 6, 2007)

Latest news. I have no time to build the aviary anymore as I am busy with things for a while. I really need one.
Thank you everybody for the replays, It does seem to have too much gaps to allow pests.
I can not find a good aviary to buy on line at all. I need a secure aviary and of a good structure. I don’t want one made of wood as it would be too fragile.
Any ideas?


----------

