# Homemade ringneck dove cage idea.



## Jussielu (Oct 22, 2015)

Hello, everyone. I'm a newbie who is hoping to adopt a ringneck dove soon. Well, I'm trying to make sure my soon-to-be feathered kid has everything they need/want before I get them. This includes a cage that is nice and comfortable. Longer and wider rather than tall. (And budget friendly, for my sake.) I was hoping I might get some input from the dove/pigeon owners around here to see if I'm on the right track with materials/build design. 

I'm wanting to make it (not including the stand) 3 feet tall, by 3 feet wide, and 4 feet long. The dove would also get plenty of out of cage play time, at least 2 hours a day. 

I'd be using spruce pine furring strips for the framing. The strips are a bit on the thin side, but I would be doubling them (to sandwich the siding material between). I hope that makes sense. Haha

Then I would have screen mesh (the type for window screens) making up the majority of the siding to cut out the ability to throw seeds and feathers out of the cage. The screen would still allow for airflow and since doves aren't chewers I would think they couldn't break through it. The screen would be used for the top and sides of the cage with a few galvanized wire mesh strips along with them to allow me to situate perches and the like.

The bottom of the cage would be made of the remaining galvanized wire mesh with a pull out tray below it. The mesh has a square patter that's big enough for droppings to fall through and away from the bird, but not so big as to be uncomfortable for the bird to walk on. 

The door I'm thinking of making about a foot and a half square to allow me easy access to the cage for cleaning. 

The pull out tray would be made of plywood. All of the wood I'd like to stain and seal to keep it from being affected by the bird. Am I on the right track with my design? 

Thank you in advance!


----------



## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

It's a good size cage but I worry about the screening for it would be too dark. I would get some hard wire and encase that in the wood stripping and I cannot image building it square 36 inches by 36 inches and 48 inches long for it would become too heavy with more supported wood. I built my cage for my pigeon and it is really heavy but it is more supported then yours and I have to have it on a table to get the height for I do not want it on the floor. At least your working on a idea and I would also build one on the other side of the window for the birdies to be able to get some sun when you open it up. Just more ideas for you to think about.. I am not a builder but can picture your cage and it would be too flimsy and dark.. lol lol Thanks for sharing...


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I agree with c.hert about the screening. I would use hardware cloth 1/2 inch, and if you want to put the window screen on the lower part of the hardware cloth to prevent the seed throwing, you could attach a strip of screen to the hardware cloth. It would also be stronger and safer with the hardware cloth.


----------



## gremlinblue (Sep 15, 2015)

My dad built our out door aviary, and I have built multiple cages. My preference is 1/2 in by 1 inch hardware cloth and J clips. It is sturdy enough to hold its shape without having to have a frame. The size you list should be plenty big enough - with a perch on either end so the dove can fly from one end to the other. Seed and water dishes situated away from the perches so they don't get pooped in with a perch in front of them to make it easier for the dove to access them. 

You can use 1 inch by 1 inch strips or 1 inch by 2 inch strips (or whatever else you are comfortable with) to "support" the corners/edges if you would like. Or, you could build a "tray table" with the pull out tray for cleaning and basically just set the wire cage on the frame/table.


----------



## Jussielu (Oct 22, 2015)

Thanks, everyone!


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

gremlinblue said:


> My dad built our out door aviary, and I have built multiple cages. My preference is 1/2 in by 1 inch hardware cloth and J clips. It is sturdy enough to hold its shape without having to have a frame. The size you list should be plenty big enough - with a perch on either end so the dove can fly from one end to the other. Seed and water dishes situated away from the perches so they don't get pooped in with a perch in front of them to make it easier for the dove to access them.
> 
> You can use 1 inch by 1 inch strips or 1 inch by 2 inch strips (or whatever else you are comfortable with) to "support" the corners/edges if you would like. Or, you could build a "tray table" with the pull out tray for cleaning and basically just set the wire cage on the frame/table.



1/2 in by 1 inch hardware cloth isn't safe, as to many things can either get in or reach in. 1/2 X 1/2 is much safer, and of a heavy gauge.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Jay3 said:


> 1/2 in by 1 inch hardware cloth isn't safe, as to many things can either get in or reach in. 1/2 X 1/2 is much safer, and of a heavy gauge.


*THIS ^^

Yes, this is true we have seen a history of predator caught/killed/injured birds here, due to wire being too wide. *


----------



## c.hert (Jan 15, 2010)

Get a !/2 by !/2 inch hard wire at Home Depot.. I use this for my fly pen and the cage that I made for the pigeon that has to stay inside until I settle her into the loft..


----------

