Our aviary complex is made up of a predominance of suspended aviaries with a few conventional aviaries also being used to house various birds including some of the young stock. We find suspended aviaries have many good features over the conventional type such as being easier to clean. They are also less obtrusive as you do not have to enter the aviary to clean it which helps during stressful times like when the breeding season is in full gear. In the coming months we will be adding plans of our aviaries to the site. 

The size of each suspended aviary used to house Amazons, Hahn's Macaws, Caiques and Conures measures 1.2 metres wide x 1.2 metres high x 4.5 metres long and is situated 1.2 metres up off of the ground. During the breeding season the African Greys are kept in suspended aviaries of a smaller size. In the off season however the African Greys and Amazons are removed from the suspended aviaries and kept in large communal flights. These aviaries are conventional aviaries measuring 3.6 metres wide x 2.4 metres high x 10 metres long with a washed river gravel floor which are used to socialise the birds. They also help to increase bonding between the birds and provide extra enrichment as fresh branches are regularly placed in the aviaries. 

Recently we built two additional banks of suspended aviaries to house Conures. Each aviary measures 2 metres long x 90cm wide x 1.2 metres high. The airlock 1.5 metres wide and the aviaries are 1.2 metres off the ground. 



The base is dug out and the rat wall which is 600mm deep and 200mm above ground is added 
and a frame built around it for the cement to be poored.



Once the concreting is complete (notice outside ratwall) the base is allowed to dry and 5mm diameter blue metal is added whilst access is easy.


 

We make two exterior frames and 5 internal frames. Once all of the internals frames are made we start standing these frames up on the slab and adding the 875mm crossbars (as seen in centre photo) to obtain the desired 900mm width. We weld these crossbars (as seen in centre photo) in place allowing the frames to stand upright.


The rear bars are welded into place to form the walkway framing. The roof is then wired.For each individual aviary section we use 5 of these crossbars. For each of the sections in the walkway we use three of these cross sections. One for the top bar, one to create the 5cm wide air vent (as seen in the 3rd photo) and one for the middle section of the walkway. The bottom poll runs the length of the walkway and is in one piece.



Wiring of the insides of the aviary including the rear access are completed and the double wiring takes place.



Cladding of the colourbond and adding of the roof takes place as does the adding of the perches. 
And finally the finished product on display.



A view inside the walkway with "A" Frame nestboxes attached.
A table is built outside the banks for sitting old food bowls on during collection.



A view without the boxes showing inside table.
Water is delived by a copper pipe attached to the main watering system.