Aviary problem :/

[TimBaumann]

I built my aviary with my parents about 1 year ago! Because of cost we used normal chicken mesh instead of the strong lead coated rust-proof mesh that cost a huge amount!
We live at the coast so everything rusts! Now one budgie has already escaped through a hole that we found so we decided to replace the smallest side of the aviary with this strong rust-proof mesh! Today we found a huge rip in the old mesh on top of the aviary! We do not want to loose more budgies but can't afford to cover it all with the good mesh! Would it be okay to use shade netting to cover the top? This type of shade netting: http://www.buildingmtl.com/listproduct.asp?action=11 My budgies don't actually sit or hang on any mesh they always sit on the sticks and branches but would they chew holes into the plastic shade netting and fly away? What do you think?

 

[scratch'n'peck]

It looks like it might be hard for the bird to get a hold of thus making it harder to chew hopefully. Do they sell the vinyl covered chicken mesh in your area? That may not be as expensive as the galvanized welded wire.

 

[TimBaumann]

yes they do but it's holes are too large! I think they are 5cm diameter or something like that! The problem is that even that one costs quite a lot! My parents (Mostly my mom) paid for everything and we are busy building a wooden chicken coop for them to sleep and brood in because the rats here have killed an entire hatch! And that already cost almost 3 thousand Namibian dollars which is about 353 US dollars!

But I think you might be right that the budgies might have a hard time holding on! And I have only once seen a budgie hang on the top and that was when I first let them into the aviary and they panicked! So up to now I think the shade netting will work but I'll do some more research!
Thanks for your reply!

 

[jak2002003]

they will find a way to chew through it! The will just climb up the sides to the top and chew.

I would cover the top of the aviary with a wooden roof to protect from rain and give shade, and they can't get out.

You could also use ridged plastic like they use on some conservatories and green houses. They will let light through, and keep the rain and wild bird poop out.

 

[ladybirdb12]

How many birds do you have?
It might be cheaper to buy a used flight cage untill you get you cage fixed. Galvanived can be poison to parrots, my vet pointed that out to me. (Poison metal, if they chew it)

 

[TimBaumann]

How many birds do you have?
It might be cheaper to buy a used flight cage untill you get you cage fixed. Galvanived can be poison to parrots, my vet pointed that out to me. (Poison metal, if they chew it)

I have 2 budgies and 4 button quail! A friend of mine has a very small cage about 2m high, 50cm wide and maybe 1m long with about 10 budgies in it! It's made from a old closet and the front is covered with galvanized mesh! It actually surprises me how good his budgies are doing in such a small cage! They constantly have chicks and need to give some away all the time to create some space! So I don't think that they will chew on the mesh since they have a LOT of space and other things to keep them busy!

they will find a way to chew through it! The will just climb up the sides to the top and chew.

I would cover the top of the aviary with a wooden roof to protect from rain and give shade, and they can't get out.

You could also use ridged plastic like they use on some conservatories and green houses. They will let light through, and keep the rain and wild bird poop out.

Wood is very expensive here so that would be asking too much of my parents! But my mom bought some shade netting today and I put it up and the budgies don't seem to be interested in any way! They spend most of their time on their tree branches and chew around on those and the toys that I made for them! I think this can work without them chewing on the net if I build new toys for them a lot! I have a lot of string, wood and other little thing from which I can build tons of new stuff so they don't get bored!

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

I use that same kind of netting over my chicken pens to keep hawks at bay. It seems to work in that way so maybe it'll work vice versa too. Good luck!