Birds in the cold weather

[COOP3726]

I live close to Atlanta GA. Can I raise budgies and finches outside? I now have ring neck doves, quail, and a pair of red golden pheasants in an aviary that is 25ft x 25ft with it being half covered. It can get sometimes down in the teens during the night in the winters and above 95 during the summer days. I like the budgies and finches but have not ever raised any.
Thanks.

 

[gpop1]

Low teens will require the birds to spend most of there day eating to supply the energy to keep warm. I wouldn't even try to keep a flock outside in this weather as they will be trying to survive rather than doing anything else.

most of the people I know use a wooden shed as the nesting area for small birds during winter they will come and go from a small entrance into and out of the flight. This makes adding heat easier. Maybe a small shed with a door near the bottom and a door about waist height would work. Just close the doors at night and add a oil filled heater to the shed. (keep the cable protected as budgies chew). That's how we did it in the uk.

 

[Tony K T]

If they have been outside all along they will climatize.Never provide heat to birds as they produce down to keep them warm thru the cold months.If you provide heat they do not produce the down and if the power goes out you will most likely lose them.Parakeets and finches do not do well in the cold,so I would leave them in a draft free area.It's more the drafts that kill birds not the cold.You could poly the entire pen,but that will effect the pheasants seasons.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[poorfarm]

Just a thought--the Columbus OH zoo has a huge walk through aviary. It has open-sided shelters the birds go into when they want, including perch areas with a heat lamp they can get under if they choose.