Starting my first Aviary need help.

[polishmom1744]

I love it more every time I look at it and can't wait till it cools down so I can get started! It took a couple weeks of research to get the basic concepts down enough to design it. I thank you for your compliments. Yes, I plan to use bamboo, grasses, hostas, lenten rose, ferns and moss as well as small and large shrubs. I am doing mostly asian birds so I want to use camelias, junipers, false cypress, azalias and rhododendrons. I will use the clumping kind and thanks for the heads up. I have access to the large running type of bamboo but I will just use it for perches. I also have access to woods and will select some nice dead standing trees to cut and cement into place for other places to perch.

what size netting do you use? 2"-1"? I was wondering is smaller better?

 

[MinxFox]

That sounds like a beautiful plant combination! My netting is 2 in. but the only bird I raise is peafowl. I like all the exotic pheasants and like reading about them, but I am sticking with peafowl (for now at least).

Knotted netting is better than knitted but as far as the size of the holes I am not sure. The 2 in. works well for me but I have big birds. You probably already have a plan for predators, but raccoons can easily get through netting and some people say that squirrels will chew through it. I know I have had issues with raccoons getting into my aviary so for me I am going to put hot wire all around my pen. I don't live where I keep my aviary so I can't have a dog to protect the area since I can't be there to look after the dog, but if you have a dog that patrols the yard that is great. Since you have experience with chickens you probably have already figured out your predators. You definitely want the birds to be safe since you are getting into raising more rare/endangered/expensive birds.

I have been wanting some green peafowl (they are endangered) and I am worried that I will get the birds and then a raccoon will kill them so I have been very worried about finding a raccoon proof setup. When it cools off here I will be building as well.

 

[polishmom1744]

I think between the hot line around it, the sheds, the fact that it's right outside my bedroom window and my mole terrier- Micky, think they'll be good. As far as coons....there are few animals I hate more..they are right up there with flies, roaches, mice and possums. I would wipe them from the face of the earth if I could! Several years ago they killed 40 chicks and ducklings in 1 night. I have spent a small fortune in wire and cement to keep them out of the bird pens in my barn. So far so good but I'll not dare jinx myself further. I like to use the fist rule..if I can fit my fist in a small coon and squeeze in and do big damage.

 

[MinxFox]

That sounds like a good rule! I didn't realize that an adult peacock could be killed by raccoons but I learned the hard way when they killed a very nice pied peacock that I had. He was a wonderful bird.

 

[polishmom1744]

We "caught" one that ate so good he took a nap in the loft...he weighted 29lbs! and took down my "Donald" a full grown giant Pekin Drake by eating ONLY his head and neck!.... I hate Raccoons ..... they are the DEVIL!

I smile every time I see one smashed on the road!!!

 

[polishmom1744]

Should I put wire on the bottom too? I'd think the hotline would be enough. If I put chicken wire along the sides 4 ft up and just make the top 1" knotted netting then I could attach the hotline to the wire and hoops, then run it all the way around and up! That'd keep everything away!

 

[MinxFox]

Like burry the wire? Not sure as I am guilty of not having buried wire, but nothing digs around here they just climb. The hotwire should be enough, and a trail camera will let you know for sure if anything is getting in at night if you ever get suspicious.

The raccoons would do the same to my peafowl. They were only after the head. I was so mad because it was such a waste. At least if something is going to catch my bird and kill it, I want it to eat most of the bird so that the meat won't be wasted. It is horrible how they hardly even eat anything.

 

[polishmom1744]

I will for go the buried wire then as we have cameras all around,the dog and I will beef up the hotline and wire up the sides. I'm glad to see someone else hates them like I do! I cant count how many I've been told..they are just animals and trying to eat too...bull....They don't even kill to eat they kill because they are the spawn of satan! I could tell you the story about coons involving a "tame" raccoon and a rescued fawn my friend had....but I'll spare you the details..evil they are...pure evil!

 

[MinxFox]

I like them, but I also hate them.

One of my favorite things to do is to go coon hunting at night. My dad had one as a pet when he was a kid and I think it would be cool to have one as a pet, but I am sure it wouldn't be a good mix having a pet raccoon and birds. I like them all right until they kill one of my birds. The ones doing the killing were huge boar raccoons. They were smart about traps too so we couldn't catch them, but then one day I saw a big coon dead on the side of the road in front of the house and I did a little happy dance. When I see the big ones run over near the house I feel relieved that that is one less bird killer in the neighborhood. In fact I am supposed to go coon hunting sometime soon!

 

[polishmom1744]

never been coon hunting but let me tell ya about pet coons....they can turn and become viscous in an instant. One of my friends does exotic mammals and wild animal rescue, she wont have anything to do with them! They'll kill any other animal they can get to!...EVIL!!!!