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Kakariki, Care, Breeding, Ecology, and Conservation :: View topic - Aviary Constuction Design
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Aviary Constuction Design
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Steptoe
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 14, 2004 4:00 pm    Post subject: Aviary Constuction Design

Everyone has there own ideas, looked at many before deciding what would fit your requirements.
Our 1st thought was to conform with DoC regs to obtain permits.
DoC (Dept of Conversvation requires permits fo the keeping of native bird, animals etc in NZ)

As you can see I lost 1 of my 4 rose beds, I can see the question coming, how do I get on sprayng the roses around the avaries? I dont, what are hardy/resistant rose will survive, what dies makes room for the next avairy wall So far lost only 4 roses.




DoC came in to inspect and where very pleased Applause and preceeded to tell me of some absolute horror storys. I really couldnt beleive that some ppl would even consider using some of the descriptions. Shame on you

We started out with dirt floors, then after 18 months or so yrs, we got a mouse hole.
It was then decided to concret the bases. We had considered other alterniatives but cost, ease of the job and the long term ease of managing seemed the best choice....
Not concret but mortar, bucketed it in and smoothed . about 30 to 40mm thick. The mortar is sloped , or has a fall towards the water bowls. (these are on automatic refill 2x day) The water bowls have a large hole, underneath and approx 15 or 18 L bucket in the hole. The bucket is filled with rocks and full of holes, This acts like a mini drainage/soak hole. Its very easy to clean...kick the water bowl to one side, lift the bucket and rocks out, take to the hose and blast the hang out of it.



Over the concret/mortar we have 10 to 20mm of pumice sand. Pumice sand dries out very fast, is very light, and using a small hand rake (looks like a mini leaf rake) it is very easy to rake out and clean once a week.

Lets hear from others, your approachs? thoughts? suggestions?

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PetersTribe
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 12:30 am    Post subject:

Good day,
I am new here, James Russel put me onto this site. I am currently talking to DOC about what is needed for me to breed Kakariki. Because we live in a rented house I would prefer not to go with the concrete base in the aviary. We have a normal aviary on grass for Ring Necks and Quail and we have an indoor aviary for tame ring necks. Our plans are to use the Ring Necks to pay for the upkeep of the Kakariki...
A question though, because I don't want to create a concrete slab or to remove a section of lawn for a sand area, would it be viable to go with grass or a wood floor and then either have grit available for the birds or pumice sand over the wooden floor (for example)?
I am still gathering information on the breeding and keeping of the birds, so all guidance is greatly appreciated. I am probably looking to build the aviary myself from untreated wood.

Have a good weekend. Wink

Regards
Erich

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Steptoe
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 9:54 am    Post subject:

The base of avaries is 4x4 inch h4
this is dug into the ground with approx 1/2 to 2/4 inch above.
All the framing is h1 2x2, 12mm treated ply sides.
Framing is tacked with galv nails, then ply plates screwed in in cnrs in such manner that sections can be dismantled like kitset.
internal walls are 2 peice, hinged held in place by 4 plates and screws, so can be easly moved or removed or used as internal doors.
The cement floors are 1/2 to 2/3 inch mortar using pumice samd.
This mortar can be userly broked up with a carpeneters hammers. 30- to 40 l mortar bucketed in after the avairy is biult.
Walls roof are 12 mm treated ply.
The cost of building the above, nails screws, every thing 12 to $1300 NZ
Note: that included 2 rolls of netting, there was enough left over to make the deck avairies (see photo albums).
After a lot of looking at avairies , reading, experimenting, talking to ppl, I would do the above even with renting.
The avariy plans above, joined together right, can be lifted by 6 ppl and basically split in 2 and transported on a mid size home trailer (2 trips)
Also see this thread
http://www.kakariki.net/ftopict-47.html&sid=e44d71559490bbcc0c3b05ad8cc9e6d0

Edit:
PS we have 2 good size males left over from last season, 1 we where going to keep for future breeding, it now looks like 1 of the chicks in a current batch we will keep instead...I see u are also a JAFA email or PM us if u wish if interested

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gecko
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:27 pm    Post subject:

Where do you get your avairy mesh Square 19mm x 900?
I'd like to know where to get 1200 wide mesh @ a good price of course

Whats with the h3, I thought that was poisonous if they chewwed it??
I also have timber framing but used recycled Douglas Fir
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Steptoe
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 9:32 pm    Post subject:

Quote:
Whats with the h3, I thought that was poisonous if they chewwed it??
I also have timber framing but used recycled Douglas Fir

H4 not H3 for the base (typo error above should be 4x4 h4 base corrected)
H1 framing, and its real hard for them to chew the good side of flat treated ply.
yep
as u see those are the 'foundations'...what the whole thing is sitting on in the ground...they are dig in with only a little showing inside the fights.
I did that instead of putting down concret footings.

Quote:
Where do you get your avairy mesh Square 19mm x 900?
I'd like to know where to get 1200 wide mesh @ a good price of course


Really shop around...I have a m8 who owns a ITM timber yard, so got real cheap. Thats the most expensive part. On the plans above I used 1.5 rolls.
Enough for the 3 deck/breeding flights Dancing
I will ask around over the next week where others get theirs...prices vary about 100% Shocked
900mm is a good size, yeah I thought 1200 would be good, but once I started to build I realised 900 works well.
Run it horizonty..start at the top
where it overlaps run a cross member to suit, that leaves about 200 to 500mm at the bottom...use the off cuts of ply to make a kickboard.
A kickboard sortof holds mice back, and if u have quail chicks they cant jump thru the wire just after hatching signlol.
BIG HINTS...
1/put the framing on the OUTSIDE, it stops a lot of chewing, and sitting on messing the cross bars up, and looks heaps better, wire on the outside is ugly Idea
2/get an electric staple gun, that uses big upholster staples. Its worth every penny!!!! Idea
3/Get your wire tight...I use the handles of side cutters in the mesh to pull lever tight, other wise u will have to sorest fingers of your life Idea
4/Wire and Zinc...well there are big statements about this on the net, have never heard or seen a comment "I lost a bird because..." saying that I wouldnt go as far to use lead or zinc based paint... Shame on you
5/The silver galv makes for a hard to see in avairy, I paint with a roller a quite drk brown, others use drk green or black. Look at the enviroment and decide. Idea
I painted mine using acrlyic (water based)with the birds in on a quite a hot summer day, then had a coffee siiting outside shooing the birds back Laughing
Just dont hit the wire to hard with a water blaster Shame on you

IMPORTANT jump This framing/wire combo is NOT suitable for large birds like Galahs, Sulpher crested, that will snap the wire welds, and chew the framing away in no time at all[/quote]

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Steptoe
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 6:01 pm    Post subject: Ground up Instructions For an Avairy

The following is assuming the reader is starting with nothing to a fully equiped avairy.
TOTAL Construction costs, down to last nail approx NZ $850
Total Avairy tools cost NZ $35
Will hold 25 to 30 kikes comfortably (8 to 10/flight) so long as you dont add nesting boxes.
Althu This new design has not been offically approved By DoC NZ, the orginal has been, and differences are improvements. A MUST is direction facing, For NZ a WNW to NE, and Have wind break my surrounding tress/building, OR solid Internal partitions for the Kikes to tuck away out of a storm etc.

We have just commissioned our 3rd aviary, 2nd based on the above.
Just lost another rose garden!!! wall
Some modifications...Mark II
Modifications:
1/ 2x folding removable partitions (double as doors to flights)creating 3 flights if required
2/Soak holes below water trays with 20 litre removable buckets, 250x 250mm
2/Change safety room/store to 1.2 m x 600mm

Size 3.6x 2.6x 2m height (front) 1.8 rear)
MATERIALS:
80m 50x 50mm borax treated framing
8 sheets treated construction ply, 2.4x 1.2 x 10 mm
18 m 100x 50mm ground treated
1 30m 900mm wide roll welded square mesh 17mm (approx 4 m left over)
8 90mm hinges (Doors/folding removable partitions)
6 75mm hinges(1 per nesting box)
1 pkt 8g x50mm screws 100
1 pkt 8g x32 mm screws 200
1 pkt 140x 14 rapid staples (9/16) fix netting
150 to 200 150 90x 3.5 jolt head galv nails
20 35 x 80mm galv gang nails
100 l pumice sand (cement base)
80 l pumice sand (spread over base when finished)
1 40 kg cement (mix at approx 5:1)
3 20 l 220x 220 plastic pails
13 mm polythene irrigation hose (from tap to aviary site)
1.5 m 5mm irrigation hose
3 5mm irrigation taps
6 5mm 5mm irrigation hose joiners (3 used ad nozzles for filling water trays)
6m #8 wire not hi tensile..(hanging perches, door catches)
3 plastic water trays 400x 300x 80mm
3 plastic seed trays 300 x 400 x 150mm
500ml very dark brown (or green or black) acrylic flat paint (for mesh)
0.5 m of heavy gauge 10mm mesh (removable covers over soakholes under water trays)
1.5 l malt vinegar

TOOLS:
Hammer (sticking plaster for thumbs Rolling Eyes )
Wood saw (sharp!! get a elcheapo for the job)
Square (to cut square ends...important)
Pencil (to mark cuts and look professional to write orders on scrap wood when ordering at local lumber yard)
Level 750mm (important everything is level, vertical)
Line String
Electric staple gun (hie one for an afternoon...bugga using hammer staples thats WORK!!!
Saw horse (cutting and use as small ladder)
Fencing pliers (only way to go when bending /cutting #8 wire)
Wire side cutters (get medium quality, cutting/trimming the mesh)
Spade (digging foundations for 100x50, digging holes, levelling)
Shovel (mixing cement, shovelling dirt dug)
Wheelbarrow ( moving dirt, mixing cement, carrying all tools at once)
Electric rechargeable drill/screwdriver (can do by hand, but thats WORK!!!)
Square cement float (elcheapo steel will do)
Small sponge paint roller 100mm (to paint mesh 2 coats)
8 or 9 old branches about 100mm to 250mm 600 mm to 900mm long
1 sliding bolt (exterior door)
1 padlock (for above)

AVAIRY TOOLS
Clean plastic Spray bottle (for vinegar mix)
3 'pot' mouse traps (See pic below)
Small hand mini leaf rake (raking out debrie in sand each week)
Hand brush and Shovel (picking up denrie scrubbing out feeding/water trays each week)
50mm paint scraper (scraping persistant debrie of shelves etc)

INSTRUCTIONS:
NOTES:
Construct as soon as u have your timber...50x 50mm framing warps (bends) very quickly.
a/Frames are nailed, cross frames go on top of uprights.
b/Ply is screwed to frames/roof, screws at approx 250 to 300mm centers, always start at one end then progress along the edge, DONT screw each end then the middle.
c/Mesh goes on the INSIDE, frame on the outside
d/ When stapling mesh, cut to length plus 20mm. Staple top cnr, use handles of side cutters to pull tight and square, (u cant get a tight pull with fingers and if u use your fingers they will get very sore!) Progress along the mesh to other end.
Then staple bottom edge, pulling tight and square leaving the last 1/4 at each end.
Then staple ends start in middle working to each end
Finish bottom edge
Staple every 2nd or 3rd mesh hole.
Trim excess from end.
1/Level site and lay 100x 50 timber in small trenches as foundations
make sure they are level and square, join with gang nails, positioning gang nails so as not to interfere with framing. Ground level 50mm below top pf 100x 50.
2/Construct rear and front frames on level ground, add triangles on cnrs of the front and construction ply to rear to keep stiff and square
Cross front framepeices measured from the top so as to fix mesh later ,horizontally, bottom cross pieces approx 200 mm from bottom to form a 'kickboard'
3/ erect frames, using stays to position and keep square
4/ build in side frames to fit
5/add side sheets of ply, pre measured and cut to size.
6/add roof framing.
7/Add mesh to front of roof
8/Add 3 sheets ply to roof, over lapping over the mesh, trim off rear, use theses trimmings for kickboards later
9 /construct inner safety room and frame door (550mm wide) have approx 200mm kick board at bottom
10/mesh interior safety/storage room
11/construct exterior door frame, have approx 200mm kick board at bottom(550mm wide and ply door ) and cover with ply...off cuts will fill the gaps either side (end panels are already on from when making rear frame at start)
12/ mesh front and 1 end
13/ Construct removable partition frames to fit. make in 2 halves hinged in the center, the smaller section is used as door. Mesh, cover with ply as your personal preference requires) Then Non door section is fixed in place later with wooden plates screwed to the main frame. This section is also a tight fit to support the roof and just tight enough to pull the mesh that little bit tighter.
14/ Now dig holes for soak holes so buckets fit in and can be removed to clean out later. The position of the holes is...imagine the water nozzles just outside the mesh, mounted on small triangles of wood attached to the outside and center uprights of the front frame, about 500 to 700mm off ground level.
15/ construct small wood frame around the holes, keeping in mind that when u cement the base u need a fall (slight slope) to the soak hole to allow draining.
16/ now place and position anything like large tree trunks, rocks etc in the flights, that will not fit thru the doors later. (U will note I have NOT said to mesh one end yet!) Also Do not place so there are any perches over water trays or feed trays
17/ Start to mix cement in wheel barrow about 5:1 with pumice sand. The easiest way to put the mix in the aviary is use 20l buckets...about 4 to 5 middle size barrow loads will do the job...float out with a very gentle fall to the front and soak holes. let harden 24 to 36 hrs.

I cannot stress enough, make cuts square, foundations square and level, cnrs square, everything level and vertical...
Well we have had a break the cement is dry. back to the job...

18/ Cut 4 20mm holes in each soak hole bucket and put in holes, cut 10mm mesh covers to go over, put the water trays over the holes and buckets upside down (so u don't step into one and break your leg)
19/Mesh the remaining end.
20/ lay the 13 mm irrigation pipe for water supply to tap.
21/ connect in 5mm irrigation tubes with small taps in middle and joiner on ends, mount these so they are directed at the water trays from the outside.
22/ Staple veggie food trays in holes cut in the mesh (see pics below on the construction of these,) 1 or 2 per flight
23/ cut branches, drill holes thru ends, cut #8 wire and hang approx 400 to 500mm from roof.
24/ construct and mount nesting boxes (if required) in flights, 2 per flight per breeding pair Kikes. IMPORTANT..use non treated wood for nest boxes!!!
24/Water blast to remove any oils, surface wood tanalizing from ply and framing. Let dry
25/ Add about 20 l pumice sand per flight, 60 to 70 l in total, and spread evenly on floor About 5 to 10mm thick, and let dry out if wet.
26/make up a soln of 50:50 malt vinegar and water, about 3 l in total, spray rocks, trees, perches and sand....rake over the sand and spray again.
27/ Check the water supply works...turn the buckets up the right way 1st signlol (rem I said to turn them upsidedown so not to break a leg.)
28/ 1/4 to 1/3 fill the seed trays....note the birds very rarely poo in the seed, and the high side prevent a lot of wastage and mess...this amount of seed lasts several weeks, and they are forced to have a balanced seed diet as the level goes down...they also have to look for their seed after a while keeping themselves occupied more.
29/Couple pieces of cuttlefish screwed to a branch in each flight

Thats it...all done!!!

opps forgot something....add your birds signlol
And padlock rear door.



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Can see foundation 100x50, front/rear frames in place
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Water try, soak hole and bucket..mesh cover not shown
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Looking from inside flight to out
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Removable partition/door, note also the #8 wire door catch at the top, these are on all doors, internal and external
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works well...maybe one day will replace wood with metal, attach to mesh from outside
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These I designed myself, what was on the market didnt suit needs and was very expensive.
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Nesting boxes are a personal 'thing' this is what we use.
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MouseTrap.jpg
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Peanut butter with a few peices of sweetcarn kernals pressed in, is best bait. Note the trap for in flights is the lower wire frame, NOT the top animal!!
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Allen
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:58 pm    Post subject:

I have been looking at Steptoes vegetable feeders again and would be interested to now what other members are using to hold seed and food for their kakarikis. Are any of our members using pellets for their kakariki?

I find that my kakariki are the most wastefull of all my birds i.e. I cannot use a gravity type seed feeder for kakarikki as they scratch out all the seed within a day or two. Even using stainless steel 1 pint bowls for seed as I do for my other birds is not very effective as they scratch everything out. The only thing that seems to work (but is too small for more than a days seed) is a small dish about 5cm deep and 5cm across.

I don't mind if the birds waste their soft food as it goes off quickly anyway so there is no point having any left overs within reach of the birds.

I am considering placing welded mesh of say 5cm by 5cm over my seed feeding bowls to cut down on waste but alternative suggestions would be very w3c.
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Kaka-riki
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 1:47 am    Post subject:

Allen,
I have found the best way to feed Kakariki is by using trays under their seed and fresh fuit bowls. The majority of my aviaries are now suspended type and the tray is placed on the floor beneath the bowls. But in the conventional type aviary we still use the same tray. We simply use angle brackets to secure the tray on the wall and sit the bowls inside. We place fine shell grit (or sand) in the bottom of the trays. This means that any food that is kicked out is eaten later as Kakariki love to scratch in grit and sand looking for food. The grit is replaced every two weeks and seed and food wastage is minimal. I have included a picture of one of our conventional setups. The fresh food goes in the bowls on the left whilst the seed is placed in dishes in the tray to the right.

Regards Greg.



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Allen
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 1:12 am    Post subject:

Thanks for the tip.

What do you feed your birds?

I am always worried about left over food lying around and going off and being consumed by my birds. Although kakariki seem to have a tougher constitution than other parrots. They seem to eat and thrive of virtually anything.

Steptoe seems to love his dog pellets (any comments), I am trying to remember what I have read about dog pellets for birds. Feeding dog pellets to birds seems to have stopped in this country about twenty years ago.

Any comments?
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Kaka-riki
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:27 am    Post subject:

Allen,
We feed fresh food every morning. Any fruit or veg that is left in the tray from the previous day is simply removed. That way there is limited chance of of the birds eating spoiled food. Using the trays is much easier than cleaning the entire floor which was the case previously. We much prefer using the suspended aviaries as most of the food scraps simply fall through the wire floor and the concrete is hosed off weekly. The birds dont mind the wire floors and we have noticed they actually tend to spend more time on the wire floors than the other birds who are housed in conventionals.
Our birds are fed Endive, SilverBeet, Apple, Carrot, SweetCorn and Sprouted seeds daily. They have dry seed at all times but much prefer the fresh food. We feed mealworms when they have young in the nest and have found a calcium supplement that is fed in seperate dishes and is available at all times. This supplement is made for pigeons but the Kakariki love it. It is crushed egg shell, grit and cuttlefish that is laced with aniseed which is what attracts the birds to it.
I know of a few breeders here in Australia that feed dog/cat biscuits to their Indian Ringneck Parrots but a leading nutrition expert here has said there is no advantage in feeding them so we have not bothered with it.
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Steptoe
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 9:44 am    Post subject:

Just clear a possible misconception.
Quote:
Steptoe seems to love his dog pellets (any comments),

Small Cat pellets, 3 or 4 per bird, 3 or 4 days. more as a treat. The Kikes come down to the wire to take these from the hand. And a couple more in the feed tray.

Quote:
but a leading nutrition expert here has said there is no advantage in

And I totally agree with that...We definitely DON'T rely on Processed, synthetic foods for our diet or our birds. They do have a few minerals and stuff, the value of these in a reconstituted form I do have serious doubts.
They May supply the odd mineral that may lack in the natural and varied diet we use.
Great variety of Natural Fresh fruit, veggies, bean seed sprouts cant be beaten.
We feed 2x a day

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Allen
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:47 am    Post subject:

The bit about Steptoe enjoying his dog pellets was a bit of tongue in cheek. I know that his birds get avery good fresh diet.

I don't use a pelleted diet for my birds as fruit and veg is readiliy available. I use soaked seeds (wheat and sunflower) and boil hard corn - mealies in SA (chicken food)and dry peas. The birds love the peas. I alos sprinkle, calcium, vitamins and Spirulina over the soft food about three times a week.

When any of my birds have babies in the nest, I mix in a bit of "aviplus cage and aviary bird" with the soft food mix. Aviplus is like a rough version of handrearing formula.

I have recently started feeding fresh wheat seeds to my birds in addition to their regular diet and they love them. The wheat seeds are a third of the price of sunflower or budgie seed mixes.
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Steptoe
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:59 am    Post subject:

We used to use calcuim and other additives
In the last season trialing with introduction of chicken/beef/lamb bones, and also have olded dryied bones (including a old sheep skull thats nearly falling apart now) bits of burnt branches and pumice sand, the pumice 'disappears' We have kept a very close eye on the condition of parents and chicks.
Also our gardens are basically NZ native, manuka, hebies, puriri, flaxes, pitisporum, lace barks, lemon wood and many more, Trimmings of these also give added natural foods they would get in the wild.
Parents have maintained condition same or better, hens better.
Chicks (once grown) are larger and have deeper colour

P.S Maybe the last few posts here should also be moved to "what do u feed..." thread ??

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Allen
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:40 am    Post subject:

Sorry I have corrupted another thread, I must learn to stick to the point and start new threads.
Admin Edit:
NPs m8 we all do it, one just has to digress a little then the next posts picks up....signlol...so long as the the info is here is what is important...sorting later isnt a major.
Will let this thread continue then move later for easy of future ref.
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Parrotdragon555
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 9:02 pm    Post subject:

Two of my aviaries. One houses the kakarikis the other the Barrabands. The safety corridor is at the back with doors to the flights having servicing hatches so I don't actually have to enter the flights in order to feed the birds.
The concrete foundations were laid first as I have battled with the dreaded mice in unconcreted flights in the past. I can honestly say that in the 2 years that these have been in use there hasn't been a mouse capable of getting in! Applause
I use garden bark on the floors and the birds love fossicking around and chewing it into sawdust!

Edit:moved the pic into the right post. There is an edit button on your posts (top right)that can be used instead of making new... I have one on every post l angel ..
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