Diagram B
ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS ON KEEPING AUSTRALIAN FINCHES
Part 3 - Fitting-out the Bird Room.
By John Williams
One of the main requirements will be Electricity supply. A word of warning if you do not know what you are doing, get expert advice, to ensure that the electricity supply to your Birdroom is safely installed. You don't get any extra points for getting fried in the name of Aviculture. Ensure that you have sufficient power points.
The provision of adequate lighting is a necessity, inadequate lighting conditions during the Autumn/Winter months, can I feel have an adverse effect on the birds condition, especially during the build up to the breeding season, particularly the early part, resulting in dead in shell, infertility, etc.
The main types of lighting are either the slim line fluorescent strip type, or the plug in energy saving type [fluorescent] for daylight use, the wattage required will depend on the size of the birdroom, but should be sufficient to ensure that the interior is well-Iit, these should be controlled by an automatic time switch. This will automatically switch on the lights and switch them off again at pre-set times, the birds will require at least 12 hours of daylight equivalent during the winter months, increasing gradually to 14 hours- plus going into the breeding time. It is advisable to provide a night-Iight also controlled by a timer, this should be set to come on half an hour before the main lighting goes off, to prevent the birds being suddenly plunged into darkness.
A bulb of about 15 watts will be sufficient for this purpose and, if left on all night, will help to prevent night fright if the birds are suddenly startled by car headlights, noise or other sources. Another alternative is to use 60 Watt red bulbs through a dimmer switch/timer, these give a soft red glowand can be adjusted to the right level via the dimmer unit, the above process is then reversed in the morning when, the main lighting will come on before the night-light goes off.
Heating gives you another set of choices, Tubular heaters are okay for small areas or cages, but would not be effective for heating a large birdroom , a more suitable system would be a thermostatically controlled fan heater and a small storage heater, the former helps to circulate the heat quicker and keep the air moving, preventing cold spots. The storage heater also acts, as back up system, in the event of a power cut or problem with the fan heater, at least you will have some heating.
Ventilation is importantto ensure that the atmosphere remains healthy; ideally about half of the window area should be capable of being opened during the milder weather, to allow plenty of fresh air in. A removable wire-mesh screen fitted over the windows, will prevent cats and other predators gaining access and if a similar Inner door is made for the entrance; the main door can be left open in very hot weather. This of course will not be feasible during colder weather, ventilation grills should be let into the walls of the birdroom to allow stale air to escape, or you can install an extractor fan if you wish. As stale air tends to accumulate near the ceiling, ventilation outlets should be as close to the ceiling as possible, while the inlets should be at floor level.
Another useful item worth considering is an ionizer; the cost of using a mains ionizer is about the same as using an ordinary low wattage light bulb. The ionizer produces a constant stream of electrons, which collide with molecules in the air, and form negative ions that spread out and 'cluster' around the airborne particles. As the particles acquire a negative charge, they fall from the air to an earthed surface such as the floor. Where they can be wiped up with a damp cloth, an ionizer helps purify the air by removing dirt, and is also able to destroy airborne bacteria.
Having dealt with the basic design features of the birdroom we must now consider the most efficient way of furnishing the interior, if available space allows it, an internal flight is very useful for accommodating juveniles or for adults prior to breeding, especially if it can be sub-divided using removable partitions, into smaller flights. The flight can be constructed of a lighter weight timber i.e. 38mmx25mm. [1 1/2 x 1.0] and painted with emulsion.
You will also need cages for breeding etc. The choice is either the box type, which is simply a cage having all the sides and the top and bottom made of timber such as plywood, and the front made of wire. They can be purchased ready made, or they can be constructed at home fairly easily. To a size approximately 36LxI8HxI5W. Construct the fronts separately so that they can be removed for cleaning, you can also make sliding trays for the bottom of the cages to make cleaning easier.
The second alternative is to make the cages as a built in, fitted like shelves, each of which forms not only the floor of a cage but also the roof of the one below it. The shelves are made from 1/2 in [12mm] timber xl5in [380mm] wide to the required length. Batten 1x1in [25x25mm] is screwed to the walls at I8in[455mm] intervals. The shelves are then dropped into place on the supporting battens and screwed down.
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Diagram B
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The fronts of the cages are supported by vertical timbers 1x1in [25x25mm] cut to the required height [see diagram B.]. A 1/4in [6 mm] gap must be left between the vertical supports to allow the slide to be inserted. Screw a length of 1 x 1in [25x25mm ] timber in position opposite the gap between the supports. Glue and pin two lengths of 1/4in [6 mm ] timber to the front of this, 1/4in [6mm] apart, to form a guide to hold the slide in position. This is a better arrangement than the horizontal guides, as they don't get clogged up by seed and husks.
The front rail is cut from a piece of 1/2in [12mm] timber. This should be 1 3/4in [63 mm] wide, cut to the required length and screwed in position, a gap of aprox 1/2in [ 12mm ] should be left at the bottom of the cage for the sliding tray if required.
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The removable fronts should be covered with 1/2in welded mesh; access doors can be cut in the mesh to suit your requirements .You can construct suitable trays for the bottom of the cage or obtain galvanized metal trays to size, from specialist suppliers.
The interior of the cages can be coated with a light-coloured emulsion paint, any gaps in the cage should be sealed with a thin layer of clear silicon sealant, this becomes waterproof when dry preventing the entry of water. The bottom row of cages should be 12in above floor level to protect the birds from any draughts, it also makes it easier to do any work on the cages.