I'm new to the forum but have kept Gouldians on and off for some 48 years. My current aviary is 16' x 8' flight with a 4'x8' shed.
The flight is timber frame on 2 courses of bricks and has soil floor and is planted.
I abandoned the aviary and all finch keeping some 3 years ago after losing 35 gouldians over 2 nights to what I think were bush rats.
Aways having a planted dirt flight in all my aviaries I am used to always having running battles with mice but these rats dont muck around.
First sign of trouble was in early winter 10 nest boxes in a row in the shed on a shelf all with either eggs or young. First box eggs eaten and nothing left of the hen but feathers and beak! remainder of boxes untouched. Searched everywhere for where they were getting in, nothing. Next night, next box, six young gone, and so on down the line.
Just when I thought this can't get any worse, it did. Was greeted one morning to 27 dead gouldians scattered throughout the aviary most without any noticeable injuries. Next night a further 6 birds and A MOUSE! with its head ripped off. With that I caught what was left of my birds and brought them inside. I was done feedin rats.
Anyhow 3 years on and my wife buys 2 pair of gouldians and talks me into refurbishing the aviary.
Now after that longwinded intro, I know (dirt floor + 12mm wire) = mice! Mice I can fight, hell I can remember as a 12 yo lad sitting on a chair at night outside my aviary spotlighting mice with a torch and slug gun! It's the rats I can't stand.
I was going to dig out inside the flight and lay 12mm wire down and say cover with 3" course river sand and then some of the red crumbled rock material.
I would be intersested in your opinions on this and any methods of say hanging/mounting nest boxes in shed to give the birds a sporting chance?
Thanks for reading this short novel.
cheers
Glenng
so far so good.
