HOT WEATHER: KEEPING FINCHES COOL

[Misso]

thought id start a topic for everyone to bring up ideas of keeping their feathered friends cool with the warmer weather atm, plus with summer around the corner.

i will kick things off by mentioning fresh cool water and a bird bath helps keep my finches cool.

what other tips or tricks do others have on keeping there aviaries or birds cool in warmer weather.

Jarryd

[Pooky]

Hi Jarryd,
I cover my avairys with shade cloth that sits about 10cm above the top of the avairy and also pull shadecloth about half way down the front of the avairy. When we built the avairys we left a gap between the roof and the sides to allow a breeze to blow through.
Trudy.

[Diane]

I hose the aviary down few times a day, inside and out avoiding the feeding stations, refresh their water and add large blocks of ice and also put large blocks of ice in the plant pots, the birds go straight for them and stand in the cool draught the ice gives off.
I also have a canvas shade at the front of the aviary which I hose down.

Some members of a local bird club have installed automated water misting systems over the top of the aviaries. Something Im thinking of doing too.

[gomer]

currently I flood the walkway with water,And hose the front.(No shortage of water here)I am looking at putting in a mist spray system.Any coments on them ?

[Diane]

It seems a few of the members of the Gawler Bird Club have automated misting systems installed. Ive only seen one operating. It consisted of some black pipe and misting heads and was programmed to come on for a couple of mins every 20mins or so. It seemed to cover the aviary roof and and run down the wire. The birds seemed to appreciate it.

[finchbreeder]

I have my birds water bowls hooked up to the auto retic system with their own circuit set to flush the bowls twice daily.
And my Aviarys are under a huge cape lilac tree that provides summer shade.
My mother has sprinklers installed along the top front of her aviarys for the budgies and parrots, installed with metal pipe, and manuel, as in she has to go and turn them on or off.
LML

[jusdeb]

I must be an awful finchy mama I kinda figure it gets hotter up north where most my little buggers come from and all they got is shade , a pool of water and common sense enough to rest during the hottest parts of the day .
Not enough water here to run misters or sprinklers . Have kept birds since moving to Dubbo and not once have I seen them holding their beaks open to try and cool down.
Of course if I do see them with gaping beaks then Ill take action.

[gomer]

They are breed tough up your way for the heat Deb.Down here they dont get many hot days.Today was the 4th consectative day over 30,which is unheard of for this time of year.
I found a nest of 5 less than a week old goulds today.One had been thrown,or hoped out itself.while the others all had heads out the nest trying to grt away from each other.So i partly took the lid of,bird thrown again,Then saturated the floor leaving an inch of water above ground, risking drowing if one got thrown again.And finally droped the nest another 2 foot lower.Well we will see if there are any still alive tommorow.

[jusdeb]

True Gomer they have to get used to the long hot summers here , think thats why this year has been so iffy with the breeding no regular temps to spark them off , all my birds have been bred around here also with a few from Broken Hill so genetically they would already be hardened to the heat / cold .
The only ones I worry about are the Gouldians in Winter the rest have been tough as old boots.

[Diane]

Adelaide in for at least 3 days of 40C pheww