How do you manage your aviaries when you go away?

[Finchy]

I'm wondering what strategies people use to take care of their finch aviaries when away for a number of weeks. Of course when someone stays home that's fine, but what about when you all go?

I've had a couple of people take care of my birds over the years. My other half is one of them but thinks it's all too complex and stressful. To me it seems very easy, but I'm used to the routine so can't really understand what someone could find so difficult.

I've heard of one horror - a finchkeeper coming home to find his entire stock on the ground - but that was due to miscommunication. What strategies do you have in place to keep your birds safe and well when you are away for several weeks?

[elferoz777]

My strategy is called mum and it never fails.

Actually got good results when she took them 8 weeks whilst i was in Perú.
I guess thats the burden of bird keeping.

[Trilobite]

I have mine set up such that for one week they are self sufficient with seed and water.
Longer then that I have a good neighbor who is used to birds and I pay them to come in every 2-3 days whenever we hit the road for more then a week. She thinks me silly for paying her, but I say the peace of mind in having someone who is able to do the birds is worth more then what she is paid. One of the things that set her at ease was when I told her that there were heaps of woollies shopping bags at the back of the aviary - she of course enquired what for - my response - well it is like this, if you have live stock you will have dead stock, so if one dies can you put it in a bag and chuck it in the freezer for me. I had one trip where she txt me to tell me I had one dead, I couldn't for the life of me work out which one by the description, when I got home I found it was a young newly fledged WE mask, the other 4 were still on the perch. anyway you get my drift, best if you can get someone that has dealt with birds or poultry before.

[Weaver]

Join a bird club and find out who lives close by. Then offer reciprocal bird minding services.
It works well for me.
Weaver

[finchbreeder]

Fortunately for me, my mother is also a birdkeeper. So we swap "sitting" duties. Though this weekend we were both away.
Fortuneately we both have things set up so that the birds can cope just fine for 3/4 days without us.
A friendly birdkeeper you can swap "sitting" duties with is the ideal.
LML

[Greg41]

Join a bird club and get lucky like me, there are 3 of us all within 10 minutes of each other.
All our aviaries are set up to be ok for 4/5 days and we look after each others as needed.
It is understood that birds can die at any time and no pressure/guilt is placed on any one.
Cheers Greg.

[Shark]

When I was 13 an elderly neighbor looked after our birds for 2 months while our family went overseas. We had a great breeding season as he looked after them well and wasn't poking in every nest like my brother and I.

A local friend went to Europe for 2 months about 5 years ago. This guy had a huge set up multiple aviaries at least the size of 2 normal backyards on his acreage.
He had his non bird keeping daughter pop in and look after them every few days. When he returned he picked up all the dead finches and told me he filled 2 x 20 litre buckets. I can't imagine how many birds that was.

[finchbreeder]

Someone who is both a birdo and retired is the ideal. They know what to do and have the time. And if you have to pay them a little for the peace of mind it is worth it.
LML

[vettepilot_6]

Mine like Trilobite are set up for 7/10days by themselves with extra water just in case...plus have a good neighbour who checks on them and feeds the dog ..

[Denozo]

When everybody says they don't need to feed for a week does this include livefood? If so, how do you achieve this?