Cold temperatures

[Rob]

With winter fast approaching I was wondering how cold does it have to be to be a cause of finch death? We don't often get to 0 or sub 0 temperatures in Perth but, I have heard from some people losing some from a "cold snap".
I don't recall ever losing any to the cold when I kept finches as a kid in the backyard aviary and didn't lose any last year that I kept in a small patio aviary/cage last winter but, I am still worried about the upcoming cold winter nights, particularly as my collection has grown since then.
How do you heat your aviaries and/or what do you do in preparation for the cold?

[Shane Gowland]

I don't heat. If a bird can't tolerate a few cold nights, I don't want it passing on its genes. Natural selection and all that.

[Tiaris]

It doesn't need to be sub zero for cold to kill. I have lost many clutches of young Goulians and Red Siskins when the end of the parents nest brooding coincides with cooler nights. Anywhere under ten degrees is potentially cold enough for this to occur especially when clutch size is small.

[E Orix]

It is currently 8.30 am the whole area is white with frost(right over the house roof), the sun is starting to shine and it is still freezing.
The birds are fine and even coming into bath at least the bathing area has not frozen over. Problem no!!!
What would be a problem, if there was any air movement and the birds couldn't get out of it or a night time fright which caused them to
move from their roosting spot.
If birds can settle and be out of any drafts they will cope,any air movement can be a disaster.

[arthur]

10 degrees and 10 days

Parrot finches and Gouldians stop overnight brooding at about 10 days and as Tiaris points out 10 degrees is low enough to kill unfeathered chicks

Fortunately the above species usually nest in boxes, and will tolerate box removal just before dark and replacement first thing in the morning

Watch your weather forecast and act accordingly . . whether you live in Melbourne or Cairns

Leaving young birds to die will not 'toughen them up'

[Alf63]

Currently entering a period of zero and below nights and sunny days in the low teens. Just finished a week or more of cold wet and overcast days which are unusual for my area.

I don't heat my aviaries and in general the birds manage well, some are still breeding. I expect an odd loss as there will birds that are not 100%.

In my opinion heating aviaries only creates problems for anyone who purchases birds kept and bred in those conditions.

[Tiaris]

Had our first sub zero morning for the year this morning with a heavy frost. No young Gouldians at that crucial stage atm so I didn't have to do as Arthur suggests. My main deaths this way lately occur when I get home late from work and am unable to take Gouldian boxes inside for the night. I've lost 2 full clutches of young Gouldians this way so far this season.
I am this Gouldian season taking particular notice of the different brooding periods by different Gouldian pairs in my collection and plan to retain more young bred from those who brood the nest for longer to see if this habit is imprinted onto their progeny. If this works well over a few seasons I could possibly winter-proof my Gouldian stud or at least greatly assist in this regard. Even if the progeny from these pairs are otherwise physically inferior to other retained breeders, I could at least foster some of the better pairs' clutches under the longer brooders to imprint this trait onto them. I got the idea from reading an article recently about a bloke who fostered young Golden-Shouldered parrots under Hoodeds and retained the young fostered hens as breeders and these later brooded their own young for the longer Hooded brooding period rather than the typical shorter Golden-Shoulder one. Worth a shot I reckon.

[finchbreeder]

It was 3.6 degrees here last night. For us that is jolly cold. Most important thing is that birds can sit in the sun and defrost first thing in the morning. And as others have said block off any cold winds. Am also a little inclined to increase the oil seeds over winter. Good thinking on the brooding habits T.
LML

[finchbreeder]

As the colder parts of winter are lasting longer here keeping those cold winds out will become an even greater priority. After all even wild birds know to kind a warm protected spot. Like the doves who sit under my office window first thing in the morning. Yes it is a NE facing spot completely protected by a right angle brick wall, that can catch the heat. Now there is an idea that can be incorporated into new avairys.
LML

[matcho]

I am pretty lucky here In Leichhardt, Sydney, Have had over the past three weeks frost on the car outside, real feel according to BOM has been below minus. Anyhow I am extremely lucky, my aviary faces north and backs onto a tall brick wall, no south winds, wall holds heat, early morning sun in the dead of winter shines straight into it for morning warmth. Must admit though I do put up perspex shades of an afternoon during winter for the overnight thing. Covered in shadecloth over the breeding areas and corrugated suntuff all over. Helps heaps in summer. Concrete floor, nothing wet, only problem is the local alley cats cause some night frights. Otherwise all is good. The main thing to me is no cold breezes, especially for goulds. I posted somewhere before a few years ago with photos about how I fix the perspex but cant find it.

The cold doesn't do the the damage, it is cold breeze/wind where they cant get out of it.

Just my thoughts

Ken.