Parrots or finches?

[Jayburd]

what do youall think? parrots (thinking Mulgas or Rosellas) or finches (for the good of the foreigns, painteds, cordons, red faces, etc.)
I know, everyone will say finch... but I have had packs of up to 10 currawongs at a time attack my quails, UNDER THE COVER OF MY VERANDA!!! not to mention the colossal gigantic crow...
I don't want to be going out every day and having to worry about whether my blue caps/weavers/etc. etc. etc. etc. (it's gotta happen eventually) are still alive.

It's difficult, but I really don't know.

how would you finch supporters suggest warding off the pied death?

and then there's the cats...

[finchbreeder]

Obviously Finches. Parrots really are not that much more imune to attack from predators. And require larger avaries, and can't keep many types together like you can with finches. Yes predator protection is going to be a problem. But take your time, spend a little more and get it right from the begginning. Solid roof, mouse wire, drop down blinds. And in the long run you will be better off, and I sincerely hope happier. Good luck Jay.
LML

[jusdeb]

Easy BOTH ! nah I know I know seriously just do the pro con thing and consider housing , $$ etc . You could go for the smaller parrots and mix them in a communal aviary with the finches , really its up to you coz every one will have a preference and we are all different . Good luck deciding.

[Jayburd]

Parrots really are not that much more imune to attack from predators. And require larger avaries, and can't keep many types together like you can with finches.

they are the bigger they get, or at least, they are a Little more able to put up a defense. The mulgas, or the rosellas I have been reliably informed from someone with good breeding results, can be housed in my size aviary (1pr per aviary).

Easy BOTH !

I dunno, the only ones I would trust are scarlets, and even then then not in an aviary my size, with a good collection of finches.

Its gonna be very expensive anyway, we are already going to use M/P wire on the bottom half, but it's very expensive.

as for fully covered roof, great, but most of the sunlight where the aviary is going comes from the top, and so they would probably get a Vit. D deficiency from the UV filtering in Alsonite. A false layer might work, but then more wire + metal frame = $$$$
and what about the sides? I can't leave the blinds down all day every day (particularly in summer), and neither can I leave the finches shut in the shelter whenever I go out.

and I've also been banned from having any more bird housing places (apart from the 3 small cages I already have, + aviary), so no chance of having scarlets or bourkes or something in a big cage either.

The other guy I talked to said trap the currawongs and hook em up to the car tailpipe in a plastic bag, but I couldn't do that.

[E Orix]

Jayburd
Firstly Parrots have a tendancy to crash into the wire and break their knecks when terrorise by preditors so keeping parrots may not solve your problem.
Having two pair of parrots as a collection would bore me,part of the enjoyment is working around our hobby.
Also I can't remember hearing of anyone that has had more disasters or accidents as you have.
From memory you are involved in the Canberra Avi. Club would it not be prudent to sit down with Adam,Mick or some others and try and solve your problem.
If you are concerned about overhead attacks from birds I have a roll of Horticultural shade cloth,so when you aviary is finished or at least the roof area can be measured let me know and I will cut off enough cloth for you to cover your aviary roof.
It will protect your birds from overhead attack,prevent driving rain doing damage but will still enable grasses and other plants to grow vertically.In the summer it will also give some relief from the hot sun.
By the way Mulgas are great parrots though.
Get the older members to assist, if they won't let me know and I will see what can be done.

[Jayburd]

mainly with the Canberra Finch Club, though yes, Adam Fitzgerald is a good friend of mine

reallY? haven't heard that before... maybe keeping parrots would be an even worse idea then...
ok, thanks for that Orix
will let you know.
as for sides, if I did shadecloth on top 1/2 and mouse wire on bottom 1/2, then maybe it would work...
and it might also keep the main part of the sun's reflection off the winter plastic blinds out of the aviary, and thus blinding or confusing birds.

then again, if I have a half open roof, even if it's covered by shade cloth, there's not much point having pull down blinds, all the heat goes out the top...

yeah, they are aren't they . Love their colours... like a parrot - version rainbow bee-eater.

[finchbreeder]

You seem to be agreeing with what I said. "Parrots are not much more imune to attack - parrots are a little more able to put up a defence". "require larger avairys and can't keep many types together - 1 pr per avairy"
Listen to Orix he is an experienced breeder who has found ways of dealing with problems of the type you have, and can be a good mentor.
LML

[Jayburd]

You seem to be agreeing with what I said. "Parrots are not much more imune to attack - parrots are a little more able to put up a defence". "require larger avairys and can't keep many types together - 1 pr per avairy"

I am now, thanks to what Orix told me

Yep, he certainly is.

[Jayburd]

so I guess it's finches now. Good, as Orix said, it's much more fun to have active birds.
I was kinda hoping for finches, but their safety comes first so it was worth asking.

Finchbreeder/deb are also right.
Time to get saving up the thousands then.

Had the best dream last night, QFS birdsale, someone pushes a pair of purple grenadiers at me, says "they're yours mate"... and then I awoke.