Grass in aviary

[charlie01]

Will finches eat the grass down to the dirt or will they just target the seeds?

[Jayburd]

they might eat the grass but if it gets established before the go in the aviary they'll have a lot of fun with it. They will probably also eat the seeds

[jusdeb]

They will eat Cooch (spell check please ) down to dirt , not sure about other types ..I suppose if theres a lot of grass then they will graze away and the grass will regrow at the same time but if theres not much then they will probably eat it all .

[desertbirds]

It depends on how much/what type of grass and how many finches you have in there.They will generally just target seed heads if they are getting plenty of choice with greens.If they want more greens then they will mow your grass down to dirt.It also depends on the type of finches you keep.Generally with grasses once they are established the birds just go for the seeds and some finches seek out any small insects like aphids that are on the grass.They really go for the fresh new shoots on many grasses and after that they just go for the seed heads.I posted a few types of grasses suitable for finches in the plants section.

[finchbreeder]

I just cut Couch (think that's spelt right) with the scissors and give to them. They also love it for nest building.
LML

[charlie01]

The aviary is still in the building process.
I then have a month to get the grass back and growing, as I'm purchasing my birds from a sale.

[mickw]

Would that be the Grafton Sale in March ;) .............wack some grass in, diff species will attack it in different ways. I'd recommend you put down a floor of river sand or the like, dont go with earth floor.....the grasses will grow fine in sand.............green panic, some natives like Giant Tussock, even just sow french millet & they'll go nuts.

My Blue face dont let the panic seed heads open, but my black throats in another aviary do and wait til the seed is almost ripe.......the stars and WE Masks are a bit hard on their panic, its struggling......just pop a removal wire cover over anything that seems to be copping to much attention........

Uralla.....brrrr!!.......do they make snow shoes for finches?

[Jayburd]

Deb & FB yeah it's couch, I always get mixed up between couch, the chair and couch, the footrot flats character

[Fincho162]

From experience they'll eat it lock, stock and smokin barrel....every last bit!!!!!
We just grow the grass in a number of pots and rotate these through the aviary....once they've munched one we simply put another one in and let the munched one recover and get ready for round 2!!!!!

There are 3 of the Ehrharta (veldt, oats & panic the bestest) family that are excellent for this type of cultivation............seen Guinea grass done the same way on the big-island.

if you're worried about the soil and stuff going in and out then simply put a layer of washed pebbles around the top of the pot plant..........easy to keep clean............

If intending to leave in for an extended period then the wire cage over the top of the grass is a ripper idea too.........

[charlie01]

Yeah it does get cold in uralla 
I'm buying my birds from the orange bird sale in march