Aussie Finch Forum

Recently obtained a new (and much better than the current) nesting log for my MM's, but it's just the log, no top or bottom on it. I know a few on here are breeders of the dark side, so I bow my head and ask your advice

What should I use to put on the top and bottom of the log? I have some eucalypt logs around the place that would be large enough to cover it, though I'm not sure if they would split as they dry/age. My other thought would have been tin, but I'm unsure if this would create and environment too cold for any possible eggs/young.

Any input appreciated!!
Cheers
Spanna

Ive seen them patched with ply wood and some sort of cement or putty .
For a natural look bark over the ply would be OK but I dont think the MMs are going to care .

Just use a flat bit of board, not tin. Any board 20mm+ will do as it's unlikely they will even try to chew through the bottom. Screw it on then use a jig saw (or router if you are skilled with one) to trim off the excess.

When my Father was alive and keeping Parrots and such he used logs with tin lids with hinge system...and on the bottom he used Cork Tiles cut to fit the base then he would put tin over that....

Vertical or sloped? Do they dig the medium out?

If it is vertical, tin is fine. If it is sloped & they don't dig all of the medium out, you can still use tin. The other option is to use timber, as thick as possible tree slabs are perfect, attatch these to the log, then cover it with tin to prevent chewing.

Thanks all. I was thinking I would place it vertically, as the hen was born in a vertical log, and they are showing interest in the small vertical log currently in there (though they haven't seen a sloped one to be honest). I like the idea of the wooden slab over the bottom with tin surrounding it, and probably the same for the top, though I would leave the top only lightly fixed so I can remove it for cleaning easily enough. Is putting a wire ladder in for them essential? Easy enough for me to do (plenty of spare left after the aviary was finished), just wondered what others have done. It is quite a deep log, being probably a bit under a metre... Perfect natural entrance though!

I'd be reluctant on the wire mesh ladder

Majors can be destructive to even reasonably heavy mesh, and bits and pieces of mesh amongst nest base would not be good for eggs

Have you thought of blocking top and bottom with mesh and mixing some concrete to cover mesh . . a bit heavy but then a metre long log is not light

If a log is really heavy you can use a pulley to lift it and then fix it into position

But for many reasons 'Boxes are Better'

That's a good point about the wire ladder. I have a pair of green cheeks for which I made an octaganal box from hardwood palings. I fixed a 12mm thick gauge wire ladder in there. While incubating the birds toring to shreds and I had bits of wire sticking out everywhere. I can only imagine what a cocky would do given they spend more time in the nest and have much bigger beaks.

The wire ladder will/would be of the same stuff the aviary is built of, no way in hell they can even dent it! Can't remember exactly how thick it is but a guess would be 6mm thick, in 25x50mm squares. Will sand down all the cuts as well to prevent injury.

Wouldn't worry about the ladder they will "make" their own, & even if the wire is of heavy enough guage, they will pull out nail, staples ect, or chew the timber around screw ect & will eventuallu pull it off. I had a chian around a log haning from the roof screwed into the log, they eventually chewed round them all. I left a clutch of young with them as I didn't have enough time to raise them, came home from work, found one young on the seed dish, the log on the ground, & the other young hanging against the roof. As the young were coming out the chain came loose, caught one of the young around the neck. Chain is now through a hole drilled in the log, & bolted to itself with a lock nut.