The temperature is to drop into the “teens” tonight and not go about freezing for several days. This is actually an infrequent even in north Texas. We tend to focus on the heat rather than cold, which is just as deadly to our outside aviary residents.
The temperature is to drop into the “teens” tonight and not go about freezing for several days. This is actually an infrequent even in north Texas. We tend to focus on the heat rather than cold, which is just as deadly to our outside aviary residents.
Our aviary is made of 2 foot high concrete walls with wire to the roof which is a semi opaque Lexan sheathing. One third of the north wall is concrete to the roof to support the water fall. It was designed for long flight and excellent cross ventilation. The floor is dirt and all over WERE green plants for the birds to eat. And they did. That is terrific when the weather is 100 degrees.
But when the weather is 10 degrees the design changes. Heavy clear sheet plastic is wrapped around the entire aviary. Small sections are left uncovered, during the day, on the south side for ventilation and to dry out the interior, where the humidity tends to rise when completely enclosed.
I covered the floor in fresh hay and put hay up in the roosting areas in the rafters. I also give my birds old paperback books to tear up. It keeps them busy and they make warm bedding. I hung a thermometer to track interior temperature. Then we added two oil filled electric radiators. After checking around with other bird people with outside aviaries and they all used the oil filled type units. They put out a lot of heat and has no open flame. So bottom line the aviary is warm, 62 degrees and dry. Even the birds that pluck and now no longer grow feathers in many areas, are doing fine.
Come warmer weather in a month or two, we will open sections of the plastic and the hay will be cleaned out and added to my compost pile.
