Happy Birds

A brief guide to keeping happy birds

My aviary is a large outdoor flight providing a clean environment, daily cleaning is essential. The aviary provides multiple perches of differing shapes and sizes and different heights. Feeding stations are numerous and positioned in a variety of positions, several deliberately challenging to access. Fresh drinking water is available at different locations, with added bathing points and a sand pit for dust bathing.

There is a multitude of night roosting stations of differing shapes and sizes, with nesting boxes suitable for the different breeds requirements. Nesting materials of straw, shredded treated paper, coconut fibre, pine cuttings, Jute fibres and small sticks are available all around the aviary.

Live bird safe shrubs and a small apple tree are in the aviary, together with soft sterile earth pots to dig and forage in.

The aviary has an enclosed area and a meshed area, the meshed area is protected from bad weather by heavy-duty clear PVC curtains, and the aviary is kept warm in winter by specialist electric heaters controlled by a timed electronic thermostat.

Variation for the birds, things to peck at and play with, together with a varied diet is key. My birds have a daily choice of Finch Seed, Parakeet Seed Mix, Nyjer Seed, Millet Sprays, Mealworm, and mashed boiled egg shell and all. 

Seed Eating Birds

Even for seed-eating birds, seeds alone are not a proper diet. There are several reasons for this:

The seeds we offer our companion birds are not the same seeds they would find in their native habitats. We tend to offer seeds that are lower in protein and other nutrients, such as vitamins.

The amount of energy used by wild birds in foraging for food is far greater than that used by our companion birds. Since our pet birds use less energy, they need to eat fewer calories or they will become overweight. Eating less, however, could result in vitamin, mineral, and other nutrient deficiencies.

When offered seeds, our companion birds tend to pick out their favorites, and leave the rest. Limiting the diet to only several types of seeds can lead to certain nutrient deficiencies.

Even when multiple types of seed are offered, the seed-only diet will not supply the necessary array of vitamins and minerals that is needed for optimal health. Birds love seeds, like children (and adults) love candy. They will eat a favorite seed over what is healthy for them. The best diet for most seed-eating birds consists of formulated diets (such as pelleted foods), vegetables, small amounts of fruit, and an occasional treat.

Vegetables and fruits

Vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates, and should comprise 15-30% of the diet. Fruits, which are higher in sugar and moisture, should comprise about 5%. It is best to provide a variety of vegetables and fruit. The following lists good choices of vegetables and fruits.

Vegetables 

Radishes, Turnips, Carrots (root and tops),Cooked sweet potatoes, Mustard & dandelion greens, Swiss Chard, Kale, Parsley, Cooked red potatoes, Green beans, Sweet red & green, and other types of peppers, Cauliflower, Broccoli (head and leaves), Sugar snap or snow peas, Romaine or green/red leaf lettuce, Collard greens, Corn, Cucumber.

Fruit 

Apples, Berries, Kiwi, Mango, Cantaloupe & Honeydew Melon, Pineapple, Cherries, Cranberries, Banana, Pears, Peaches, Oranges, Pomegranate, Grapefruit, Plums, Grapes.

Wash all vegetables and fruits thoroughly before feeding. Remove the pits and apple seeds from the fruit. Any vegetables and fruits left uneaten should be discarded daily so spoiling is not a problem. Because vegetables and fruits are high in water content, the urine portion of the droppings will increase.

Adding variety and appeal: 

Birds decide what to eat by sight, texture, and taste. Offer a wide variety of vegetables and fruit to provide a balanced diet. Keep them in as natural a state as possible and be creative when preparing meals. Hang food from the cage top or sides, weave food into the bars of the cage, or stuff food in the spaces of toys. As an example, for larger birds, feed corn on the cob rather than feeding kernels of corn in a dish. This will help entertain the bird as well as provide physical and mental stimulation.

TOXIC FOODS TO AVOID

Some foods are on the do-not-feed list. These include:

High-fat junk food (potato chips, doughnuts, etc.)

Avocado (guacamole)

Chocolate

Alcohol or caffeine

Fruit pits

Persimmons

Table salt

Onions & Garlic

Apple seeds

Mushrooms

Salt

Coffee and all Chocolate

Things to Avoid

There are some things to avoid at all costs. do not use aerosols in the aviary, do not smoke in the aviary, tobacco smoke contains nicotine, poisonous to birds. Do not use any items containing copper, lead or zinc. Do not barbeque near the aviary, Teflon cooking implements emit microscopic vapours that can cause instant death in birds. Do not use scented candles, Incense or air fresheners in an aviary, all are toxic to birds. Insecticides not intended for birds, petroleum products, polish, permanent marker pens, acids and alcohol. also avoid Gas heating, direct sunlight without shaded areas, Intense cold, high winds, constant wet floor,

Feeding Methods

Birds in the wild spend at least 1/3 of their day foraging for food. Simply putting food in a dish deprives them of that physical and mental stimulation. Try using foraging toys and other methods to enliven your bird's eating times.

In summery, keep your birds warm, safe, feed correctly, clean regularly, and provide as near natural environment as is physically possible. The rewards are endless.

Incubating and Rearing Quail 

1. Rest before incubation 

As exciting as hatching is, there is no rush. Once you receive your eggs, you should open the package with extreme care, make sure there is no damage to the shells. Place the eggs sitting point down  a cool dark place, around 10-degrees C, and leave them to rest for 24-hours. Start up the incubator and set the temperature and humidity.

2. Incubation

The incubator should be at a temperature of 37.5°C (99.5°F) with a humidity of 30-40%. I use a fan assisted automatic turner which rotates the eggs every 4-hours. If your incubator does not offer a humidity reading, use a stand-alone unit with a probe. If the humidity is low, try soaking a cloth with warm water and placing it inside the incubator.

The temperature and humidity should be maintained for the first 14 days.

3.Lockdown 

On day 15, it is time to lockdown your eggs. At this point all turning of eggs must stop and the egg allowed to rest on their sides which will help the chicks hatch more easily. It is very important to raise the humidity to 55% or higher. If optimal humidity isn't reached, chicks will not be able to hatch and will die in the shell.

4. Hatching

 The hatch will begin on the 18th day. Be patient. Some times it can take a little longer for some hatches. You'll find that the majority will hatch within a few hours of each other. There may be a delay of a few DAYS until the rest hatch. Leave your hatcher/incubator running until day 24 just in case there are a few late arrivals.