Outdoor Vs Indoor Aviaries

From my avairy ideas Pinterest list – click for more info and credit.

Out or in? Large or small? Bought or made? My head has been spinning since researching aviary options for my birds.

So while combing through the pages of The Lady Gouldian Finch while showing the site to a friend, I happened upon their aviary of the month.

I’ve seen it a few times now, and can’t get the idea out of my head: that an outdoor aviary is very popular for breeders, so maybe that means its the best kind of aviary?

What I’ve found is that certainly is a popular option. Why? Because most bird hobbyists don’t just ever own one or two birds – they own a large number of pairs for both enjoyment as pets and for breeding purposes.

From LGF – click for more info and credit.

Outdoor Aviaries
Outdoor aviaries are more feasible for warmer climates, but all birds enjoy being able to be closer to nature. In colder climates, aviary owners can enable their birds to enjoy the outdoor experience by either housing them on a warm sun porch or building an additional outside attachment to their indoor aviaries.

Outdoor aviaries also present new risks for your birds when you house them outside – pests, disease and predators (including feral or neighborhood cats, foxes, snakes, birds of prey, etc.) are a few.

To ensure that your birds are not infected from the various diseases they may encounter in an outdoor aviary, it is important to vaccinate or medicate your flock for anything they may come into contact with. This can include diseases passed via insects or other pests. It only takes one bird coming into contact with a contagious disease for an entire flock to be infected. This not only affects your flock but also anyone you have given or sold birds to. Symptoms may take generations or months to materialize and are especially hard to notice in a large flock in an outdoor aviary.

You can help secure the health of your birds by treating them yearly with over-the-counter medications and seeking vaccinations from your veterinarian as needed. For a list of treatable diseases with medicines found at LG, click here. For a list of possible diseases that Finches can encounter, click here and scroll down to the “Bacterial, Protozoa, Fungal & Virus” section. For a list of symptoms and disease recognition, click here. 

Finches need warm places to live since their natural climate is hot and arid. If you do choose an entirely outdoor aviary in a colder climate, you will need to ensure that their enclosure or building stays consistently warm. Outdoor aviaries need to be designed to provide a safe environment for birds from any and all outside factors including weather and direct sunlight.

From my avairy ideas Pinterest list – click for more info and credit.

Species Compatibility
A common mistake when you’re housing multiple species of small birds together is combining hookbills with softbills – Budgies/etc. with Finches. I hear stories of it all of the time – they may look like they are playing at first, but then it takes a deadly turn in an instant. Another multi-species mistake is housing aggressive Finches together or other species that are not compatible. Here is an incredible compatibility chart from Finche Niche for more information about housing breeds together.

There are many Finch species that are compatible enough to live together in a large aviary. The hardiest ones that I feel are the easiest to introduce to each other and also work well together are: Zebra & Society Finches. Society Finches also make excellent surrogate parents. Be careful when adding to your flock, though. The more birds you take on, the more time and money that you will need to go into their care.

From my avairy ideas Pinterest list – click for more info and credit.

My Choice
In the end, I’ve decided that indoor individual flight cages paired with indoor aviaries and a large walk-in aviary inside of a bird room is what I prefer. It provides the protection from all of the outdoor elements that I don’t want to expose my birds to, while still providing my birds with plenty of living and flying space.

For more aviary photos – click the picture to visit LGF. You can see more pictures of my personal favorite outdoor and indoor aviary ideas on my Aviary Pinterest list.