mr Frost, is knocking at the door

[Waxbillman]

hello all

its the time of years where non-hardy birds should be shut in thier winter quarters, it won't be long before the first proper frosts, and those freezing winds, which up 'ere last about we always get.

over the last few days we've had a real change in the weather most notabley the temperature.
fine fore hard birds but for tender birds and their chicks its bad new.

tomorrow i am shutting all my birds in the indoor aviaries, i am reluctant to do it as theres young fledgelings still been fed, but i found a fledgling dead today, so obviously it didn't make it back to the nest in time, or could have got a shock, so i'm taking no chances. i'll be very pushed for space until i sell some but thats just something i will have to deal with.

matthew

[laurab]

Hi Matthew

I spent nearly all day last Sunday moving my birds from one place to another ;-)

All my waxbills are in the new cage that Roger built, the rest of the birds that were left in the aviary are now in my indoor flight. They are hardy birds, but they needed to be moved out as Roger is extending the aviary.

All the birds in my other aviary, although they are hardy, are being covered over every night with polythene panels. :razz:

A great reminder to everyone....thanks Matthew:-)

[Waxbillman]

thanks Laura

what size will the aviary extension be then?

matthew

[laurab]

Um, not sure, that is Rogers department. He is at work at the moment so I will have to get back to you on that one.

Unless Paul is looking in, he may know as he saw it yesterday.

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Matthew and Laura,

Rogers new aviary is 7ft long X 7ft wide X 7ft high in total and looking good!!:grin:

Paul.:wink:

[laurab]

Thanks Paul;-)

[Gary]

iam glad i dont live up your way matt, still fine down here and the birds will have access to the outside all winter, i do shut them in the inside flight every night though

[Waxbillman]

hello Gary

luckily its mild today, but it will soon change, we have problems with wind here

especially with me living in a castle.

matthew

[laurab]

We keep having heavy showers of hail, it's just like October out there!


I hope next week is better as I have a couple of days off, hoping to go to Stourhead on one of them.

[PAUL HEARN]

Hello all,

The weather is so mild at the moment and my main aviary is so well protected from the elements that I have White Headed Nun chicks due to leave the nest in a few days, I have Black Headed Nuns, Madagascar Mannikins and Strawberry Finches incubating eggs and after removing many part built and one complete Jacarini Finch nest, I even considered placing the complete nest back where it was built due to the fact she just will not give up, but I didn't have to do this because the Jacarini hen completed another new nest in under 24 hours of me removing the base of a nest she had started the day before.:roll:
I know I'm taking a huge risk with hatching chicks in the cold weather yet to come, but because I have so much going on in the main aviary at the moment I daren't catch up Birds yet fearing I may risk losing chicks that are still in the nest etc.

Paul.

[Waxbillman]

hello Paul

i know the feeling, i have decided theres a cut-off point. where you are should be ok for a while yet, like you say the aviary is well sheltered.

matthew