What kind of floor is best suited for an outdoor aviary?
April 25, 2010 by
Filed under Concrete Bird Baths
The concrete foundation in our aviaries will seriously injure a baby bird that might fall. Artificial turf is costly, sand/dirt will blow away. The other issues to consider are whether the material we use will house bacteria if it can’t be easily cleaned. Yikes this is hard.
Bamboo is really gaining in popularity.
It is cheaper than pine, it is more environmentally responsible and looks beautiful and is more durable.
If it needs to be weatherproof, you should consider rubber padding or membrane sheets.
As far as bacteria, any flooring material that absorbs water and is a heavy material – or if the material rests ON some permeable foundation, you’ll have to live with mold.
However, If you have an existing concrete foundation, what I would consider would be area coverings, like 1/4″ rubber mats (4×8) is a standard commercial size, and place them throughout the aviary with about a 2″ spacing between them.
Take them out every Spring and clean them and the floor, to minimize mold, as aviaries are notoriously damp. Note that bird-droppings also contribute to bacterial growth AND mold.
The cleaner you are, the happier you’ll be.
Concrete is one of the best foundations you can get as it makes it very hard for rats & other vermin to get in.However to help save your young I suggest you put some plants in pots at various locations in the aviary. Once a chick leaves the nest it will make for the nearest plant for the extra protection it gives.Concrete is also very easy to clean. I reckon a good sweep out of all debris then a good wash down should do the trick. If your aviary is closed off from the Elements try a light spray on your birds. They will appreciate it.
use concrete floors. concrete floors can be hosed down, which makes them easy to clean
For a more natural look, put a layer of sand, gravel or pine shavings over the concrete; then every couple days you scoop out the dirty sand or shavings. You may also want to leave “holes” in the concrete where to plant trees, shrubs or edible, nontoxic foliage for your birds to enjoy.