Build it Yourself: Large Bird Cages

Build it Yourself: Large Bird Cages. Large bird cages allow you to keep several birds in a single cage, house big birds, and give your birds room to fly. Although pet and bird stores often sell large cages and aviaries, you can build a large cage yourself. Building the cage will save you money, and allow you to construct it to the exact size that will best benefit your birds while fitting in your home.

Materials

The two main elements of a large bird cage are the frame and the screen. Smaller bird cages can use thin wire metal frames, but to construct a large bird cage use a larger and sturdier material such as wood or PVC. PVC is often easier to work with because connection pieces can be used instead of nailing every joint. The downside to PVC is that the finished cage will not be as aesthetically pleasing. If you care about the appearance of the cage, wood is the best choice. For the screen, you can use either a mesh material or metal fencing with small holes. Make sure that the material you use for the frame is strong enough to prevent the birds from escaping, and that the holes are too small for a bird to fit through. You will also need nails or screws to construct the frame and fasten the screen to the frame, and hinges to create doors to the cage. In addition, you may wish to purchase or find materials to place inside the cage to make the environment more enjoyable to your birds. These materials could include branches and stones.

Construction

Before beginning construction, find an area in your home that would be suitable for the bird cage. Take measurements of the space that you have available so that you will be sure your finished cage will not be too large. The frame of the cage can be constructed in any shape that will be convenient for your space. A simple box will work fine. If you plan to place the cage against a wall, consider attaching the frame to the wall itself. This will decrease the construction time, but will make it impossible to move the cage later. After finishing the frame, use the screen to create the walls of the cage. Make sure to space the nails attaching the screen closely together, so that your birds will not be able to escape through the edges of the screen. You will need to create at least one door for the cage so that you can feed the birds and remove them from the cage. Cut a hole in the screen bordering the frame which is large enough for your bird to move through. Then create a square wooden door frame, and attach the removed portion of screen to the door. Use hinges to attach the door to the frame.

References

• House of Hen
• Winged Wisdom