Facilities and materials

When looking to select your zebra finches, the question of the arrangement of a matured piece becomes inevitable. In this room dedicated to your birds, the breeding battery is practically essential. The breeding battery must combine several functions and be designed so that it facilitates the daily maintenance and care of your winged friends.

I will show you what I use. The advantages and disadvantages, as well as what can still be improved.
I have endeavored to set up practical equipment for cleaning and above all which optimizes my time spent in care, maintenance, cleaning, etc., while maintaining a good environment for all the birds.

The breeding battery or breeding cages
 

I use 2 sets of 8 GEHU brand cages, each have the following dimensions length 50 cm, width 40 cm, height 40 cm.
This breeding battery is made of melamine treated wood against humidity, the advantage is that the whole is completely removable (facilitates any moving of your breeding room). You will find the dealers of this brand in Links.
The cages are separated by removable PVC walls. Once removed, this allows for one meter long flight cages. I have them fitted with a stainless steel bottom grid to avoid contact with the droppings that fall into the bottom of the drawer. I put wood shavings at the bottom of the cages as litter (absorbs moisture from droppings and retains bird dust).
Ultimately, these 16 cages can be used for breeding as well as one meter flight space for weaning, rest period, etc.
 

To take beautiful photos of your zebrafinch, here is a photo box model to make yourself.

1. Materials needed

- White PVC panel, 5 mm thick.
- PVC U-shaped slides.
- PVC angles in L.
- 1 ultra-flat neon with switch.
- Trunnion Ø 10 or 12 grooved.
- Silicone glue.

2. Cutting the PVC panel

- The PVC panel is cut to form a cube with the following dimensions: Length 38 cm, depth 32 cm, height 32 cm.
- On a wall, a hole 6 cm in diameter (to be adjusted according to the lens of your camera) is made at the height of the future perch.
- On another wall, an opening 10 cm wide by 12 high is made for the sliding door which will allow the bird to be introduced into the box.
- Cut 1 door to close the hole which will be used to photograph the bird (example of dimensions for a 6 cm hole: 10 cm x 10 cm).
- Cut 1 door of 12 cm x 14 cm for the opening that will allow the bird to be introduced into the box.
- Cut a 10 cm x 10 cm square that will serve as a base for the perch.



3. Gluing the slides

- Cut and glue 2 guides (U-shaped angles) which allow the door to slide, which can block the Ø 6 cm opening.
- Cut and glue 2 slides (U-shaped angles) which allow the door to slide, which will be able to obstruct the opening 10 cm wide by 12 cm high.