Continued from page 4Managing Your Flock
Ideally, quarantine should be located off your property. Perhaps a friend with no birds of their own would be willing to quarantine and care for new birds in their home for a small fee. For many this is not possible, and selecting a room in a remote corner of your home may be the best you can do. If this is the case, seal off the cold air return and heat register so that sharing of air space is kept at a minimum. Always care for birds in quarantine last, donning a pair of washable shoes just for that area. Afterwards, shower and change before interacting with your other birds. New birds should be quarantined for a minimum of 45-60 days, but these days, with the risk of PDD (proventricular dilation disease) many concerned aviculturists are quarantining new birds for a six month period. For now there are no tests yet available for this disease. I would encourage all buyers to obtain references from the seller's avian veterinarian.
Birds on occasion may become ill or injured and often will require medication. By having an area set aside for recuperating birds, creating havoc in the aviary when attempting to catch a bird for medicating is eliminated. Also, the more peaceful environment of a "sick room" will cause less stress on the injured or ill bird. If the cause of illness is questionable or yet unknown, of course the bird should be treated as any quarantine bird. Do not place new, quarantine birds and sick birds together in the same room.
Neonates in the nursery are more susceptible to illness than healthy, adult birds. Chicks fed from day one are particularly at risk as they have not received the benefit of antibodies being passed from the parent birds. Special attention should be given to cleanliness in the nursery, not only feeding utensils, but brooders, brooder containers, feeding surfaces and countertops. Your avian veterinarian can help you decide which disinfectants are best suited to your needs.
In no circumstances should neonates be exposed to new additions to your home. Purchasing unweaned babies for resale is not a recommended practice. Placing babies in a brooder that are not hatched in your aviary with your own chicks, cannot be condoned. Clutches of babies, even if bred in your own aviary, should reside in separate brooders if your breeding flock has not been long established. After several years of raising birds, with no health problems and medical tests returning negative, then babies from various clutches may share brooders and containers to socialize with babies not of their own kind.
Many do not realize that even an egg can carry disease. If you have a practice of hatching other breeder's eggs I hope that you trust the breeder completely and use a separate incubator in a separate area.
Each area of your management program: aviary, quarantine location, hospital room and nursery, should have a separate pair of shoes specifically to be used in that area. Casual slip-on canvas style shoes are ideal as they can be readily washed and disinfected. Also, it is highly recommended that a foot bath of a bleach/water solution be placed outside the entrance to your home, so that anyone entering can dip the soles of their shoes into the bath for added flock protection.
Ethical Breeding Practices
I do not believe in the practice of placing African Greys in dark, small cages to get them to breed. African Greys bred in warm climate, outdoor flights certainly benefit from the sunlight. What creature doesn't need light for well self-being? There are many factors that can prevent an imported pair of Greys from breeding. If they have never been acclimatized to human beings, then ideally there should be a period of adjustment with no nestbox so that they get used to their keeper. Or, the birds should be placed in a cage large enough to allow them to fly to the perch placed high in the back for added security. Successes in breeding African Greys usually stems from placing the cage in a low traffic area, proper diet, providing chewable materials such as wood, branches, and calcium blocks. Most notable, Greys may not care for loud neighbors, particularly in rather small areas such as basement aviaries. A person interested in breeding parrots may need to make a decision about which species they are most interested in - African Greys, or more raucous parrots such as cockatoos and macaws. At Oakridge Feather Farm we have had success breeding imported Timneh Greys in rather large flights illuminated by full spectrum lighting. The nestbox is located at the back of the flight, high in a corner. The entrance hole does not face towards the lighting. Cage placement and compatible neighbors are a key factor in our success. This is just an example of one type of parrot often condemned to dark corners for breeding, other parrots also fall victim to this "old school" form of thinking.
I feel that birds living in crammed, unclean, and non-stimulating quarters is more commonplace than we would like to believe. Unknowingly, I have entered places where almost dry water dishes were filled with days of excrement and food waste, seed hulls piled high on the bottom of the cage and surrounding floor, and stench so bad that I wanted to run outside for a breath of fresh air. When I see these birds they do not give me a sense of happiness, but only that of creatures with strong survival instincts and expressions of hopelessness.
I attended an avian conference and heard an interesting conversation regarding the success of breeders. Aviculturists who have well lit, large cages for their birds with plenty of stimulating accessories for their pairs often will enjoy breeding success. However, breeders that place their birds in dark, small cages with a seed cup, water and a perch may produce a greater amount of babies. Why is this? Survival instincts - birds kept in poor conditions have an instinctual need to propagate the species, so their offspring can take their place when they are gone. Active, contented birds do not feel any impending threat or doom, and will produce when the mood or sexual interest urges them to do so. Breeders who raise birds out of love, will offer a stimulating environment and accept less payback.
Long Term Success
Birds sentenced to less than ideal living conditions may appear healthy outwardly, but in the long run the chances of these birds harboring or contracting disease is a strong possibility. People who manage their aviaries well may one day find themselves the victim of an unethical bird seller. Polyoma may enter their nursery, or an adult bird in the aviary may succumb to a viral disease after being introduced to a fully tested, quarantined mate. If a regular routine of cleaning and disinfecting has been enforced and good air flow insured, the chances of a tragic outbreak can be minimized. Birds who enjoy their lives have little stress and have strong immune systems intact.
When seeking to purchase a bird, whom would you rather buy from - a breeder who keeps their birds in small unkept spaces - or from an aviary where the birds seem genuinely happy with ample, clean surroundings? When you look at your aviary or bird room observe it as a stranger or prospective buyer would. If you note that improvements can be made, hold off buying more birds until the changes you would like to see are incorporated. Determine your long range goals in your bird keeping endeavor - are your actions working towards those goals? If the birds you keep appear genuinely happy with their set ups, not merely existing, then you can enjoy the pleasure of feathered companionship for years. If provided a nest box, you may even enjoy raising content, healthy babies. You will feel peace of mind in your avian world, knowing you are providing the best care possible for your birds. As a breeder your reputation will be favorable. Customers will enjoy delightful avian companions, and your avicultural venture will be rewarded with long term success.
| Rita Shimniok | About Rita Shimniok |
| Top | Back |
 NetPets® Main Page |  The Bird Center |