My neighbor had an old feed bin that he wanted to get rid of, so we decided to convert it into an aviary for our cockatiels. The bin originally stood on four legs and was about 16 feet tall. I cut off the legs and then cut off what used to be the top of the bin.
My next step was to invert the bin so that the cut-out top was now the ground end, and the pointed end became the roof. Next, I made a cardboard pattern for the windows. I drew the window pattern on the sides of the bin, then cut it out to leave what looks like window panes. I then covered the cut-out sides with aviary wire.
I covered the roof with old corrugated sheet metal. First I flattened it by repeatedly running over it with my truck on the driveway. Then I cut the sheet metal and bent it to create a standing seam roof.
To keep the birds from escaping, I added a short entryway so there would be two doors. So far we have had no escapes and the birds are healthy and doing well in their unique aviary.
Ronald Ziegler
Los Alamos, California
