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Post by FFG on Sept 26, 2015 17:45:54 GMT
As the weather is starting to change and the good old English summer is slipping away I am thinking of getting some heating in place ready for the chilly evenings.
I have power in my aviary and am thinking of buying a tube heater.
Just wondered what other people have or am open to any advice please.
Thanks
( I have an inside flight with a small hatch leading to an outside flight )
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Post by Hezz on Sept 27, 2015 0:22:46 GMT
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Post by FFG on Sept 27, 2015 1:23:46 GMT
Thanks Hezz  Just ordered a tube heater and a couple of thermometers |
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Post by steve05412 on Sept 27, 2015 2:47:57 GMT
I have a fan heater with a built in thermo on it...hth
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Post by FFG on Sept 27, 2015 3:52:17 GMT
Thanks Steve. I'm on night shift and instead of waiting for advice my impatient fingers ordered a tube heater already!
I'm thinking of making a mesh cover for it and having it in the indoor flight. Somebody suggested having it higher up but my thinking is that it needs to be lower so the heat rises and circulates?
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Post by Hezz on Sept 27, 2015 7:39:28 GMT
I would have thought so, as well. |
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Post by Learner on Oct 28, 2015 2:08:12 GMT
Hi I haven't had any heating on since last winter as my aviary has kept pretty warm so far but I wondered how you were getting on with the aviary heating.
Have you found the tubular heater has enough punch to lift the overall Bird-room temperature successfully?
Last year I began to doubt that the tubular heater that I had in place simply was giving the results I wanted. I bought it hoping it would be a cost effective means of keeping off the chill but I wasn't convinced.
The tubular heater seemed to be always on during the coldest times. If I placed my hand above the heater I could feel the warmth yet the aviary still felt flipping cold when there was no sun to boost the temperature.
So next I tried an electric greenhouse fan heater. It had been my dad's so there was no new outlay.
The little fan heater was brilliant.
I bought:
a plug in monitor to measure how much it cost to run the heater,
a plug in thermostat to make sure the heater was only on when the temperature dipped below 7oC. Although the heater has its own built in thermostat it was only marked high/low and a few notches in between. The separate thermostat that I bought is digital and far more precise.
Success!
The fan heater was/is really quick to lift the bird-room temperature so it runs for a relatively short time before turning off.
I will keep the tubular heater for a bit of background heat in early autumn and late spring but if you need something more powerful I'd recommend an electric fan heater mounted on the floor not directly facing cages or flights. In this way the space is heated without creating a blast of hot air on the birds.
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Post by steve05412 on Oct 29, 2015 6:55:44 GMT
You could try putting a greenhouse thermometer in the bird house. They have a min and max temp gauge. .. hth
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Post by skysmum on Oct 29, 2015 10:05:53 GMT
I had a tiny oil filled radiator in mine with a thermostat keeping it ticking over at between 8-10 degrees. Mine are all in the conservatory now though which i keep ticking over at around the same at night |
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Post by Learner on Oct 29, 2015 14:19:22 GMT
You could try putting a greenhouse thermometer in the bird house. They have a min and max temp gauge. .. hth I have one (Christmas present). I paid £7 or £8 for a "weather station". It has a wireless temperature sensor so I can keep an eye on the aviary temperature without going out to the aviary. Really useful. |
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Post by steve05412 on Oct 30, 2015 6:22:02 GMT
Sounds good. Will look into that.
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Post by FFG on Oct 30, 2015 23:21:13 GMT
Hi I haven't had any heating on since last winter as my aviary has kept pretty warm so far but I wondered how you were getting on with the aviary heating.
Have you found the tubular heater has enough punch to lift the overall Bird-room temperature successfully?
Last year I began to doubt that the tubular heater that I had in place simply was giving the results I wanted. I bought it hoping it would be a cost effective means of keeping off the chill but I wasn't convinced.
The tubular heater seemed to be always on during the coldest times. If I placed my hand above the heater I could feel the warmth yet the aviary still felt flipping cold when there was no sun to boost the temperature.
So next I tried an electric greenhouse fan heater. It had been my dad's so there was no new outlay.
The little fan heater was brilliant.
I bought:
a plug in monitor to measure how much it cost to run the heater,
a plug in thermostat to make sure the heater was only on when the temperature dipped below 7oC. Although the heater has its own built in thermostat it was only marked high/low and a few notches in between. The separate thermostat that I bought is digital and far more precise.
Success!
The fan heater was/is really quick to lift the bird-room temperature so it runs for a relatively short time before turning off.
I will keep the tubular heater for a bit of background heat in early autumn and late spring but if you need something more powerful I'd recommend an electric fan heater mounted on the floor not directly facing cages or flights. In this way the space is heated without creating a blast of hot air on the birds.
Hi Learner . Thanks for this post. Some great info that could come in very handy.
At the moment the tube heater is doing the job but I'm not 100% because it's not really got cold enough yet to be sure. I bought a couple of temperature gauges exactly the same and have them in both the outside and inside flight. So far when the temp has dropped a bit, the inside has been between 2 and 4'c warmer. Not that I want it to but I am waiting for it to get colder before knowing if what I've got is good enough.
So far the buds have been pretty good at going in before dark and when they sleep / roost during the day they seem to prefer going inside. I havent been shutting their hatch at night but I guess that would help to keep the heat in (as I work shifts I'm not always there to do this).
This is my first winter with my aviary and the buds too so I want to get it right and make their life as comfortable as poss out there. May ask your advice if my heater isn't good enough when it gets colder!
Thanks G |
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Post by Learner on Nov 1, 2015 18:26:27 GMT
It does take a while to get to know how a new aviary will perform. Both lighting and heating may need tweaking and adjusting during the colder months. Fortunately budgies are pretty tough and hardy creatures providing they have somewhere dry and free from cold drafts and are acclimatised to a particular environment.
I have a friend who keeps hers outside all year with just an outside / box shelter... no heating and no lights. Hers seem healthy and well while I fuss to provide heat and light in colder months.
My heating is still not on although the light comes on to extend the day and feeding time. If I close up early enough the "bird room" stays pretty warm at this time of year.
(PS I had written "draughts" but the spell checker decided it didn't like it. Pretty sure I was right??)
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Post by OP on Nov 1, 2015 19:00:52 GMT
 Your spelling was correct Learner, it's the spell checker that got it wrong. It must be American...
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Post by Learner on Nov 4, 2015 1:44:48 GMT
Your spelling was correct Learner, it's the spell checker that got it wrong. It must be American... That's a relief. Once you start doubting your spelling ability it gets worse!  By the way: Today I saw a small / compact 2000w electric fan heater advertised for sale in something that came through the letter-box. The heater has two setting as well as an adjustable thermostat. Anyone interested have a look in B&Q. I thought it seemed good value at £12. |
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Just ordered a tube heater and a couple of thermometers 
