9. Birdroom Construction & Design

Birdroom Construction & Design

Designing the space for you birds is important. This is where they are going to live all year round. As much as focusing on their welfare, space and enrichment there are other aspects as well. As a veterinary surgeon being able to spot sick birds and isolate them easily for effective treatment is vital. Cleaning and disinfection of the building and its contents are essential for hygiene. How you design your cages, flights and all other facilities critically impacts on how easy it is to keep clean and disinfect. Air hygiene is important and so is air flow to reduce the problems associated with hyperthermia (in some countries) and but also to remove potential pathogens and dust from the environment both for the birds and your wellbeing. Suitable heating and insulation is needed to avoid hypothermia in other countries, with attention to appropriate heating sources to keep the birds at a thermoneutral level. You then have lighting and daylength and how this impacts on their breeding cycles and vitamin D metabolism. This course covers all these aspects from a veterinary viewpoint helping you to plan and modify your living space for your birds accordingly.