Cage Design: My Main Conclusions So Far

After many years of keeping birds, Yorkshire canary champion BRIAN KEENAN has deeply pondered the pros and cons of wood, plastic and wire as materials, and the best ways to arrange the components of the cage. Here is his summary.

- Brian Keenan

CANARIES

EVERY now and then, fanciers refresh their bird rooms and invest in new cages with new layouts. Over the years I have looked into several cage designs, which have included both manufactured and self-build cages. There is a wide range of ready-made units but you have to accept someone else’s design ideas. These can be purchased as self-assembly cages or as pre-built units, and are available in wood, plastic or as all-wire formats.

I have investigated wire cages several times, but whenever I find people using them I generally find they have added wooden side panels or trays over the all-wire floor grids to make the cages more acceptable to their birds. Choosing to adapt these cages hardly seems appropriate, given the high price we pay for such cages in the UK. The very same cages are often available overseas at greatly reduced rates for those who take the trouble to find them. Many wire cages are now collapsible, so buying in bulk is feasible and keeps transport costs to a minimum.

Wire cages tend to follow the continental practice of placing seed and water receptacles at a higher level, rather than on the bottom rail, as we tend to prefer in the UK. Hygienically, the higher position may be best, but it does tend to obscure your view of your birds when they are in their stock cages. To me, it’s another downside.

A further issue with wire cages is moisture. How many wire cage fronts rust after only a year or so, given their direct exposure to water from drinkers or baths, or from spillage from both? I changed to plastic cage fronts many years ago because of this problem and have never regretted my decision.