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How to Build Your Own Aviary, Cages, Nestboxes, Etc. and $ave a Bundle: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide
 
 
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How to Build Your Own Aviary, Cages, Nestboxes, Etc. and $ave a Bundle: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide [Paperback]

James McDonald (Author)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)


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Book Description

September 2004
During the past 29 years, author James McDonald has had the opportunity to visit some of the most successful bird farms from Florida to California and exchange ideas. As a bird wholesaler and owner of one of the largest bird breeding farms in the state of Texas, he had many opportunities to learn from other peoples’ mistakes as well as his own, and the designs included in How to Build Your Own Aviary, Cages, Nestboxes, Etc. and $ave A Bundle have proven track records. While the hobbyist raising a few birds may get by with doing things exactly like it was done 50 years ago, the bird breeders who wish to derive a profit from their bird breeding operations need the most up to date information that is available. Cage breeding has replaced colony breeding for many types of exotic birds. Bird watering equipment has dramatically improved. Convenience as well as the comfort of both the birds and yourself should be a factor in designing and equipping both commercial and hobbyist aviaries. By building your aviary correctly the first time, you will not only save money, but time as well.

This book was written as a practical guide for both the hobbyist and commercial breeders who want to save startup cost by building their own aviary and equipment. A great deal of money can be saved by doing it yourself. For example, the parakeet breeding cage described later in this book that holds two breeding pairs of birds, complete with tray, cost $10.20 to build. Manufactured cages of similar size and quality run from $50 to $70 each, plus freight. It doesn't take a mathematician to figure out that you can build 5 to 7 cages for the same price that you would pay for a single store bought cage. A little more math will reveal that if you build your own cages, you can probably save enough money to purchase top of the line breed stock to put in those cages and still have money left over, resulting in what would seem like getting your birds for free.

While there are some skills needed to build practically anything, you certainly don't need to be a construction engineer in order to build the things included in this book. Almost anyone with basic carpentry skills can build a suitable building that can be used for an aviary, and practically everyone can build the cages, nest boxes, etc. that are covered in this book. It's not even necessary to have a well-equipped home workshop. The things included in this book were built with hand tools and simple power tools such as a power saw, jigsaw, and drill.

The book is written in an easy to understand, reader-friendly style and includes over 200 step-by-step actual photos, 3-D drawings and illustrations that will guide you through every step of the process. The large 8 1/2" x 11" sized format makes reading and following instructions easy on the readers eyes.



Editorial Reviews

Review

An exceptionally well-planned and easy to follow book for anyone in aviculture. -- Joel and Laurie Benson, Benson Bird Farm

About the Author

James McDonald is a recognized authority with over 29 years of experience in the field of exotic birds and animals. Not only has he been successful in breeding many different types of exotic birds and animals, he also built a very profitable nationwide wholesale distributorship of exotic birds, having sold approximately one million birds before retirement from the business in 2000. He has given lectures on breeding and raising exotic birds to veterinary classes at Texas A&M University and has spoken at numerous seminars and events throughout the country, including symposiums at such places as Purdue University. In addition to the many articles that James has authored on exotic birds, he has also been featured in newspaper articles, magazines, television programs, and news programs featuring the exotic bird business.

Through the years he has helped many people in his local area start their own successful backyard business breeding small pet birds, both as hobbyist as well as on a commercial scale. Recognizing that others throughout the country would enjoy breeding these fascinating birds, James wrote The Complete Guide To Raising Pet Birds For Profit-The Greatest Backyard Business Ever (2003). Realizing how much he enjoyed the business, James has gotten back into the bird business, concentrating on helping others to acquire the finest in breeder-quality birds.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 128 pages
  • Publisher: Brentwood House Publishing (September 2004)
  • ISBN-10: 0974390410
  • ISBN-13: 978-0974390413
  • Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #866,913 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

Customer Reviews

12 Reviews
5 star:
 (6)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:
 (3)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars Not a word about outdoor aviaries in this book!, September 13, 2007
This review is from: How to Build Your Own Aviary, Cages, Nestboxes, Etc. and $ave a Bundle: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide (Paperback)
An aviary is more than a cage. I found this book very expensive for chapters that basically repeated the same info, with just a change of bird name etc. I was hoping for some plans to build an outdoor aviary, but this book is about mass producing cages of lower quality to house
hundreds of birds for breeding and profit.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great guide for the do-it-yourselfers, February 25, 2005
This review is from: How to Build Your Own Aviary, Cages, Nestboxes, Etc. and $ave a Bundle: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide (Paperback)
The entire book is clear, concise and very informative. It is BY FAR the best book that I've found on building an aviary and it's sooo easy to follow. The pictures and illustrations are top notch.
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14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars FIVE STAR RATING, November 23, 2004
This review is from: How to Build Your Own Aviary, Cages, Nestboxes, Etc. and $ave a Bundle: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide (Paperback)
This is an exceptionally well put together book. Step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow with hundreds of photographs makes this book a recipe for success for the do it yourself person.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
This book would be as thick as the Dallas phone directory if I were to attempt to include detailed building designs or plans for each and every part of the country. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
similar size birds, lovebird nest boxes, parakeet nest boxes, cockatiel nest boxes, finch nest boxes, building nest boxes, own aviary, backyard business, wire bender, perch size, breeding cages, cage unit, hospital cage, flight pen, cage breeding, bird business, wire partitions, colony breeding, catch tray, hospital box, welded wire, interior grade, carrying cage, holding cages, parakeet cages
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
The Ultimate Step-By-Step Guide, Quaker Parakeets, Recommended Dimensions
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