Atrium - aviary or bird social?

[Blooice2013]

First let me explain what the atrium is.. the best way to explain it is a roofless closet in the middle of the house. This particular one is 6ft long by 4ft wide. Stucco walls for first 8 ft high then wood matching the outside of the house cement floor with drain electric outlet and working water spiket. one wall has a window to my room, the wall opposite the window used to have windows that let light in to the entry hall on the other side but they were taken out years ago and is now just solid wall the back wall of the artium is now a solid wall which is the oppostie side of the back wall to my walk in closet thats SO big I use as an office. Opposite the back wall is a sliding glass door that opens to the living room and has big ole thick curtains because its stupidly placed right near the thermostat so without the curtains our electric bill would be ginormaous with constant AC running and the bedrooms frosty cold.

We have enclosed the top before with framing and thick plastic sheeting and had xmas trees in there, opened it back up put sod down potted trees and hangin plants... right now its empty except for a hose.

I plan on getting a bird within the next couple months or so.. either a GCC or a cockatiel. the cage will go in front of the window to the artrium. Since theres no draft coming from the window (smoke test) and it gets partial sun for a few hours a day. Also I live with my father and the only stipulations to getting a bird i take care of everything it stays in my room unless i am home because he doesnt know nor care to learn about bird care.

choices for the atrium:
*I can simply leave it alone the occasional wild bird drops in just to check it out.
* I can put bird bath thats outside in the front yard into the atrium and left over food to attract wild birds for my bird to converse with thru the window
*I can get the supplies and tell him how I want it done and He with the help of his freind will enclose the top with wire/screen as a protected outdoor aviary
* If i get thick plastic to cover the top AND wire for a sub-ceiling where the stucco ends (dont know if im explaining that right) on most days -except for a couple really cold days in winter here in NE florida- I can open the window to my room and let the bird coming in and out.
*I can get or build a bigger flight cage for inside the atrium
* or just put the bird cage out there when i choose to, which he is fine with taking the cage (not handling the bird itself) in and out for me should it rain or what have you so the bird can get fresh air even when Im at work.

Now i clip my birds.. did with the tiels i had before plan and to again but I def want the top covered if im ever gonna bring the bird in there.

Sooo... with all these possibilities what should I do?

 

[sodakat]

I choose this one:

*I can get the supplies and tell him how I want it done and He with the help of his freind will enclose the top with wire/screen as a protected outdoor aviary

 

[JerseyWendy]

I second Kathy's response.

 

[aliray]

Me three. That would be a really great option

 

[weco]

I'm getting a little old & not understanding your atrium exactly.....this is a 3 sided opening (alcove) that was designed as an entryway...or is it a 4 sided true atrium? Does this area get any sun during the day...how many hours and does the sun shine directly on all walls, from top to bottom? What direction does this opening/atrium face?

I've a couple of reasons for asking the questions...one is that setting a cage in a 4'x6' stuccoed opening, that faces the sun, will cause the ambient temperature inside the cage to be 10-30 degrees hotter than the temperature 10 to 20 feet away, out in the open air.....

If you have a true atrium, four walls & open at the top, what prevents mold growth on those walls?

You really don't want wild birds having access to any companion bird(s) because of the possibility of disease/parasites being transferred to your bird(s).....

 

[sodakat]

There was a large atrium at a funky restaurant on a lake near us that had doves and cockatiels living in it during warm weather. The interesting thing about this atrium was the building was 2-story so if you were eating on the lower level you saw the doves fooling around on the ground mostly and if you were eating upstairs you saw the cockatiels in the branches and nest boxes. I think there was another species also but it's been a while since the place was open so I can't really remember.

The atrium got sun when the sun was overhead but it was shady the rest of the day. It was pretty neat. It was not damp, but maybe that was because the bottom was dirt covered by pea-gravel, instead of cement.

I don't think you would need to put a cage in a 4x6 atrium. Branches etc would be fine.

 

[Blooice2013]

Thanks for all the replies I think I am going to enclose the top with a good wire mesh so air can get in and the bird can be safe from other birds. this way I can make a play stand and even put the bird bath in there for the bird and it can get some fresh air and sun on nice days.
to answer some questions/concerns
I dont know how many hours it gets sun or the direction it faces but most of the day it is partially sunny with partial shade.
I realize it gets hot in there and wouldnt leave the bird all day or all the time i was just thinking a couple hours here and there on nice days when we arent running A/C.
this is why I went with encloseing the top with thereby not letting any other birds in nor him out I can leave my window to the atrium open and let him (i think) come in and out as he pleases for fresh air and sun
it is a true atrium and I honestly dont know what stops the mold from growing on the walls... I know we do sweep the cement floor and keep the drain clear mold has just never been a issue. the walls are white so it would be really noticable.

 

[MonicaMc]

If moister isn't an issue, you can always look into adding a sprinkler system? I have heard that there are some that are set to come on at a specific temperature and turns off again once it cools down.

 

[inge]

This is an old thread, but I am looking at the same idea.
I have an atrium in the middle of my house, the back is siding wall and the other 3 sides are the windows and the sliding glass door. Ours is currently open to the sky because we removed the screen when we remodeled the atrium with new siding and new floor (cement board decking material). It gets quite humid in the summer so I have orchids and other tropicals growing in there from time to time (in containers). At the moment it is empty. Like the OP, mine has an outlet, light, ceiling fan (obviously won't be used when bird is present), and a water spigot & drain underneath the deck.
When the weather is nice, it seems like a great place to put a play stand (maybe build one expressly for that location), some wall perches, a bird bath, toys, bird safe plants/trees in containers and let Wynnie play out there.
Mine does not get moldy either, but it does get a fair amount of sun at times. And quite steamy almost a sauna in the height of summer. That's why tropical plants do quite well.
I would never leave her out there when I am not home or when I am unable to pay attention to weather, etc.
I am going to pm the OP but just wondering if any thoughts on this.

I have a dusky conure, FYI