The marvel of the pipe cleaner nests.
Ever had trouble getting your birds to go to nest? Your best hen ever laid in her food dish? Your best cock tried to build a nest on a perch, facing ridicule for his laughable attitude? You ever bought the best nest money could buy only for them to sleep on top of it?
If the answer to any of these is YES- you must try the pipe cleaner nest (wow)
How to make the nests
You will need:
12 foot long pipe cleaners of any colour you choose
lining material (paper, hessian or any non-fluffy fabric)
A stapler
Let's get making!
1) Take three of the pipe cleaners and arrange them in a six pointed star with the bottom three 'prongs' shorter than the top three.
2) Take a fourth pipe cleaner and wrap it round the other three horizontally to make an eight pointed star with three long 'prongs' and five of a similar size.
3) Fasten a further pipe cleaner to one of the prongs near the centre of the star, being careful not to leave a sharp point.
4) Weave the pipe cleaner around the nest by wrapping it around each of the prongs in turn, working outwards and attatching new pipe cleaners as necessary, pull in the ends of the pipe cleaners around a clenched fist to make a cup shape with three pipe cleaners above one side.
5) Continue weaving the pipe cleaners until you reach near the top of the cup and then continue with the three remaining prongs so as to make a 'wall' at one side of the nest, spreading these three prongs out to make a wider top.
6) Twist the ends of the pipe cleaners together so that there are no sharp points sticking out.
7) At this point you could weave inbetween the pipe cleaners yourself with some stiff string or grass.
8) Line the nest by stapling either paper or fabric to the pipe cleaner frame.
9) Hang the nest using a wire threaded through the 'wall' of the nest.
10) Add your finches' favourite nesting material to the cage and await results!!
Stuck?... email me