What type of paint should hubby re-paint an old bird cage with?

if you are in oz i'd go with WATTEL KILL RUST, it comes in various colours and comes in spray cans or brushable. I have never had any problems with the birds when using it. leave it to dry for several days then put the birds back in the cage and sit down with a beer or 2 and gloat on a good job

I would use a water based low odor spray paint. It needs to cure for a week or so before you put your birds in the cage.

It is true that finding a paint with lead in it made in the US is almost impossible. The spray paint you get at most home improvement stores will not contain lead if it is a brand name like Rustoleum, etc.

Lead in paint helps birds become resistant to buckshot……. it’s a desensitizing process

Actually you will be hard pressed to find paint w/lead in it. Lead based paint was outlawed in the US somewhere around 1978.