What do you all think of misting the houses with the garden hose? I have aluminum houses and it has been around 95 here in mid missouri. The babies are not quite ready to fledge and I'm worried they will over heat. Do you think it will cool the houses to mist the tops of them or make it hotter??
Thanks, Hope
misting the houses with water???
-
ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
I mist my houses in summer when it gets hot. Today it was 95. The larger chicks were hanging out the openings panting. One ended up on the ground. I put it back & got out the hose & shot water up over the houses so it would fall back down like rain. It takes several minutes of spraying water too cool the houses down enough. Just be careful not to spray water in the nests. I use the "jet" setting on my hose end so it goes way up above the houses & then falls like rain.
ToyinPA.
ToyinPA.
-
hopeathome
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Tue May 02, 2006 2:25 pm
- Location: Fayette,Missouri
Thanks, I will do that!! Today it is going to be 97 and tomorrow 100. The chicks are so cute right now and when they are hot and leaning out I feel so sorry for them. I think for next season I may drill a few small vent holes in the sides of my houses but be sure to make them so I can use plugs in them until they are needed when it gets hot like this.
Thanks again,
Hope
Thanks again,
Hope