I HAVE BUILT GUARDS OUT OF 2X4" WIRE FOR MY CASTLE AND MINI CASTLE HOUSES. THE 4" IS HORIZONTAL AND THE WIRE IS 1" AWAY FROM THE PORCHES SO THAT ALL THE DOORS OPEN WITHOUT HITTING THE GUARD. I HAVE ENLARGED THE ROOMS ON BOTH HOUSES.
I PLAN ON CUTTLING A 4X4" OPENING IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE OR CLOSE TO THE ENTRANCE FOR THEM TO SAFELY GET THROUGH... OR IS THE 2X4" SPACES BIG ENOUGH?
ALSO, THERE IS A TIME OR TOO THAT I HAD TO OPEN THE FRONT ROOMS TO COUNT BIRDS. A 4X4" OPENING WOULD BE NICE THERE ALSO. I USE THE STARLING RESISTANT ENTRANCES. WHAT'S YOUR OPINION?
I HAVE HAD COLONIES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I HAD 42 PAIR THIS SEASON. SHOULD THE GUARDS GO UP BEFORE THE BIRDS SHOW UP NEXT SPRING OR MAYBE WAIT FOR THE BABIES? BUT THE LONGER I WAIT,THE MORE CHANCES OWLS & HAWKS WILL HAVE...WHAT'S THE OPINION ON THIS?
DAVE
QUESTIONS ON OWL GUARDS
We have had great success with the 2" X 4" galvanized fencing for hawk/owl guards on Coates, Trio, Trio Castles, and most other houses.
The easiest to operate and most flexible installation we have found uses 2-piece (wrap-around) guards on the castle and single (custom cut & bent) pieces over the entry-sides of each Trio or Coates house.
The guards are simply fitted to the house/porch profile and the guard- bottom-horizontal-wire attached to the bottom porch rail with 2 plastic wire ties.
This method allows the guards to simply pivoted downward (while still attached) to do nest checks.
To secure the guard to the housing (roof, upper porch railing, etc) we simply use large binder clips (from any office supply).
On the Trio Castle, we just "binder-clip" the 2 halves of the wrap around guard together.
Using these techniques, the guard is not laying around to be lost/stepped on; the accessibility of the compartments is very easy, and the time/hassle is cut to almost nothing.
Many fencing stores have used galvanized pieces available for a song; plus, you need not over-spend for great guards.
We start the season with guards in place and have no larger holes; PMs do just fine!
The easiest to operate and most flexible installation we have found uses 2-piece (wrap-around) guards on the castle and single (custom cut & bent) pieces over the entry-sides of each Trio or Coates house.
The guards are simply fitted to the house/porch profile and the guard- bottom-horizontal-wire attached to the bottom porch rail with 2 plastic wire ties.
This method allows the guards to simply pivoted downward (while still attached) to do nest checks.
To secure the guard to the housing (roof, upper porch railing, etc) we simply use large binder clips (from any office supply).
On the Trio Castle, we just "binder-clip" the 2 halves of the wrap around guard together.
Using these techniques, the guard is not laying around to be lost/stepped on; the accessibility of the compartments is very easy, and the time/hassle is cut to almost nothing.
Many fencing stores have used galvanized pieces available for a song; plus, you need not over-spend for great guards.
We start the season with guards in place and have no larger holes; PMs do just fine!
My wife typed this, probably couldn't read my writing. It's meant to say I plan on cutting a 4x4" opening in front of the back rooms so that I can get my hand in to open doors for nest checks. I see no problem doing this.
My question is do the birds prefer a 4x4" opening in front of the entrances or offset to the entrances for them to safely get through or is the 2x4" spaces big enough? Again, the wire is positioned with the 4" being horizontal.
Also, there are times when I had to open the front rooms to count birds and a 4x4" opening would be nice on the front. What do you think?
Mr Jones, I wanted a stationary guard that I didn't have to take off or pivot a certain direction. I wanted to bring the guard out away fromthe porches to give more protection from owls and hawks and also be able to open doors. I guess I wanted them to look like they came with the houses. They look great painted up. Did you place your 4" horizontal or vertical and does it make a difference? The 2x4" wire is just to small for me to get my hand through.
Dave
My question is do the birds prefer a 4x4" opening in front of the entrances or offset to the entrances for them to safely get through or is the 2x4" spaces big enough? Again, the wire is positioned with the 4" being horizontal.
Also, there are times when I had to open the front rooms to count birds and a 4x4" opening would be nice on the front. What do you think?
Mr Jones, I wanted a stationary guard that I didn't have to take off or pivot a certain direction. I wanted to bring the guard out away fromthe porches to give more protection from owls and hawks and also be able to open doors. I guess I wanted them to look like they came with the houses. They look great painted up. Did you place your 4" horizontal or vertical and does it make a difference? The 2x4" wire is just to small for me to get my hand through.
Dave
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
If you place the openings horizontal it would give a little more tail support when they use it. I might try weaving a thin plastic strip into the row below the opening used for entry to give a more solid tail prop. My birds easily use both vertical and horizontal spacing. A 4x4 opening would work but would also make it more assessable to a predator
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
Ray
What size plastic strip would you use and how would you keep it in place?
The 4x4 opening would not be directly in front of the entrances but to the side of the entrances. In other words the martins would come through the opening and either go left or right to get to the entrance.
This would keep a predator from reaching into the 4x4 and straight into the compartments.
Like I said before, sometimes I have to open the front compartments to count birds. They like to spread out and a larger opening up closeto the front would be nice for my hand to go through.
Ray, do you put your guards on early or do you wait for eggs or babies?
Dave
What size plastic strip would you use and how would you keep it in place?
The 4x4 opening would not be directly in front of the entrances but to the side of the entrances. In other words the martins would come through the opening and either go left or right to get to the entrance.
This would keep a predator from reaching into the 4x4 and straight into the compartments.
Like I said before, sometimes I have to open the front compartments to count birds. They like to spread out and a larger opening up closeto the front would be nice for my hand to go through.
Ray, do you put your guards on early or do you wait for eggs or babies?
Dave
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John Miller
- Posts: 4867
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Dave
Re: adding guards after nesting. With a guard that's pretty significant, I think you want it in place from the start of the season, except in an emergency. Otherwise it would startle the adults. They probably would not abandon eggs or babies, but would flutter in front of the house for some time. Why stress them this way. Some landlords think it's okay. A popular catalog I get says if the martins actually see you making changes early in the season, they will know it's okay. This seems silly to me, but I mostly just don't like putting much new on the housing, especially in front of entrances, after martins have settled in. John
Re: adding guards after nesting. With a guard that's pretty significant, I think you want it in place from the start of the season, except in an emergency. Otherwise it would startle the adults. They probably would not abandon eggs or babies, but would flutter in front of the house for some time. Why stress them this way. Some landlords think it's okay. A popular catalog I get says if the martins actually see you making changes early in the season, they will know it's okay. This seems silly to me, but I mostly just don't like putting much new on the housing, especially in front of entrances, after martins have settled in. John
Last edited by John Miller on Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:08 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
Daveh, I was thinking of using vinyl siding material cut to fit inside the horizontal space, I would then weave it over and under the vertical divisions and I think that would keep it in place. This year my guards were in place at the beginning of the season but my birds were already familiar with that set up, the first year I put them on after the eggs were hatched, the parents hesitated about 1 minute while they looked it over and then went about business as usual. On my trio I hinge the guard to the bottom rail with plastic ties and fold it down for nest checks.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair