We have had a Quad Pod system since 2004. I like the 2.5" diameter round steel pole and have added an extra pole section to get the nesting holes higher. And I've added a rack beneath the pods to hang gourds.
But yesterday during a strong thunderstorm one roof blew off a nesting chamber, something I've never seen before with the quad pods. Now I wonder if anyone else has had a similar problem and what is a good fix for this?
Problem with Quad Pod roof
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baileysambone
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:38 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Baton Rouge
Bill,
I have a heritage farms quad pod system. Never had of the the roofs blow off. I did note that the small hollow hole in each roof section goes where the hole is in each compartment.
What kind of rack did you use to hang gourds underneath ?
Yvonne
I have a heritage farms quad pod system. Never had of the the roofs blow off. I did note that the small hollow hole in each roof section goes where the hole is in each compartment.
What kind of rack did you use to hang gourds underneath ?
Yvonne
2011 visitors
2012 1 pair ASY male, SY female 9 eggs, 8 hatched, fledged 5
2013 5 pair fledged 8
2014 4 pair fledged 15
2015 7 pair fledged 25
2016 10 pair fledged 31
2017 17 pair fledged 69
2018 18 pair fledged 69
2019 21 pair fledged 52 (biting gnats lost babies)
2020 17 pair fledged 53
2021 16 pair fledged 62 ( hard freeze in Feb for days. Lost 39 birds. My oldest and wisest)
2022 11 pair fledged 43
2012 1 pair ASY male, SY female 9 eggs, 8 hatched, fledged 5
2013 5 pair fledged 8
2014 4 pair fledged 15
2015 7 pair fledged 25
2016 10 pair fledged 31
2017 17 pair fledged 69
2018 18 pair fledged 69
2019 21 pair fledged 52 (biting gnats lost babies)
2020 17 pair fledged 53
2021 16 pair fledged 62 ( hard freeze in Feb for days. Lost 39 birds. My oldest and wisest)
2022 11 pair fledged 43
Yvonne,
Thanks for your reply. I use an S&K Ultimate Gourd Rack that is made for a 2.375" diameter round pole. I had to grind out some of the plastic in the middle of it to slide up and down on the 2.5" HF pole, and it works quite well if one attaches it to a quad pod hub using threaded 1/4" rods. Each level of this gourd rack will hold 8 gourds nicely.
A word to the wise though. I thought that, "If one UGR (ultimate gourd rack) works so well, maybe I should add a second level." But that idea did not work very well, as the whole system got too heavy to crank up and down and it had a tendency to bind at pole joints. This year I have eliminated the second level of gourds and now my system raises and lowers quite easily.
BTW, have you noticed that the quad pod porches make great feeding troughs for meal worms and crickets? My scouts enjoyed their meal this afternoon.
Thanks for your reply. I use an S&K Ultimate Gourd Rack that is made for a 2.375" diameter round pole. I had to grind out some of the plastic in the middle of it to slide up and down on the 2.5" HF pole, and it works quite well if one attaches it to a quad pod hub using threaded 1/4" rods. Each level of this gourd rack will hold 8 gourds nicely.
A word to the wise though. I thought that, "If one UGR (ultimate gourd rack) works so well, maybe I should add a second level." But that idea did not work very well, as the whole system got too heavy to crank up and down and it had a tendency to bind at pole joints. This year I have eliminated the second level of gourds and now my system raises and lowers quite easily.
BTW, have you noticed that the quad pod porches make great feeding troughs for meal worms and crickets? My scouts enjoyed their meal this afternoon.
Last edited by Bill Hyde on Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
PMCA member
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
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AvianStewardess
- Posts: 342
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
- Location: Maryland/Cambridge
Hello, Bill. I have three Quad Pod systems. I had two roofs blow off during the Dericho last June. Thankfully the compartments were unoccupied. I found that the tabs on them were just not "out" far enough so I just kept bending them until they stayed stuck out.
This year when I put them on I tugged on each one and found more that weren't very snug...turns out that there may be a front and back to the roofs. Do yours have what looks like an unused screw hole? Mine do and it seems like that hole should be in the front; seems the tabs are far more snug when the hole is in the front.
I haven't had any bad winds yet so all of this in theory...
This year when I put them on I tugged on each one and found more that weren't very snug...turns out that there may be a front and back to the roofs. Do yours have what looks like an unused screw hole? Mine do and it seems like that hole should be in the front; seems the tabs are far more snug when the hole is in the front.
I haven't had any bad winds yet so all of this in theory...
~Michelle
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
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baileysambone
- Posts: 131
- Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:38 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Baton Rouge
Bill,
Like Michelle said also, look for that tiny hole on side of roof and line it up with entrance hole and see if that helps.
I did feed crickets last year because my pair hatched 8 young, (had nine eggs). I put them right inside the entrance hole though, because I didn't want to attract unwanted guess.
I do put crushed egg shells on some of the porches.
I hung 4 gourds on rack using heavy duty cable ties. Has worked well so far. I did hear at one time HF was making a rack you could hang gourds from, but someone else bought them out, so I don't know if that is still in the making.
Like Michelle said also, look for that tiny hole on side of roof and line it up with entrance hole and see if that helps.
I did feed crickets last year because my pair hatched 8 young, (had nine eggs). I put them right inside the entrance hole though, because I didn't want to attract unwanted guess.
I do put crushed egg shells on some of the porches.
I hung 4 gourds on rack using heavy duty cable ties. Has worked well so far. I did hear at one time HF was making a rack you could hang gourds from, but someone else bought them out, so I don't know if that is still in the making.
2011 visitors
2012 1 pair ASY male, SY female 9 eggs, 8 hatched, fledged 5
2013 5 pair fledged 8
2014 4 pair fledged 15
2015 7 pair fledged 25
2016 10 pair fledged 31
2017 17 pair fledged 69
2018 18 pair fledged 69
2019 21 pair fledged 52 (biting gnats lost babies)
2020 17 pair fledged 53
2021 16 pair fledged 62 ( hard freeze in Feb for days. Lost 39 birds. My oldest and wisest)
2022 11 pair fledged 43
2012 1 pair ASY male, SY female 9 eggs, 8 hatched, fledged 5
2013 5 pair fledged 8
2014 4 pair fledged 15
2015 7 pair fledged 25
2016 10 pair fledged 31
2017 17 pair fledged 69
2018 18 pair fledged 69
2019 21 pair fledged 52 (biting gnats lost babies)
2020 17 pair fledged 53
2021 16 pair fledged 62 ( hard freeze in Feb for days. Lost 39 birds. My oldest and wisest)
2022 11 pair fledged 43
This thread has become quite interesting, eh? Thanks to all who have participated! I am curious as to which entrance type(s) your martins use on your Quad Pod setup? Anyone care to share on this question? Personally, I have tried round holes, crescents and I've even tried cutting other srehs into the blank ones that came with the setup; but so far, I have not had any luck luring a PM into one of the pods. However, the gourds hanging below the pods seem to have plenty of takers. Oh well, I still like the pole 
But since we now have returning ASY martins here, perhaps some of them will make a nest in a quad pod this summer.
But since we now have returning ASY martins here, perhaps some of them will make a nest in a quad pod this summer.
PMCA member
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
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AvianStewardess
- Posts: 342
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
- Location: Maryland/Cambridge
Last year, I started with the holes thus contributing to the murder of a female. That's how I found this site, and how I found out what the SREH entrances were for. I had the perches on the interior last year. I had one pair fledge three out of that pole. I think the parents were ASY...but the female might have been SY.
This year, my scout likes the same compartment but, interestingly, it's the one I took the perch out of in order to trap a HOSP that had tried to occupy it. Also interesting is that the female that's accompanying the scout keeps going to another compartment that has a perch installed in the interior. HOPEFULLY I'll find out who wins.
This year, my scout likes the same compartment but, interestingly, it's the one I took the perch out of in order to trap a HOSP that had tried to occupy it. Also interesting is that the female that's accompanying the scout keeps going to another compartment that has a perch installed in the interior. HOPEFULLY I'll find out who wins.
~Michelle
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
I realize that this is an old thread but... I have two levels of quad pods myself. One roof did fly off once. I could see that one of the locking tabs just didn't fit into it's hole quite right. Not sure why. I futzed with bending the tab as well, to no avail. I did find that a little horizontal push on the roof allows the tab to line up correctly and snap into place. No more problem, as long as I remember to give it that little push when replacing the roof each time. Those already on this thread have probably already found this solution, but other newer quad pod owners can benefit.
I had ordered two gourds recently and liked the idea of the ultimate gourd rack attachment to the quad pod so much I ordered one right away. Can't wait for the new toys to get here.
I had ordered two gourds recently and liked the idea of the ultimate gourd rack attachment to the quad pod so much I ordered one right away. Can't wait for the new toys to get here.