Clean or not ?

[chickadee]

This is my first year not cleaning out the old nest in the gourds. Some I think where real nasty from the rain we got? Should I clean them out? Or will my martins like the old nest?

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I have done it many different ways, it makes no difference to the martins. This year I shook out all the loose droppings and loose nesting material, hosed out the gourds, and many of the old nests remained in place in the old gourds. It looks clean, and the old nest structure will save them some work, I added a few new pine needles, and I like this method the best.

I have always added pine needles, but the martins bring in some stiffer sticks, and really make a sturdy nest, blocking and filling every corner near the tunnel.

[chickadee]

Thanks for the reply. With all your gourds I would not want to clean them out either. Lol) but my site has got harder to clean out and lower to do nest checks. Ever since I caged them in. But I still always want to do what's best for my birds. But short cuts are always nice if they don't mind.

[tonyg]

I clean all mine out. Wouldn't want to live in that mess another year. I clean 114 gourds. I take my time doing it, not all at once.

[John Miller]

I clean mine -- sometimes just dump old nests and brush out lose debris -- but get most of it. If you don't, the cavity may harbor more mites the next year, because of over wintering but also because the debris acts like a sponge, holding moisture and mites love a moist environment. There's also some kind of beetle that eats dead flesh - ha - and they will reside there eating the old feather sheath dust. May not be harmful to the living baby birds and may actually help break stuff down, but I'd prefer clean sheets on my bed. John M

[chickadee]

Now you have reminded me why I have always cleaned them out the end of the season. Nobody wants bed bugs. Lol

[Babsi]

I have done it both ways,but I found out that I would have bad mite problems when I didn't clean the nests.

[John Barrow]

I remember cleaning out a LoneStar house and add a rack with gourds, that I had given and erected for a TX Parks and Wildlife biologist who wanted martins. Extremely bird savvy. He said everything the year before had been fine--no problems; no martins. When i cleaned it out I found several starling nests, some with eggs, a couple of paper wasp nests, and a mud dauber nest. Guess he missed those invaders!!! It pays to clean out systems at the end of the season for a number of reasons.

For those that don't do regular nestchecks of ALL cavities, a lot can be learned from a season ending cleaning. Not to mention getting rid of mites and other pests and bacteria that might over winter. I clean and store my gourds every winter, and refill them with clean, fresh nesting base before their return.

[chickadee]

That is one reason I never skip nest checks. I lower mine every 3 days. Sometimes I feel I do it to much. And I never had skipped a clean out. I have heard of people saying they go years without doing it. But never heard their turn out ? Guess if the weather will warm up I will have time to get out their. But I am also thinking of last minute to build a t14 house. I will see how that goes.

[klcretired]

Just like John said I also clean all my nests every year cut up fresh pine straw/Needles and form a Bowl at the back of each entrance, this saves the Martins a lot of work, I also use Seven Dust under the front of each nests 1/4 Teaspoon , I never have any Mites

[jr 2]

I had 3 out of my 6 bo11 not used and the nest material that I put in last year looks like new;;should I take that nest material out and put in new??????just wandering;what would you do!!!!!!!!;jr2

[chickadee]

Over the years I have had some like that. They have been fine. I just still put the seven in. Depends on your demand. When I first started it was easy to clean them all. Now that my numbers have grown and I have more cavity s sand my racks are caged and a pain to get to. We'll it is just harder. So anything not used I leave and sprinkle it.

[chickadee]

And someone picked up the gourds. Thanks for all the offers to buy them. But they found a new home.

[jr 2]

I always put sevin in all the nest;;;haven't had a problem with mites yet;;cross my fingers and toes!!!!jr2

[chickadee]

I have not had any problems with mites. But last year we had a lot cold rain and I had babies die. Then on nice days I would find young babies dead. Don't know why they looked fine. Just wonder if parents feed them poisoned insects from the crops or something? I seem to have a good year then a bad. I hope this year will be a good one. But everyone keeps talking about this weather and early returns and it puts me on edge. This should be my good year.