Cheap Plastic House- My Soap Box Rant.

[krushing]

I have been getting caught up on all the posts lately and feel compelled to put this out there regarding that "cheap" plastic Martin house I think many people are referring to in various posts. I know a few years ago it was a no no on here to talk about it by name so Ill refrain from stating the manufacturer. But let me share this with you. I am the VERY PROUD owner of one of those houses. I have had the very SAME house since I started being a landlord over 10 years ago! I have modified the house some, to make double compartments- Doing so has served the Martins very well. Predators can not simply reach into the nests... the babies are too far away from any openings.. Here in Texas the heat often claims babies, but in the modified house.... there is plenty of room for the brood to stretch out and I find a lot less overcrowding and over heating. The plastic stays much cooler here in the Texas heat ( playgrounds are now plastic, not metal for that same reason. ) The house has held up beautifully with no cracking, chipping, warping etc. It was even in a metal storage facility/container for over a year when I was in the process of moving and It held up very nicely. That "cheap house" is so easy to raise and lower on the pole made for it. At the end of the season, a good pressure wash and its ready to roll for the next year. Since I first put it up , it has been a "No Vacancy" house each and every year being home to 6 pairs and about 30 babies in all of the 6 double compartments. So while it may not be expensive and fancy and not to the taste of some-- I love this house and I think for those wanting to become Martin landlords for the first time, or even for those veterans wanting a simple home for them, - with the proper changes, it can be a valuable tool in your Martin Colony. Ok.. thanks for letting me get that out there.... Now, I'm ready for the Martins to fill it up again.

[Anthony Neira]

Well, If That's what Works for you & the Martins, then, More Power To You! & I think you hit the "nail on the head !" With enlarging the rooms. My neighbor has one untouched for years & the PMs STILL want to check it out EVERY year! Of course the HOSP have filled it up. Don't Change for anyone/thing, Do what makes you & your PMs Happy & prosper! (Sorry, didn't mean to go Star Trek on ya! ) So hang in there & I hope you have a great PM season!

[Chuck4]

Cheap is okay and will work. Martins don't care about how much we spend on a house, that's for sure! If what you are offering them allows them breeding success then keep it up. Buying a very expensive house but putting it in a bad location will never get the martins. Accessibility for nest checks is imperative though. In some cases though, housing is just not made right. As a landlord, I want something that looks good to me, and is functional, providing ample nesting space. Best of luck to you.

[Louise Chambers]

Kelly,

People are welcome to discuss any martin products they are using by name, just not where to buy them. It wouldn't be very helpful to try to discuss things without including names/brands.

(Forum policy reads, We invite discussion of all types of martin housing and accessories, but commercial sales information or advertisements from, or about, companies and their products (or hyperlinks to these companies) may not be shared on the Forum).

There is a real need for houses and gourd systems that are priced for beginners, those exploring whether or not they can attract Purple Martins. We can't all start by spending $500 or more for a high-end system. The PMCA's Martin Market Place has two beginner gourd racks that hold 4 gourds - one has a telescoping pole, making it least expensive option, and the other has a rope & pulley. We wanted to make it easier for people to give martins a try.

http://shop.purplemartin.org/Songbird_E ... tails.aspx

http://shop.purplemartin.org/First_Mart ... tails.aspx

Neither one comes with gourds, but, if/when folks want to upgrade, they can use the gourds on a larger rack system too.

[Carlton]

I find this open discussion so refreshing. I have assembled and placed many martin houses over the years but have never tried one of the plastic houses. I know that beginners crave a lower cost house that can attract martins and assure them that their project will be successful. Thanks for posting this everyone. Just because one pays the big bucks for a setup does not guarantee that they will ever attract even one pair of martins even in good habitat.

I do wonder if some of the attractive but dark colors of plastic are the best for martins. Maybe a more pastel shade or white would be cooler? Just say'n. Not sure. For instance I think "The Barn" is VERY ATTRACTIVE but it APPEARS that is could get very hot out in the sun. Any test results or comments?

Carl

[Louise Chambers]

Carl, thanks for your comments, and for bringing up color. The PMCA has a download with housing standards, meant to help people evaluate houses and gourds, and designs for building houses, too.

Due to potential for problems with heat, which so many southern and midwestern landlords are familiar with, we always suggest white or light colors for housing, including the roof. I think the first thing to do with a darker house is to paint it all white - landlords can use any colors on the trim, to personalize it a bit. White with red trim looks fine, or green, etc.

Another thing to check for is opaque outer walls and roof. If you hold a wall section or roof piece up to the sun, and place your hand on the outside, you don't want to see your hand through the material. It should completely block out the sunlight, to avoid overheated nest compartments.

Doubling the compartment sizes, as Kelly mentioned, will also help keep nestlings more comfortable. But opaque walls and roof are important - if necessary, people can add a liner, or an exterior panel on sunny sides of house, or above roof. Fusion spray paint for plastic might work too, but I am not sure how many coats it might take. We use it on our plastic signboards that are converted into shade panels, and it can take several coats on that material, which is pretty translucent.

One more modification - landlords who live in areas that can get really hot in June & July might want to block off the attic compartments on both ends. Small rooms on upper level with a dark roof over them have got to get HOT. I am not sure there is access to those rooms, either, to check on the birds. A few tweaks here and there can do a lot to boost safety and productivity, for many types of houses.

[Roymg]

I too have one of those cheap plastic houses, really I have two but only use primarily one of them. I've bought and used wood houses, made my own wood houses, and I've used metal houses. They all have, I think, their drawbacks. The plastic houses seem to hold up okay and with a little plastic paint can easily begin to look like new. The only real problem I've had with these is I think a hawk bit a small chunk out of the roof which I fixed with rubber tape. Ha,... to each his own.

[krushing]

[quote="Louise Chambers"]Kelly,

People are welcome to discuss any martin products they are using by name, just not where to buy them. It wouldn't be very helpful to try to discuss things without including names/brands.

(Forum policy reads, We invite discussion of all types of martin housing and accessories, but commercial sales information or advertisements from, or about, companies and their products (or hyperlinks to these companies) may not be shared on the Forum).

There is a real need for houses and gourd systems that are priced for beginners, those exploring whether or not they can attract Purple Martins. We can't all start by spending $500 or more for a high-end system.

*****Thanks Louise.. I agree that we learn from sharing information. My plastic house is an S&K Mfg... 12 compartment house -- Modified to 6 with with SREH entry holes and no access to the "attic" area. I also add dowels across the front on both sides for perching. I will gladly share pictures if anyone is interested in more information.

[Carlton]

Most interesting everyone. Thanks!

[kehunter]

My plastic Royal Wing house, modified to six compartments, had six pairs in it last year and fledged 28 young out of 28 hatched (29 laid).

This year I installed nest trays to keep moisture from wicking into the nests from the porches, and I will be affixing homemade wing entrapment preventers on the inside of the SREH openings. Note: I did not have any instances of wing entrapment last year, but I don't want to take any chances.

[KathyF]

There are pros and cons and as long as the landlord is aware what he's getting into, then he can make plans for the future of his / her colony. I wrote this last year when we finally had to give in and buy my sister one of those cheap plastic houses.

http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com/2014/05 ... urple.html

[Carolyn C]

I too have the Martin house I think you are talking about. The martins don't care. I spray painted the red parts white and I think it looks great. We also enlarged the compartments on both houses.

[Carolyn C]

We have our upper " attic" compartments blocked off mostly because it's really hard to get sparrows out of there. And I like porches and the attic has no porch.

[Anthony Neira]

Have / Has Any owners of these houses Kept the attic CLOSED, but " Vented " the attic room ? like putting small, ready made vents in the doorway ? Or taking the door plug & drilling, or , AND BE VERY CAREFUL!! poking holes with a hot ice pick ? AGAIN BE VERY CAREFUL ! ADULTS ONLY ! ? I thought about doing that to the round plugs above the crescent openings on my S&K gourds & tunnels, to let more air in for cooling, also, My Trio MSS-12s have built in vented attics.

[KathyF]

You can't get into the attic room to do nest checks or pull HOSP nests, Tony - it more than just a problem with venting. I recommend to all the people I mentor to just close them off and not use them.
It's one of my beefs with these houses - they're advertised as "14 nest cavities", but there are really only 6 usable spaces after it's modified.

[Anthony Neira]

My Bad, Kathy, I Meant to say "as for closing" the attic, which I think should be done to ALL of them for what you just posted. Same track, I just derail myself ! Thanks again Kathy, I just edited my post.

[taxidermy lady]

I have a farm and home, s&k plastic house and I use the attic holes for venting. I put screen over mine so air can travel through the attic.

[Anthony Neira]

Thanks Sharon, I KNEW somebody else could get my same idea across better than me! It's good to know others do that to the attic!

[Mhoover]

I have also closed off the attic on my S&K. It has vents on each end to ventilate the attic.

[Anthony Neira]

COOL ! ( pun intended!) This is just getting better & better ! Time to enjoy some Pecan Pie ! ,.. EVERY Land lord, have a piece ! HA !