Dangerous cracks in gourds

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barbiejoe
Posts: 47
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:16 am
Location: Branson MO

I need advice on an easy caulk to squeeze into the small areas of the entrance of my gourds, so babies and adults don't get their toes caught in the tight areas. Someone recommended Lexel, but I read a comment on it at the Lexel website, and it sounded like it was hard!! to apply. I want something easy to apply, if possible.
Thanks for any advice. I have NEVER used caulk of any sort, so you are dealing with an amateur. Barbiejoe
After 3 years, I gave up and put two gourds out, hoping to get other birds to nest. I did. Had one pair of tree swallows and ONE pair of purple martins. The PM had 4 hatchlings. One died in the nest and one was found on the ground two days running and died that night. Two flew successfully.
Robert
Posts: 67
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:49 am
Location: Columbia , South Carolina

Barbiejoe I use GE100 percent silicone it is available at Home Depot in a 2.8 oz tube
Robert , South Carolina
PMCA member
40 year PM landlord
2018 season
21 pairs 107 eggs 99 fledged
2019 season
23 pairs 122 eggs 105 fledged
2020 season
23 pairs 122 eggs 72 fledged
2021
C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Lexel is top notch, get the indoor/outdoor white. Get a caulk gun and cut just the top off the spout. Draw a bead across the crack, inside and outside...you can do that with your finger inside. Then wet your finger and smooth it over, you would be surprised how good it looks. Dries quick and is water tight.
Hope this helps, lots of good stuff out there to use, just ensure you get all the cracks and it is water resistant.
Respectfully,
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

If the calk gun is too much the stuff comes in squeeze tubes too. Advice: go to lowes or.home depot ask one of the folks who work there that u are looking to do small repairs and need all weather, easy to use fixer. A squeeze tube is probably better for you then my first advice. Robert nailed it, keep it simple.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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