A bit perturbed.

[JohnT]

I’ve been hosting martins for many years now. I had a few down years, but this past year I had young fledged from every single one of my 62 gourds with only one unhatxhed egg. I was pumped, and ready to add more gourds for next season.

But I was stunned to find the cost is now over $32 per gourd, double what I paid last time I added.

This seems completely unreasonable to me. Most of my gourds were $15. I’d be stunned to find manufacturing cost over $7 or $8 even with price increases.

This has me reconsidering hosting a Martin colony. This puts the cost of a rack up around $1000. This is not acceptable. Nobody is going to start this hobby at that ridiculous cost.

[Dave Reynolds]

,, I hear ya JohnT ,,, It is a shock (the price) when we have to replace some older gourds or buy some new ones, Inflation get us all... But you are correct, young landlords probably can’t afford the new prices with out some help...

Dave

[C.C.Martins]

Everything's up nowadays. 62 is alot to offer, perhaps work with what you have vs not hosting martins at all. Think natural gourds are a lot cheaper and fun to house martins in.
Yep price can dissuade some. But those that would pay for a system would have more invested and perhaps be inclined to keep trying...just looking at the sunny side I guess.

[JohnT]

Concerns me that this may present a very real threat to the survival of the birds. Fewer landlords means fewer birds, and I suspect there will be a substantial reduction in both over the next several years as existing landlords become unable to continue and new landlords can’t or won’t pay the entry cost to establish a colony.

Honestly, $30+ is not a reasonable price, and reflects straight up price gouging by the manufacturer.

[Bird Brain]

Price gouging by the manufacturer? That's like blaming the gas station when you fill up. Higher manufacturing costs can only be absorbed by companies for so long before they finally have to pass those costs on to the consumer. Remember, corporate taxes have gone up also, which also gets passed to the consumer. I say buy the gourds at $32. A year or 2 from now, they might cost 50% more and you'll realize what a great deal you got at $32/gourd. Whatever it is you want or need, buy it now because it's only gonna go up. Inflation is intentional theft, not incompetence. The day you realize that, it will all make sense.

[Bird Brain]

duplicate

[BioJoe]

It is really a terrible situation that's taking place. The PMCA is really at the mercy of our wholesalers. Over the last few years we've been holding back as much of the price increases as is feasible. But we're limited as to how much we can absorb.

We're working with manufacturers to create lower cost options and they are well aware of how skyrocketing costs are a barrier to the hobby. We're hoping for a return to supply chain sanity at some point in the coming years. Until then, we're at the mercy of aluminum and plastic (oil) prices and how the manufacturers choose to pass them along to us...

It seems that lumber prices have somewhat come back down to earth, so DIY wooden houses are becoming a more attractive option for those willing and able to build.

[JohnT]

BioJoe, I appreciate your input.

I truly believe this is a threat to PM populations. Doubly disheartening to me after several years of 60-70% occupancy to finally see the opportunity to grow my colonies (Two racks in one area and two a couple of hundred yards away, so I think they may be considered separate colonies) only to find everything has changed.

Spring of 2019 I was involved in buying some shipping shells for an expensive military sensor. Not greatly different from plastic gourds in size or construction. We were able to have them delivered from 1000 miles away for just a little over $3 each with foam lining. Even if prices have tripled, somebody is being taken to the cleaners.

[MartinBoy14012]

Yep, everything is expensive now days. All things considered, buying from Troyer is around $28.00 per gourd and the price goes down the more you buy.

[malbin]

You might try S & K Manufacturing, I don't think they run quite that high thru them.

[MJM]

A good reminder for "retiring" landlords to hand down their equipment. I am planning to buy again this year too and man, just crazy the costs.

I have to agree with most- it's already tough enough to sell the hobby to generations who grew up on computers and live in cookie-cutter neighborhoods with no land... "hey you want to do this cool bird hobby that takes a ton of work, causes a ton of stress, you may not even get birds for 5 years and even if you do they are only here for 3 months anyway". Now to add in, "oh, and it will cost at least $1000 to get going" and honestly you're talking game-over for 95% of potential landlords. Most people don't have $1000 extra to EAT or pay the rent let alone put up a martin colony and then hope they even get birds.

Eventually this hobby will end up being like the Monarch butterflies with a bunch of grassroots efforts to "save the Purple Martin". Until that happens, we will likely just see a steady decline in interest, sadly.

I'll keep trying to do my part.

[Spiderman]

I have three Gemini gourd racks with Troyer Horizontals so 82 gourds.

We live on a lake and there are allot of fisherman that ask about starting a Martin colony.

I tell them the minimum to get started is $1,000.00, most just shake their head and move on down the lake.

It is sad for the hobby and future of the Martins!

PS: I wash all of the gourds out and store them for the winter. This year Clorox was $6.00 per gallon. I used four gallons, inflation is out of control!!!

[defed]

in 2016, i bought 8 troyer horizontals (from troyer, not pmca) and it came out to $20/each all said and done. i just checked and they are now $25/each when you buy 8. i wouldn't say that is an outrageous price increase over 6 yrs....especially considering the situation we are in today. while i agree it seems the pmca's markup is higher than it needs to be, especially if they are trying to keep the hobby alive.

i always love how ppl complain that a business is ripping them off, making exorbitant profits. take your $, buy the tooling, equipment, raw materials etc and make them yourself and sell them at cost then. or sell them for the big profit and retire in a few months if it's such a cash cow.

[defed]

I have three Gemini gourd racks with Troyer Horizontals so 82 gourds.

We live on a lake and there are allot of fisherman that ask about starting a Martin colony.

I tell them the minimum to get started is $1,000.00, most just shake their head and move on down the lake.

It is sad for the hobby and future of the Martins!

PS: I wash all of the gourds out and store them for the winter. This year Clorox was $6.00 per gallon. I used four gallons, inflation is out of control!!!

i would say one could get started for way less than $1000....depending on how DIY they. 8 troyers for $200 and a homemade parallelogram tilting pole like i have, probably another $100.

if they want the system you have, or aren't handy and have to buy a complete pole system, they yea, it will be around that (obviously a lot more for what you have).

[MartinBoy14012]

You can get a Troyer deluxe 12 rack with gourds, guard, and sparrow trap combo for less than $700. Still expensive for a beginner who may or may not have success and enjoyment. Most beginners start with a S&K barn house and tri pole, although this has gotten expensive too. Tractor Supply wants 90.00 for the barn house alone, insane. I started with a deluxe 12 rack and 6 S&K Bo 9’s. I paid 34.00 for a 6 pack on sale at Tractor Supply back in 2018, now they are 89.00. Then you need to buy the tunnels and cooling caps from S&K. Bottom line is there are plenty of ways to start the hobby for less than 200.00, my neighbors have had 100% success with the S&K barn houses that can be easily found used.

[Bird Brain]

There is a potential upside to the rising inflationary cost of this hobby. Current landlords are less likely to expand their colonies. Potential landlords are less likely to even start a colony. So who potentially benefits from this? Folks who have already spent the 1000+ dollars, had their setups installed in good locations for years, and are still waiting for birds. And there are a lot of us out there. The birds gotta go somewhere. The less people who expand and the less people who start, the more favorable it is for people like me who have been waiting for years and are still waiting patiently. Did you every think that someone down the street might finally get birds if you didn't expand your mega colony? "One man's loss is another man's gain."
As for getting started on a budget. We all know there are numerous unused martin housing wasting away in peoples backyards. We all see them when we drive around. One could easily knock on the door and make an offer to the homeowner for the removal of the unused martin house. 50 bucks and a sledgehammer is all you need to get started. There are some quality martin houses to be had by this method. One only needs the courage to knock on the door and the elbow grease to bust it out of the ground.

[Unk Bond]

Hello
Same here That's why I trying White plastic mail boxes
They sure like to sit on top of a mail box ha ha
They were quiet hot But with my new vent design

i think this year will tell the tell
For nesting in them Last year wasn't bad [ Later

[defed]

There is a potential upside to the rising inflationary cost of this hobby. Current landlords are less likely to expand their colonies. Potential landlords are less likely to even start a colony. So who potentially benefits from this? Folks who have already spent the 1000+ dollars, had their setups installed in good locations for years, and are still waiting for birds. And there are a lot of us out there. The birds gotta go somewhere. The less people who expand and the less people who start, the more favorable it is for people like me who have been waiting for years and are still waiting patiently. Did you every think that someone down the street might finally get birds if you didn't expand your mega colony? "One man's loss is another man's gain."
As for getting started on a budget. We all know there are numerous unused martin housing wasting away in peoples backyards. We all see them when we drive around. One could easily knock on the door and make an offer to the homeowner for the removal of the unused martin house. 50 bucks and a sledgehammer is all you need to get started. There are some quality martin houses to be had by this method. One only needs the courage to knock on the door and the elbow grease to bust it out of the ground.

i waited dang near 30 yrs to get my 1st pair last yr (22 at my current location). i started cheap. my homemade pole is still standing after 20+ yrs and back then, it probably cost me $50 to make. i have made improvements along the way as i could afford or deemed necessary, from a modified trio aluminum house, added some super gourds, replaced w/ a homemade t8, finally switching to troyer horizontals (what the local state park has success with). all of this probably cost $500 total, with the most expensive upgrade going to the troyers. after i got my 1st pair this year, i am adding a deluxe rack w/ 12 troyers - which did cost near $900, but again, i am in a position to be able to afford it. now, i just need my pair back next yr and add a bunch more!

[Dave Reynolds]

... Defed. ,,,, Sounds like you and I have a little in common... I lost track of the amount of years I tried to get that first pair... I’m sure it was 15 to 20 years,, I started with one house and expanded through the years.. Finally got that first pair and the colony has been growing ever since.. The cost was not to great, because I started small. Glad to hear you got that first pair last year.. You will have many more to come.. Good luck in 2023

Dave

[C.C.Martins]

I'll second Dave, here's to you filling up!

Good thing about these gourds and systems.....the gourds will last darn near forever, minor maintenance here and there, but buy em once and done for the life of any martin and probably a landlord. Even a well maintained natural gourd will last a good dang long time.