New gourds on the way

[dsonyay]

I ordered a 4 pack of the SK gourds that come with tunnels and have an option to mount vertical or horizontal. I plan to mount these horizontal, because I’ve never used this setup. Anyone have experience with this model from SK?

[SSMartin]

I have 18 of them. I wanted to set them up vertical but the gourd arms were too short before the stop nut. I changed them to horizontal and they fit perfect. To be honest they have been the least popular but I contribute that to them being the new rack last season. This will be their second season and I assume will get much more attention. I can get you a pic of them installed if you would like. They are black inside compared to other gourds and that is the main difference I have noticed which may affect the birds using them first.

[Jones4381]

I ordered a 4 pack of the SK gourds that come with tunnels and have an option to mount vertical or horizontal. I plan to mount these horizontal, because I’ve never used this setup. Anyone have experience with this model from SK?

These are called their Boaxis gourds. I had tried 2 horizontally mounted in 23' and both were occupied and fledged. I put up a new 24 gourd rack with all horizontally mounted last season and had 8 or 9 active nest in the first year as overflow from primaries. I also put up 6 vertically on an old SK-Tripole (got rid of plastic houses that never went over well in my area) and had 1 SY pair fledge 5 last year. Having the air flow cap, tunnels, and below 20.00 for a plastic gourd, I was extremely happy with their performance, thickness, and I appreciated (don't know if the birds do) the black plastic on the inside, extreme white on the outside. I think they are a great gourd and expect to see them fill up this season as we eagerly await Mid-March to Mid-April when our ASY's show. I have 32 of my 60 units with the Boaxis as I'm getting away from the Naturals (like them but to many things go wrong if not constantly maintained). Just ordered 8 Troyer Verticals to try them this year as I'm retiring 8 more naturals. I believe you'll like them and I prefer them in a horizontal configuration vs the Vertical as it gives the pairs more 'Depth' from possible owl attacks. Good luck and looking forward to your review

[killerv]

I ordered a 4 pack of the SK gourds that come with tunnels and have an option to mount vertical or horizontal. I plan to mount these horizontal, because I’ve never used this setup. Anyone have experience with this model from SK?

I'm getting away from the Naturals (like them but to many things go wrong if not constantly maintained). Just ordered 8 Troyer Verticals to try them this year as I'm retiring 8 more naturals. I believe you'll like them and I prefer them in a horizontal configuration vs the Vertical as it gives the pairs more 'Depth' from possible owl attacks. Good luck and looking forward to your review

What things go wrong with the natural gourds, outside of them simply not lasting for years due to their natural state? Reason I ask is because I need to add some more housing and I sort of want to just do an old school natural gourd setup, nothing fancy. I'm not wanting to add plastic tunnels to them, cleanouts...I sort of think that defeats the purpose of going natural. Yes, know you may have more jumpers and may be more susceptible to prey, but purple martins have thrived for many hundreds of years if not longer with natural gourds before the fancier setups came along.

[Jones4381]

I love Naturals personally and had all naturals in the beginning, I'm just to busy to maintain them. From initial prep, cleaning, cutting out hole (filing) adding the reach out and tunnel with porch, painting, re-painting, mold growth, decay, cracking, etc... I believe the PM's preferred them at my colony and they are very cool, since nature makes them and no two are the same. Every natural I had last season was occupied so I'd never encourage anyone to go plastics vs Natural it's simply a time issue currently for me. Hopefully in a few years when I retire, I'll grow my own gourds and enjoy the time it takes to adequately care for them...they're wonderful imo and preferred if you have ample time available. Good luck and don't let me dissuade you from these wonderful offerings. Good luck.

[MY FYN 79]

I built a new pole and rack setup last year. With that I added some boaxis gourds. I don’t have an established colony, so that could factor in but the martins didn’t show a ton of interest in them compared to the bo9 and bo11 gourds.

Could be the same thing for me as mentioned above, maybe year 2 will be better. The boaxis gourds are a good value, so here’s to hoping the martins like them!

[dsonyay]

I have 18 of them. I wanted to set them up vertical but the gourd arms were too short before the stop nut. I changed them to horizontal and they fit perfect. To be honest they have been the least popular but I contribute that to them being the new rack last season. This will be their second season and I assume will get much more attention. I can get you a pic of them installed if you would like. They are black inside compared to other gourds and that is the main difference I have noticed which may affect the birds using them first.

I have two BO11s with the black interior and those two always are occupied! . I hope to enjoy these new gourds coming in.

[dsonyay]

I built a new pole and rack setup last year. With that I added some boaxis gourds. I don’t have an established colony, so that could factor in but the martins didn’t show a ton of interest in them compared to the bo9 and bo11 gourds.

Could be the same thing for me as mentioned above, maybe year 2 will be better. The boaxis gourds are a good value, so here’s to hoping the martins like them!

Awesome.. I think these will work well. Everyone seems to like them. I plan to use them horizontal.

[Mstan]

I’m slowly incorporating chirpy nest into my colony. I will have 30 boxes on 3 racks. 6 chirpy nest,12 Troyer vertical gourds and 12 Troyer horizontal gourds. I believe this will complete my colony. I think I have recruited my neighbor to put up a rack. Love the Martins.

[dsonyay]

I’m slowly incorporating chirpy nest into my colony. I will have 30 boxes on 3 racks. 6 chirpy nest,12 Troyer vertical gourds and 12 Troyer horizontal gourds. I believe this will complete my colony. I think I have recruited my neighbor to put up a rack. Love the Martins.

I have 6 Chirpynests! Adding 2 more later
They are outstanding!!

[killerv]

I just ordered a 6 pack of the bo axis, we'll see how they do. I added a rack under my troyer hot deal setup where I plan to hang them. I had 19 nests last year out of 20 offered. Figured I'd add some more.