Good morning, all!
What to do?
I have more PMs than the house accommodates and there are many fights. They get tangled and stuck. I have gone up the ladder everyday to untangle them.
The males are trying to kill other males.
Do I let them work it out or what? I hate to hear them fight and get stuck.
Thoughts??
LisaJ
More PMs than apartments
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3190
- 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:
HOSP: 12 Starlings: 10
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 4 natural 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:
PMCA member
Tangled in what? Wing entrapment? Please let us know what you mean.
Its a good problem to have Lisa...running out of room that is. If its just fighting, its all normal. Let them Duke it out. They have to go through it.
Its a good problem to have Lisa...running out of room that is. If its just fighting, its all normal. Let them Duke it out. They have to go through it.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3699
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
The only options you have are to let them fight it out or expand. Pluses to both.... If you can't afford, don't have the room, or just don't want to expand, you will send martins out to another location, hopefully helping a new landlord start their colony. If you don't expand it would be a good idea to keep checking every day for entrapments, at least until they sort things out.
What is your current housing set up? There may be some wing guards available depending on what you have.
What is your current housing set up? There may be some wing guards available depending on what you have.
2025 HOSP count-9
2024 60 pair, HOSP count-44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP count-8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP count-14
2021 62 nest fledged aprox. 230, HOSP count-9
2020 42 nest, Fledged 164, HOSP count-8
2019- 31 Pair over 100 fledged
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair nested, 12 eggs total, fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles away, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2024 60 pair, HOSP count-44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP count-8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP count-14
2021 62 nest fledged aprox. 230, HOSP count-9
2020 42 nest, Fledged 164, HOSP count-8
2019- 31 Pair over 100 fledged
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair nested, 12 eggs total, fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles away, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
Thanks, guys!
They are getting tangled up with each other. A wing will stick out of the ventilation area at the top of each apartment.
One PM is stuck by his wing plus, the other one is on top pecking.
I think I will have to let them figure it out.
I’ll send a picture in a second.
4 entrances on both sides.
They are getting tangled up with each other. A wing will stick out of the ventilation area at the top of each apartment.
One PM is stuck by his wing plus, the other one is on top pecking.
I think I will have to let them figure it out.
I’ll send a picture in a second.
4 entrances on both sides.
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3190
- 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:
HOSP: 12 Starlings: 10
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 4 natural 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:
PMCA member
The pics didn't go, its difficult on here, has to be so many mb.
Difficult to say if you need to intercede. Some wing entrapment occurs when fighting, they get hopelessly stuck. Most of the time, its just a fight. Iv only broken up two.
I think what flyin lowe is alluding to is a Wing Entrapment Protector over the entrance, adds a thicker entrance. Keep their wings from getting stuck.
Really need that picture to see what is going on Lisa.
Difficult to say if you need to intercede. Some wing entrapment occurs when fighting, they get hopelessly stuck. Most of the time, its just a fight. Iv only broken up two.
I think what flyin lowe is alluding to is a Wing Entrapment Protector over the entrance, adds a thicker entrance. Keep their wings from getting stuck.
Really need that picture to see what is going on Lisa.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
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hobbiehobbie
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2021 9:09 am
- Location: Tuscaloosa AL
I'm having similar problems. I haven't gotten a perfect count yet, but it seems like I have way more males than females. It has been like a battlefield out there for the last few days. Lots and lots of fighting. I saw one ASY grab another by the head and just yanked him right out of the gourd entrance! Brutal!
I have witnessed what I believe to be two separate occurrences of wing entrapment. They were both able to wiggle free before I got the gourd rack lowered. One of them was in an old S&K and the other was in a Troyer. They flew away like they we ok, but I worry about potential injuries....especially since my happy little colony has recently turned in to a war zone
I don't have any wing entrapment protection that I know of. I'll get busy researching to figure out what I can do to prevent this. I have a mix of old S&Ks, Troyer (horizontal and verticals) and also a couple of natural gourds. I am checking them frequently so I can hopefully intervene if one of my little warriors gets stuck.
I have witnessed what I believe to be two separate occurrences of wing entrapment. They were both able to wiggle free before I got the gourd rack lowered. One of them was in an old S&K and the other was in a Troyer. They flew away like they we ok, but I worry about potential injuries....especially since my happy little colony has recently turned in to a war zone
I don't have any wing entrapment protection that I know of. I'll get busy researching to figure out what I can do to prevent this. I have a mix of old S&Ks, Troyer (horizontal and verticals) and also a couple of natural gourds. I am checking them frequently so I can hopefully intervene if one of my little warriors gets stuck.
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Phil01
- Posts: 295
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:42 pm
- Location: Fernandina Beach FL
- Martin Colony History: 34 Cavities offered.
24 unit gourd rack with Troyer Horizontal and Vertical Gourds. Sunset Inn aluminum house with 4 Troyer Horizontal Gourds.
2020- 1 pair, 4 eggs, fledged 3
2021- 3 pair, 15 eggs, fledged 8
2022- 5 pair, 26 eggs, fledged 21
2023- 10 pair, 53 eggs, fledged 27
2024- 26 pair, 125 eggs, fledged 83
PMCA Member
The Troyers should have the WEPS on them already. If memory serves me, some of the older Troyer gourds didn’t have them but I could be wrong…. Look on the inside of the entrance and you’ll see where it’s thicker.. That’s the WEPS.
I have all Troyer so unfamiliar with the S&K. I’m sure others will chime in.
Good luck this season!
Phil
I have all Troyer so unfamiliar with the S&K. I’m sure others will chime in.
Good luck this season!
Phil
PMCA member
Fernandina Beach, FL
Fernandina Beach, FL