Need some advice

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phillip26r
Posts: 104
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:52 pm
Location: Tennessee/Lexington

After reading this forum and this site's other resources, I have decided to modify my PM house to 6"X12" compartments. I am in my second year of trying to attract PMs and am wondering if I need to go ahead and install the SREHs or wait until the birds are established.

Below is a sample pic from the retailer's website of my PM house

Image
Nanette
Posts: 579
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Virginia/Woodbridge

Hi Phillip,
IMO, if you have Starlings, put in the SREHs. That just gives you one less thing to worry about. Most Martins figure them out pretty quickly. Good Luck!
Fledge on!
Nanette
Guest

Hi,
i would go ahead and change them now. That way, if you have star/spar, you can kinda eliminate them now, instead of when the PMs get there.

Chuck
Guest

Phillip, on slick surfaces, put a thin layer of caulking inside
and outsid the entrances, then mark across with a course comb,
this gives them the traction they need to learn the sreh.
phillip26r
Posts: 104
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:52 pm
Location: Tennessee/Lexington

When converting to the larger compartments, can I cut an opening, say, 3"X3" in the center wall, and use that piece of plastic to cover the other hole? Is it safe to use small screws to attach it as long as the screws enter from the inside?
Nanette
Posts: 579
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 7:07 pm
Location: Virginia/Woodbridge

Hi Phillip,
Go to this archive link:

http://www.purplemartin.org/update/9(3)trio.html
Entitled: Making A Good Thing Even Better

Hopefully it will answer some of your questions. About covering the holes, use the entry hole covers that came with your house.
Fledge on!
Nanette
Matt F.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:48 am
Location: Houston, TX

Greeting Phillip.

It appears from the picture, that you have a Blitz brand martin house.

Cutting a hole in the center wall as you mentioned should work great.

Your idea for covering the holes with the plastic material that you remove from the dividers should work fine too.

As for the screws, you may want to dab a little caulk on the ends of the screws protruding outside, just to cover the sharp ends.

I'm not too familiar with the Blitz houses. Hopefully someone else may have some better insight.
Image
CUL Lou~Mich

Phillip26r. I'd never use screws. I'd much rather use a small bolt and nut. Reason being, the screw is sharp, whereas the bolt is not. CUL Lou
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