Is there and special prep for the eggs shells. My kids love hard boiled eggs. Will the egg shells from those eggs work? Will shells from raw eggs work or does something need to be done to them. I don't have a feeder on a pole so what other way can they be offered? I do have a bluebird feeder, it is about 4 feet from the ground will that work if I put the shell on the roof of the feeder? What else can I offer them? I saw oyster shells, where do I get those from?
I need anything I can get to convince martins to come and stay. I had a visitor for a few days and now he is gone. It even seemed, from looking in the box, that he might have been staying the night or at least going in a room/compartment several times. I had to lower the house 2 days in a row because of storms that picked up suddenly. I lowered it all the way to look and then raised it back up to about 3/4 of the way. He was never around when I lowered it. The story on him can be read on another thread, "He's still here...".
Eggs shells, etc
I'm new at this myself so I can't give an educated answer to your question. I used a disc from a disc harrow and placed it on the ground below the houses. I used raw egg shells and cracked them into tiny pieces. Are they using them? I really don't know. I think the more experience landlords use feeding trays on a pole.
dc1gator@CoyoteRidge
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Mary Dawnsong
- Posts: 1685
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:17 pm
- Location: Michigan, Livingston County
Martins can get food poisoning from improperly prepared eggshell.
There is an archived post from PMCA on preparation:
http://purplemartin.org/forumarchives/a ... llPrep.htm
Crushed oyster shell is cheap, readily available at feed stores, and much easier than preparing egg shell. Plus PMCA research has shown better results with oyster shell. For more info, read through this chain:
http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7331
There is an archived post from PMCA on preparation:
http://purplemartin.org/forumarchives/a ... llPrep.htm
Crushed oyster shell is cheap, readily available at feed stores, and much easier than preparing egg shell. Plus PMCA research has shown better results with oyster shell. For more info, read through this chain:
http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7331
Click here to see my colony
"In Michigan every martin matters"
"In Michigan every martin matters"
JHough,
I get my oyster shells trom the local farmers Co-op. Got a 25 # bag for less than $5. btw get the pullet size but if you cannot then you can put some in a good bag and further crush them. this bag will probably last 2-3 years if I keep them dry. Good luck and many PM's John
I get my oyster shells trom the local farmers Co-op. Got a 25 # bag for less than $5. btw get the pullet size but if you cannot then you can put some in a good bag and further crush them. this bag will probably last 2-3 years if I keep them dry. Good luck and many PM's John