Housing Suggestions

[jtrexer4]

I'm moving to a new house and would like some housing suggestions. Presently I have a mixture of super gourds, crescent and round, and Troyer gourds. The Troyers have not worked well for me.

I am considering the Lonestar Alamo Houses or the Heritage Farm Quad Pods.

I would like some comments on both from existing users.

Also, how many Quadpods can fit on a pole.

Thanks

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Have you modified the Troyers, there has been a recent modification to give the birds better traction..

[klcretired]

The Lonestar Alamo Houses are a very good house to use and are very successful for the martins , I'm not sure about the Heritage Farm Quad Pods, I have never dealt with them and don't know anyone that has so i can't help you there. In My opinion if you offer both the houseing and a Gourd Rack you should attract Many martins useing decoy's, the dawnsong,etc,etc,etc. on my Gourd rack i use all sreh entrance holes and like you i also have Troyer's mixxed in w/ my SG's and i have been successful attracting PM's to both my houseing and my Gourd Rack , My Houseing is a Lonestar Goliad w/ all sreh's and a winch/cable setup and My Gourd rack is a Lonestar w/ all sreh's and winch/cable setup, both have preditor Guard's in place as well. In my opinion you should go w/ the alamo house i think you will be very pleased w/ it.Good luck this martin season and keep us posted on your progress and what you decide to go with.

[jtrexer4]

Have you modified the Troyers, there has been a recent modification to give the birds better traction..

My problem with the troyers is with starlings. I bought the ones that were starling resistant and still get the starlings.

[Dave S (Texas)]

My Troyers are the first occupied each season. No flyin'-rat has ever entered my Troyers. Mine don't have porches or perches, do yours? Either/both of those are of great help to both the flyin'-rats/flyin'-mice...... Check the measurement of the opening and if need be, modify it.

[Guest]

I have Heritage Farm Quad Pods. Up to 4 quads (16 pods) can be placed on one pole...

[jtrexer4]

I have Heritage Farm Quad Pods. Up to 4 quads (16 pods) can be placed on one pole...

Do you like them? Are there any +/- to them from your perspective?

Thanks

[Guest]

I really can't say yet as I'm new to PM's. When I told my girlfriend what I paid she was shocked at the expense until she saw the size and quality of the units and then understood. The system was pretty easy to put together. The pole came in 3 six foot segments and slide on top of each other at the ends to connect. While the first 2 poles were exactly vertical for some reason the top pole had a very slight slant. I adjusted it by putting a small piece of metal at the connection point to slant it back. One of the eight roofs had a bare spot where the paint had been rubbed off by heavy delivery handling but also minor and I didn't bother to touch it up. From what I have read the design is current to today's standards. So far I feel the price was worth it.

[John Barrow]

Friend in Prosper, TX, both the alamo and the quad pods are high quality products. I exclusively use lone star systems at my locations and regard that product as the best on the market today. I prefer the goliad for aesthetic reasons and because nest checks involve two versus 4 cavities of the alamo house. I also believe the goliad to be less affected by wind. In addition an add a rack, which is relatively inexpensive, can be added beneath lone star houses and up to 8 gourds purposefully hung. That combination offers the best lure to martins that I have ever seen, particularly during migration. If you do use an add a rack, weight becomes a factor. I have had no problems using 8 natural gourds, which are very light for their size. Also Troyer HGs are light and a good gourd to place on the bars of the add a rack.

I monitored a HF quad pod system last season that had 8 pods. I believe last year was the first year the product was sold on the open market. The pods offer smaller cavities (8x8 inches) than the lone star (6x12 inches). I liked the heavy duty plastic that were used to make the pods, but found them difficult to nest check. That is done by snapping off the top and looking in from above. With only two levels either a stepladder or a telescoping mirror is necessary to check the top floor. I am also uneasy removing the top of any cavity that contains older nestlings less they scatter out the top. The system does install very easily and we recently reinstalled the quad pods for this season. One problem was noted--the two tabs that hold the roof in place did not fit as tightly as when the system was new. I did bend the tabs outward, but still several of the roofs are too lose and could be blown off unless the tabs mold back into place over time.

I have two functionally full colonies. My gourds (including the add a rack offerings) will fill over 90-95%. The best success I've ever accomplished in the goliads is 8 of 12 compartments occupied. The HF system had one successful nesting pair and a second subbie pair that did not get eggs. I hung 4 natural gourds under the HF and each gourd fledged young.

I hope this helps you. Good luck with your new start. jb

[jtrexer4]

John, Thanks for all the info. I like your idea of using the goliad with attachments for gourds.

3 years ago I fledged 65 from my gourds, and 2 years ago it was around 40.