Will scouts come back if their house is lowered?

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[email protected]
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2025 4:39 pm
Location: Louisiana

I had to lower my Purple Martin houses due to heavy winds. I added gourds below the houses on gourd brackets and that added weight. I due plan on lifting them after the heavy winds subside. I’m wondering if my scouts will still come back to their houses now that they are lowered about 5 feet lower than it was last time they were here.
h2y
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2023 3:34 am
Location: La Grange, TX
Martin Colony History: est. 2001.
336 6x12" suites; 8"x5' duct
pipe snake guards; nest 15'
poles to 9'. Pre-spray Bifen
inside houses each year; pre-
load "bedrooms" with pine
needles. Feed crows for hawk
control; Tempo dust for mites.

YES, absolutely. I've had mine at 9' to the bottom of the houses, year round, for years. 15' tri-tel poles (3 pcs) nested down to 9', thereby 6' of the pole system is double walled, eliminating bending. When big oaks are swaying in high winds, these are just wobbling. Has withstood 60+ mph winds.
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Last edited by h2y on Sun Jan 25, 2026 8:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
[email protected]
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2025 4:39 pm
Location: Louisiana

Thank you for the quick reply. What an outstanding setup you have. The Martin’s do love the S&K housing. Can you tell me about your predator gaurds?
h2y
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2023 3:34 am
Location: La Grange, TX
Martin Colony History: est. 2001.
336 6x12" suites; 8"x5' duct
pipe snake guards; nest 15'
poles to 9'. Pre-spray Bifen
inside houses each year; pre-
load "bedrooms" with pine
needles. Feed crows for hawk
control; Tempo dust for mites.

[email protected] wrote:
Thu Jan 22, 2026 8:34 am
Thank you for the quick reply. What an outstanding setup you have. The Martin’s do love the S&K housing. Can you tell me about your predator gaurds?
Thanks for the kind words. The guards: 8 inch diameter by 5 feet long AC duct pipe. The 8" caps are 2 pieces crimped together, easily break & need Gooping. After cutting out for the pole, then rivet the cap to the duct pipe with 1/4 x 1/2" aluminum rivets (or sheetmetal screws) in 3 spots. Are you using the tri-tel pole? You want the second section as high as possible to minimize how much the third (skinniest, weakest) section is solely protruding. I remove/disable the spring pins (too hard to release & slide the house at the same time), rivet the bottom of the lower adapter at 22 1/2" from the top of this skinny section for a double stacked house (10" on a single house). Slide this skinny section down into the second section, then the unattached guard, then the second adapter, then the house. This way all the weight of the add-ons is resting on top of the second section and the pole will reach the bottom of the upper floor of the house. TIP: bevel grinding the top of the skinny section makes it easier to slide thru the house. TMI? You might also check out Martinmelody's recent post "S & K MARTIN HOUSE" for more info.

I prefer these bought solid caps over fabricating a wire mesh type, which also entice the snake up by smell. My wire mesh fabrication didn't seem that stout. Besides, you can always drill some small holes in the cap to lure, but for what? I just want 'em gone.
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2 Pole adapters.JPG
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Pole Adapter , rivet.JPG
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Cap cut-out.JPG
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Cap Gooped 2.JPG
(2.1 MiB) Not downloaded yet
Pole spring pin removal.JPG
(1.34 MiB) Not downloaded yet
Guard rivet.JPG
(1.29 MiB) Not downloaded yet
Last edited by h2y on Wed Feb 04, 2026 1:37 pm, edited 8 times in total.
[email protected]
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2025 4:39 pm
Location: Louisiana

Where did you purchase the pole adapters?
h2y
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Mar 04, 2023 3:34 am
Location: La Grange, TX
Martin Colony History: est. 2001.
336 6x12" suites; 8"x5' duct
pipe snake guards; nest 15'
poles to 9'. Pre-spray Bifen
inside houses each year; pre-
load "bedrooms" with pine
needles. Feed crows for hawk
control; Tempo dust for mites.

The manufacturer
Last edited by h2y on Wed Feb 04, 2026 1:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
[email protected]
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2025 4:39 pm
Location: Louisiana

Thank you!
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