I was given a used Trio 12 compartment house, and pole, with a pulley system. I will have to modify the openings to SREH because of a starling problem here. Instead of 12 individual compartments I am considering converting to 6- 2 room suites does this sound like the right thing to do?
I am considering making the suites lengthwise and blocking the rear hole intirely except for some venting. This way the nest will probably be in the back compartment with an intrance compartment. I found that as the birds get larger the mother moves them to the compartment near the intrance for ease of feeding. I will be putting this house about 10 ft from my waters edge house which I had one nesting pair this year.
Am I on track?
Trio Grandpa house
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Joeincan
That's the right train. There's an informational sheet on the homepage here for modifying Trio houses. You can always vary things a bit. Some folks like to take the interior wall out. I keep it in as it creates a secluded back nesting chamber. Older nestlings that have moved front in the day probably move back there at night.
I think aluminum housing north of the Ohio River is better for martins if it's insulated. It's still got an open door, but martins roost pressed up against the exterior walls sometimes, pretty cold at night and pretty hot in the Midwest on a summer day. One can glue 1/4 inch sheets of styrofoam to the inside of the exterior walls, using a very thin layer of construction adhesive. Your fellow Canadian landlords probably have more experience with insulating houses of all types.
John Miller
That's the right train. There's an informational sheet on the homepage here for modifying Trio houses. You can always vary things a bit. Some folks like to take the interior wall out. I keep it in as it creates a secluded back nesting chamber. Older nestlings that have moved front in the day probably move back there at night.
I think aluminum housing north of the Ohio River is better for martins if it's insulated. It's still got an open door, but martins roost pressed up against the exterior walls sometimes, pretty cold at night and pretty hot in the Midwest on a summer day. One can glue 1/4 inch sheets of styrofoam to the inside of the exterior walls, using a very thin layer of construction adhesive. Your fellow Canadian landlords probably have more experience with insulating houses of all types.
John Miller
I'd consider doing some front to back and some side to side that way you spread the entrances out and help defeat the tendancy of males to dominate a floor or side. I think having only 3 pairs coming in and out from one side rather than 6 you will have a better chance of having a greater percentage of occupancy.
my 2 cents
tom
my 2 cents
tom
2004 3pr 13 f 2005 18pr 80 f 2006 36 pr 138 f
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
Joeincan,
That is a great martin house!
As far as making the compartments larger, you'll only be able to make the compartments on the ends 6"X12" straight back, due to the Grandpa having the pole running in between the center compartments. If you do it that way, it'll leave you stuck with the center compartments 6"x6".
If you want to create a full six 6"X12" compartments, some are going to have to have a 90 degree turn.
The Trio Pioneer and Duracraft DR-12N, are the the only 2 Trio models that facilitate making all of the compartments 6"X12" straight back.
Here's that link John had mentioned:
http://www.purplemartin.org/update/9(3)trio.html
(The entire above URL doesn't seem to be linking, so you'll have to copy and paste the enitre line into your browser)
Keep us posted.
Matt
That is a great martin house!
As far as making the compartments larger, you'll only be able to make the compartments on the ends 6"X12" straight back, due to the Grandpa having the pole running in between the center compartments. If you do it that way, it'll leave you stuck with the center compartments 6"x6".
If you want to create a full six 6"X12" compartments, some are going to have to have a 90 degree turn.
The Trio Pioneer and Duracraft DR-12N, are the the only 2 Trio models that facilitate making all of the compartments 6"X12" straight back.
Here's that link John had mentioned:
http://www.purplemartin.org/update/9(3)trio.html
(The entire above URL doesn't seem to be linking, so you'll have to copy and paste the enitre line into your browser)
Keep us posted.
Matt
Last edited by Matt F. on Fri Nov 25, 2005 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Guest
Joe,
If you're going to enlarge the compartments, I'd definitely recommend using SREHs. If you modfify them front to back, you'll get only 4 enlarged compartments, but this is the easier than making the mods to get 6. You might want to start this way. That's what I did before going to 6 compartments. I used a 2-1/8" hole saw so I could later plug holes with door stops (as required) in making 6 enlarged compartments. I made the holes' edges 1" from a wall and the floor.
In addition to the link given by Matt, please see www.purplemartin.org/LOY/LOY1995.html for a description of how one landlord made these mods. If you make them as described there, you will end up with 2 compartments where the martins go straight ahead, 2 where they make a left turn to enter, 2 where they make a right turn, and the smaller center compartments are entry ones (vice nesting ones). I recommend porch dividers; one will be needed for the front and one for the back.
Tony
If you're going to enlarge the compartments, I'd definitely recommend using SREHs. If you modfify them front to back, you'll get only 4 enlarged compartments, but this is the easier than making the mods to get 6. You might want to start this way. That's what I did before going to 6 compartments. I used a 2-1/8" hole saw so I could later plug holes with door stops (as required) in making 6 enlarged compartments. I made the holes' edges 1" from a wall and the floor.
In addition to the link given by Matt, please see www.purplemartin.org/LOY/LOY1995.html for a description of how one landlord made these mods. If you make them as described there, you will end up with 2 compartments where the martins go straight ahead, 2 where they make a left turn to enter, 2 where they make a right turn, and the smaller center compartments are entry ones (vice nesting ones). I recommend porch dividers; one will be needed for the front and one for the back.
Tony