Getting ready for spring...Bird houses!

[Yettiatcpg]

I didn't want to extend the nest box thread since its like 2 years old. figured I would start fresh since I'm new here.
I build a few different kinds but one of my newest designs was made for hanging in fence rows. I have never seen anything similar.

me and my sons made 79 in 3 days one Christmas Vacation.


a couple things I have learned about building for cold climates. do not paint horizontal surfaces made of OSB or structure wood. it turns into a sponge. the paint traps water and it freezes ripping the wood to shreds.

 

[Yettiatcpg]

How big can they get?
at this point its out of control.

let me explain. this ugly pile of sticks was a play set in the my inlaws neighbors yard. the roof is shingled and was about 12-14 feet in the air. it took 6 people to lift to the ground and load on my trailer. it sat all winter in the yard on saw horses. I got a bug in my butt to build a deer blind to hunt from. I hate sitting out in the rain. with the help of my son I managed to make what in the picture above. by the time it was done I had this.


put it down in my back field and it didn't get used for a year or so.

then came the geese...
I needed a bigger bird house. so it got tore apart and things got weird.


I had read about some English bloke who came up with this slatted floor. he used it for ducks. I upped the anti going with geese. they make a mess.
I cut the floor boards on a 15* angle and they gave a 1 1/16" reveal on top. thats enough that the feet of the animals are supported. however the gaps are 5/8"-3/4" apart to let waste fall through. every board and wedge is nailed and glued. this took a whole week while I was off on knee replacement surgery. it was tough but I got it done.
the blind turned coop has been changed a bit.

the best part is once it sits long enough I move it and rotor tiller the waste under and make way for a future garden spot.

[Rob.Wilson]

Hi Yetti 

What sort of birds do you get nesting in those nest boxes ?


Rob

[Divided he ad]

I just found this and was wondering the same Rob....

That's a lot of bird boxes. Are you trying to save any particular species Yetti?



 That goose coop... Huge! Does the job well from the sound of it..... Also, how much land do you have!? 

Looks like a farm...?





Ralph.

[Yettiatcpg]

I build primarily for eastern bluebirds. I also get swallows and wrens. bluebirds make a bunch of dummy nests so you have to build at least 6-7 houses for each nesting pair. the wrens like the houses with slightly smaller opening to keep the cow birds out.
I am working out a Kestral box plan now. they are very territorial and they will keep vultures and hawks away.

as for the yard I just have 8 acres. its all fenced. I have it broke into to 2 pastures and two pens

[Divided he ad]

Thanks for the info 

6-7 nests per pair!! Talk about paranoid birds! (not to mention over worked) 

And I have to ask.... What's a "cow bird"?

I'm not really a twitcher (bird watcher). But I do like to know what I'm looking at when I see it. So try to ID most wildlife when I find it.

as for the yard I just have 8 acres

  You do realise that I'm a Brit? That's like a small farm over here!   





Ralph.

[Yettiatcpg]

http://www.sialis.org/cowbirds.htm

8 acres is small farm here to. as for being Brit...my grand pa (on my dads side) was from there.

[Yettiatcpg]

here is a close up of the other floor I did for the duck hut. it did the cuts at 7* instead of 15* to get narrower boards for their smaller feet. it doesn't work near as good as the 15* floor. it gets a lot of bridging between boards and doesn't self clean as good.

[Divided he ad]

What I'd do if I could afford that much land.....   

I think I'd have to marry a farmers daughter!!

Duck hut....
I'm gonna guess that smells pretty bad.... Thankfully smellyvision was never really pursued!   




Ralph.

[Yettiatcpg]

smell isn't an issue. the huts are ventilated pretty good. its more important to keep the humidity down and to keep mold down & feathers dry.
if you have a solid floor where ammonia can collect then yes you'd have smell.

[75Plus]

I am working out a Kestral box plan now. they are very territorial and they will keep vultures and hawks away.

The problem with Kestrals is that only eat other birds. Usually small birds like Bluebirds and Wrens.

Joe

[Yettiatcpg]

I understand the draw backs of having some critters around. as is I have Falcon, red tail hawks, Ravens, crows and 2-3 kinds of owls. I had a great horned do a drop in on me one night when I disturbed him scoping out the hay field next door. couldn't have been 5 feet in front of me when he went by. as is the Birds I keep as pets have a bit of priority at this point. from everything I have read the Kestrels can and will drive away the other predator birds.