I use the aluminum crescent plates from PMCA for my openings on several of my houses and don't believe I've had any problems with starlings. I use them on my North Stars. I place them on top of the porches. The plate has 1/2 inch space between the bottom and the crescent bottom, plenty of space to c...

I use a 10x21x21/4 inch black plastic seed growing tray. I built a wooden frame the tray fits into. The tray is secured in the wood frame with a couple of homemade stops on each end that cover the top of the tray so it doesn't blow away. Yes, even at 21/4 inches tall I will lose stuff like meal worm...

I have a feeder station next to my houses and gourds. I supply it with dried meal worms, oyster shell, chicken egg shell, and pine straw. I usually rehydrate the meal worms so that they don't blow away. I never had to toss food in the air to attract them. They just came because they are inquisitive....

T-Bird, They do not extend to the entrances. They are made with 1/4 inch thick wood, are aprox. 5 3/4 w x 6 1/4 l. They are a wood floor and a wood front that is 1 1/4 inches tall measured from inside the tray. The sides and backs are wrapped with 3 inch tall aluminum flashing. I had a nail protrudi...

I made my nest trays for my Trendsetter 26 and place them on top of the mesh screens. I think the trays will stay drier being on the screens and not on the floors. I've done this since day one, about 8 years.

Dave

50 years since the last Superbowl. We are due. Go Chiefs!

Dave

I have trio houses and the paint I found that was close to the trio color was rustoleum hunter green spray paint.

Dave

Gun, I'm just east of Kansas City Mo. and have built two, three level North Star houses. The birds really like them. The plans as you know are pretty easy to understand. The one thing I don't like about them is that 1/2 inch plywood isused to build the house. Because of the plywood and paint not sti...

Bigger the better. I bought the 3 inch pole and winch. If you can afford it buy it. I think it would survive most storms but I play it safe and lower all my houses 3 0r 4 feet before storms. I've had poles bent and don't want togo thru that again. I have 2 trio m12k houses on it. Martins seem to lik...

Steve, I put the bed and breakfast up in the spring when the martins start showing up, around the middle of march. I have eggshell, oyster shell, meal worms, and pine straw all in a 10x21 inch black seed tray with slots in the bottom for drainage. I microwave the chicken egg shells for around a minu...

I've been fighting owls for 6-7 years. They are trying to wipe me out. I hate owls. If you attract any, you are playing with fire. They will in time find the martins and kill them. It's very stressful.

Dave

I have some of this and was wondering if it is as durable as red cedar. I want to replace the rotting porches on my North Star that are plywood with this aromatic cedar. Anybody know?

Dave

Steve, I have motion detector lights on my poles. They did nothing to the barred owls but gave them more light to hunt.

Dave

I use 3/16 inch cable on my T-14 house which is over a hundred pounds. No problem at all.

Dave

I never saw my owls reach into the openings and grab birds. The seven or eight inches between the porches and wire was ok for that. My owls would hang on the wire flapping their wings and making a commotion causing martins to freak out and try to escape. That's when the owls would grab. My new cages...

I guess I'm going to try to make my cages larger around my houses. I'm hoping to have around 12inches of space between porch and fence. I'm thinking about using goat and sheep welded wire which is a 4x4 inch mesh to try and keep the weight to a minimum. I've only used 2x4 inch wire. Has anybody used...

Thankyou all for the feedback. All my seven houses have 2x4 inch wire that is about 4-7 inches away from the front of the porches except the T14. I wrapped the wire around the T14 owl guards so that is only a couple inches off the porches. I've seen owls fly head on and crash into the doors and grab...

Kyler, sorry to hear and see this. I've been thru bent trio poles in the past several times. I eventually bought new poles for my castle and minicastle and placed pipe or conduit inside them. They became pretty heavy duty. I did that six or seven years ago and haven't had any problems. But I still t...

Yes, they are barred owls, a male and a female. I have flood lights in my back yard that I turn on every night and I have motion detected lights on top of my poles. Never seen anything but owls. They attack between 9:30 pm to 5:00 am about every night. You are right Gray Fox, if they would just stay...

Dave, that's the post I built in 05 for my T14. Again, it's in the Troyer plan book. The secret in laminating is that the treated lumber that's being used is dry. Also use a good waterproof glue like Titebond III or Gorilla Glue. And use lots of it on all sides. I think I stored the wood in the gara...