Converting a Trio M12K to 6 units

greenporter · Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:12 am

It seems like the M12K's do not have a universal design. All of the instructions I have read show how to do one front-to-back and two left-to-right units per level. But mine does not have a structural back wall to the units. The back "wall" is actually comprised of individual blank doors hung from one of those aluminum rods, which are threaded at the ends with nuts on the outside.

So.... easy-peasy. Just remove the rod and the back wall partitions, which I can re-use in place of openings on the outside, and I will have three front-to-back units per level. Right?

Kyler · Mon Mar 06, 2017 10:41 am

Yes that is exactly right. The middle walls are just like the doors they hang on the aluminum rods. I started out with drilling mine out and then I found out that you can just take the whole wall out! That gives you some room so maybe if you want to can add nesting trays at some point. My martins love the enlarged comparments. Which equals more babies and more eggs! I have pictures that I will post later of mine!

The MSS12W or MSS12R houses are the ones that the pole goes up though the house so you have to drill out holes to allow you to make them larger! M12K's are way easier to work with in my opinion. I have 2 M12K's at my home and 2 MSS12W's at the golf course! But anways good luck!

Kyler,

greenporter · Mon Mar 06, 2017 12:39 pm

Kyler wrote:Yes that is exactly right. The middle walls are just like the doors they hang on the aluminum rods. I started out with drilling mine out and then I found out that you can just take the whole wall out! That gives you some room so maybe if you want to can add nesting trays at some point. My martins love the enlarged comparments. Which equals more babies and more eggs! I have pictures that I will post later of mine!

The MSS12W or MSS12R houses are the ones that the pole goes up though the house so you have to drill out holes to allow you to make them larger! M12K's are way easier to work with in my opinion. I have 2 M12K's at my home and 2 MSS12W's at the golf course! But anways good luck!

Kyler,

Kyle, thanks for confirming that. I think my M12K house is 30+ years old, so it is not unusual there would be some design changes. Do you have your M12k's on single or MP poles? Curious about the nesting trays for them too... source and pictures would be super.

Jim

Kyler · Mon Mar 06, 2017 5:53 pm

Okay here is a picture from last year with some babies. As you can see the middle rod at the top of the compartment. I now have taken it out for this year. But you can kinda see how the middle walls come out. Normally they have bolts and nuts holding the walls down so just take them out and remove the wall just like you are opening one of the entrance doors!

No I don't have my houses on a Mutipurpose pole at my house. But I have my two MSS12W houses on a Mutipurpose pole at the Golf Course. But mine at home are on singles. This was my colony in 2016

This is my colony for 2017. I replaced the S&K with the Mini Castle and Added a Gourd Rack!

Hope this helps!!

Kyler,

greenporter · Mon Mar 06, 2017 8:08 pm

Yes, that is really nice. Thanks for sharing, gives me ideas!

Kyler · Wed Mar 15, 2017 5:45 pm

Greenporter,
Sorry I didnt see that you wanted to see nest trays too. But I just ordered mine a couple days ago so I will post a picture when they get here!

jerickey · Mon Mar 20, 2017 2:31 pm

What size are the holes in the entry of the purple martin house?

Kyler · Mon Mar 20, 2017 4:27 pm

Is this question for greenporter or for my houses? Sorry just dont understand!

Kyler,

jerickey · Mon Mar 20, 2017 7:55 pm

Kyler wrote:Is this question for greenporter or for my houses? Sorry just dont understand!

Kyler,

I found the info I needed. I'm a newbie and trying to attract Birds with my first house. I've downsized my holes to a crescent 1 3/16 tall and 3 inches wide at bottom. I did not kno where to put the question. Thanks for your responce.

Kyler · Mon Mar 20, 2017 10:59 pm

Alright sorry I wasn't sure. Crescents are a great hole to start out with. Just make sure your bottom of the entrances are about 1/8 inch off the porch. Or starlings can pass them. The S&K houses are about a inch and a half off the porch and I had starlings breach them at my old site. But anyways I wish you luck and hope you have a great season.

Kyler,