nest trays

clivia98 · Sat Feb 16, 2019 8:21 pm

Hi everyone,

This year I added nest trays to my houses to make nest checks easier and to add additional protection for the birds. Do the martins take readily to them? I'm still waiting for them to start staying in the house. Today I had a pair come in late in the evening but did not see them enter. I was wondering if the change made by adding the nest trays would make them reluctant to enter. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks,

Jerry

Conrad Baker · Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:35 am

I don't think adding nest trays will make Martins look elsewhere, and I don't think having them will attract more Martins. If they are comfortable with the housing, it probably won't make a difference either way.

sssSMOKING · Sun Feb 17, 2019 9:03 am

Martins took right to my nest trays. Last year was the first year, I added more for this year. Makes nest cleaning much easier.
Richard

C.C.Martins · Sun Feb 17, 2019 9:11 am

As long as the tray isnt blocking their way in or after they start using the cavity cant pop up and block access you will be fine, its a good way to do the nest replacements and easy for nest checks. Its a good upgrade and they will accept it just fine

They zip in very fast and is over in a second when they come in. Sometimes if you just listen you can hear them calling softly, other times nothing but they are there.
Tom

Dave Reynolds · Sun Feb 17, 2019 9:24 am

Conrad Baker wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:35 am
I don't think adding nest trays will make Martins look elsewhere, and I don't think having them will attract more Martins. If they are comfortable with the housing, it probably won't make a difference either way.

.
..
Well said Conrad Baker --- It won't make a difference to the Martins.. But It will make a difference to you as far as nest checks and nest replacements are concerned.. Sometimes it's a lot harder to clean up the nesting box area, after the Martins have gone for the year. The nest trays are a lot easier to handle and clean up..

Dave

Doug Martin - PA · Sun Feb 17, 2019 10:26 am

Yes for a few reasons. You have not stated what kind of trays you have added however.

1. Nest trays will change the distance from the inside floor to the bottom of a starling resistant entrance and could greatly effect entering and exiting depending on the thickness.

2. Some nest trays are slippery so add something for traction if this is the case.

I changed nest trays in my T-14 from the thick wood ones to the black wax coated type. I had to make provisions for both of those factors. Once pine straw is added they would not know the difference whether there is a tray or not however.

Doug

clivia98 · Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:53 pm

Hi everyone,

I have to say thank you, first of all, for all the responses and reassurances. I am happy to report that I had a pair stay over last night and they went in and out of compartment #2 with ease. I am extremely excited to say the least!! Happy season.

Jerry

flyin-lowe · Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:35 pm

After I built my T14 I build wood nest trays for all of them. I am not sure what type of housing or trays you have. A few things I did was made sure the front edge of the nest tray does not interfere with the opening. I used scrap pieces of 1X lumber so they bottoms are 3/4" thick. I cut a bevel/angle on the front so it doesn't block the entrance. The other thing I did was I made the side walls and back wall tall enough that it goes all the way to the "ceiling" inside the house. I had heard of older baby martins jumping around when the nest trays are being pushed back in. Someone on here had young martins jump over the back of the nest tray while it was being pushed in and they smashed it behind not knowing it was back there.
The other thing I love about the nest trays is that when I first put the house up I can put them in backwards to keep the HOSP out until the martins start arriving.

Dave Reynolds · Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:44 pm

Flying-Lowe.... Great point on the wall height of the nest tray.. Also turning the nest trays around backwards and putting it back in the box to help keep other birds is good idea. I do that in the early Spring before the Martins arrive, it does help keep the Sparrows and Starling out

Dave

clivia98 · Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:22 pm

Flyin-lowe...thanks for the great ideas. The nest trays I have are the ones I bought from the PMCA shop. They are specifically for the Trendsetter houses that I have. I will be extra careful, thanks to you, that when I put the trays back in, to make sure all the chicks are where they're suppose to be. Great idea about using them as a way to block the entrances to keep sparrows out. Thanks again.