Bo Nine PIUS, How to Install a Tunnel

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philsand
Posts: 107
Joined: Mon May 18, 2015 9:54 am
Location: Eastern nc

S and K will not answer this for me. They just send directions for adding tunnels to regular Bo Nines.
SoIndyDon
Posts: 237
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:45 am
Location: Indiana/Scottsburg

Process is same for Bo 9 and Bo 9 plus. The front flat face of the 2 gourds are the same dimension, so the instructions are the same. Same is true of the Bo 11 and Bo 11 Plus gourds.
I remember the procedure included cutting the front face along indention lines. I used a drill hole to access the indention line with a saber saw. Next drill the holes for the 4 plastic push pins to hold the tunnel onto the face of the gourd. After inserting porch, attach the tunnel to the face of the gourd with the push pins.
Hope this helps. I really like my Bo 11 and Bo 11 Plus gourds with the tunnels. The Bo 9's are a good size, but my older chicks have room to stretch out.
Fledged over 3,000 martins in beautiful southern Indiana since 1996.
Started 2 colonies and mentored 3 colonies with total fledged >4,000 martins into the world.
Robert Anderson
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:22 am
Location: Mt. Pleasant, IA
Martin Colony History: 2018: 0 pair
2019: 0 pair
2020: 0 pair: 1 ASY male visitor
2021: 3 pair: 13 eggs

philsand wrote:
Thu Jun 24, 2021 7:52 pm
S and K will not answer this for me. They just send directions for adding tunnels to regular Bo Nines.
Did you remember to cut out the face of the Bo 9 before attaching the tunnel? It really opens up the interior and makes it much more suitable to martins, especially as they near fledging size.

Speaking of Bo 9s, I figured out how to add the PMCA Owl guards to the tunnels to provide extra protection.
2018: 0 pair
2019: 0 pair
2020: 0 pair: 1 ASY male visitor
2021: 3 pair: 13 eggs

16 S&K Bo 9 double stacked gourds; 8 PMCA Excluder Gourds; 2 Trio metal houses converted from 12 units down to 6.
Robert Anderson
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:22 am
Location: Mt. Pleasant, IA
Martin Colony History: 2018: 0 pair
2019: 0 pair
2020: 0 pair: 1 ASY male visitor
2021: 3 pair: 13 eggs

The pictures are too large to attach, so here is a link if anyone is interested.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fPXBioEGEfXAW5HN6
2018: 0 pair
2019: 0 pair
2020: 0 pair: 1 ASY male visitor
2021: 3 pair: 13 eggs

16 S&K Bo 9 double stacked gourds; 8 PMCA Excluder Gourds; 2 Trio metal houses converted from 12 units down to 6.
Cjs180
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu May 28, 2020 8:17 pm
Location: Oshkosh WI

Thanks Robert! I book marked that for this winter. Will install the owl guards on mine.
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