Nesting materials

jhcox · Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:18 pm

Should you put nesting materials in all gourds. I use Pineneedles and was wondering if I should put needles in all of my Gourds. I have 24 total.
Thanks JHCox Heiskell TN

Dale D · Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:25 pm

Personally I pre-nest all gourds and house compartment boxes with Pine Needles.

Kyler · Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:45 pm

I also prenest all my compartments. I use pine needles which I make a little bowl with then I take old oak leaves and put them in the bowl. The martins seem to like it. Then during nesting I spread straw on my driveway and the martins go crazy with it. I like to keep them close to the colony so they don’t go out in the streets and get hit.

Kyler,

jhcox · Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:14 pm

Do you have to get a certain type of pine needles or can you just get a bundle fron Home Depot.

James Strickland FL · Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:11 pm

The ones from HD is ok and I put prenest in all mine 54 gourds.

jhcox · Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:45 pm

Thank you Mr. Strickland

Lee · Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:46 pm

I put pine needles in my gourds and then added some pine shavings on top of the pine needles. Has anyone done this before? This is the first year I've added the pine shavings. I would be interested in others experience, recommendations... Tks Lee

Dave Duit · Wed Feb 21, 2018 11:55 am

Hi Lee,
A combination is not necessary, but I don't think there is harm in using both at the same time. I have heard that the eggs may settle down under the wood shavings, running a risk. Whereas, soft white pine needles do in fact work as an excellent pre-nest material because it is superior in wicking away moisture and is flexible enough for the parents to manipulate the needles to form their own nest style. I'm a white pine needle user, so I may be a little biased.

paule · Wed Feb 21, 2018 1:42 pm

I am with Dave, I'm a white pine needle user also. The Martins usually add oat straw and field corn stubble. To help with mite control I used to add really course cedar chips. (Too course for nests!) They loved it but I can't find it any more. My South America friends just don't seem to like what I think they should.

But they seem to love what I try to do.

JimmyP · Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:44 pm

What I have read they both work I'm sure their are pros and cons!, putting up a 12 grourd rack this year I'm gonna put cedar chips in 6 and pine needles in the other 6 and let the experts decide LOL. Hopefully I will know more about it when the season is over.

Patrick W. Dusek · Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:43 pm

I put pine needles in all of my gourds, and a small amount of seven dust. I have heard that the shavings might hold in moisture. Then when I see them starting to build nest, I put up a wire basket on top of a pole about six feet high and fill with pine needles, so they can add to the nest and make it the way they like it. Also, by putting on the pole, saves them energy, from danger going to the ground (Cats), and the street(Cars).

Patrick in Sugar Land

Lizzie · Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:04 pm

Kyler wrote:I also prenest all my compartments. I use pine needles which I make a little bowl with then I take old oak leaves and put them in the bowl. The martins seem to like it. Then during nesting I spread straw on my driveway and the martins go crazy with it. I like to keep them close to the colony so they don’t go out in the streets and get hit.

Kyler,

Hmmm- the driveway...great idea!
I'd never thought of that!

Lizzie · Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:12 pm

Pine trees are rare in this area, and many species don't survive here, because our soil is too alkaline.
Because of that I had wondered what martins usually use for their nesting material, thinking maybe buying a bale of Bermuda grass hay would be something they'd use.
Well, when I took the house down over winter to re-coat and clean it up a little, I discovered what they use.
It wasn't Bermuda grass stems or dried Bermuda blades, but rather the "runners" from the Bermuda. Where the grass starts spreading, there is a runner that it sends out, and it is thicker ad tougher than what is found in the hay. That was mostly what was used last year, except for the small live oak leaves in the bowl in center.

handyman315 · Tue Mar 27, 2018 7:58 am

A handful of dry white pine needles in each cavity seemed to be one of the "tricks" that kicked off my first year as a landlord.

Just pick/rake mine up the year before, in the fall after they are good and dry. Store them over the winter in a dry place and they are good to go come PM time!

~Ray~Gingerich · Tue Mar 27, 2018 8:03 am

I use pine needles in all my gourds and houses using the thicker 3 pronged needles, some of my martins still go out and add chopped corn stalks, corn stalk roots and soy bean stems.

flyin-lowe · Tue Mar 27, 2018 10:07 pm

Before I had a colony I put pine straw in all my cavities. After a few years I noticed that some martins would take them all out and start over. Some would build on top of them. So now I offer pine straw in a majority of my cavities but it is not uncommon to have some martins choose the empty cavities. I always have some available for early arrivals but if some like to start fresh they have that choice. I've had some build nests in a cavity with no nest, only some oak leaves they brought in. In that case I added some once all the eggs were laid. The only thing I have not seen was a pair of martins use only the nesting material I prove them. The most common thing I see brought in is old strips of "corn fodder" from the numerous corn fields. That's is by far the favorite material in my area.