Pine needles, cedar wood shavings or hay??

[clivia98]

Hi all,

I want to put some bedding in the compartments and also be ready to do nest changes this season. I have southern pine straw (Pennington) that I bought at Home Depot, a bale of hay, and I can buy cedar wood shavings. Would all of these work or is there a preference? Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

Jerry

[lynnh]

Soft pine needles.

[Whippy]

Jerry,

I did some looking around in your area and it looks like you have many natural pine trees. Go around and gather some up and put them in a trash bag or box and use them. I found a grove of pine trees in my area and drive out there every spring to get some. My martins seems to like them pretty good. Naturally, the Martins will add their bits and pieces but, for the most part, they'll keep the pine needles as the base.

The cedar shavings are not recommended as the eggs will sift through them and get lost at the bottom of the cavity. The pine straw might work. The deal about pine needles is they don't retain water as much and will stay dryer longer and dry out faster.

Before you put any pre nesting material in the cavity, add a table spoon of Sevin dust on the floor then put the nesting material on top of it. I do this every year and my birds don't spend any time scratching and the babies don't get parasites.

I hope you have your cavities up already as the Martins are coming into your area slowly. After this next cold snap, start looking up.

I'm only in my 4th year with Martins but have learned a boat load from the experts around here. The above works well for me.

Good luck to you.

Coolwhips

[mwren]

Jerry,
I am in agreement with what you have heard from a couple of other Landlords and am happy with pine needles from white pines. I have tried the others that you mentioned, and I found the cedar shavings seemed to hold the moisture too much, as well as the hay. The pine needles seem to shed the moisuture better. My birds tend to finish off their nest building with green leaves, and sometimes with different dried grass. You can't go wrong with the pine needles.

"Bird"

[nbaum]

A table spoon of sevin seems like a lot.

[Robert]

Jerry i like to use pine straw it drains moisture very well , just put a couple of hand fulls in and make a slight nest cup depression the martins will add leaves and arrange it to their liking good luck .

[Dale D]

I have used Pine Needles here in Florida for years.

[clivia98]

Thanks everyone. I just got back from raking fresh dry natural pine needles along Bayou Lafourche here in Mathews (Raceland) Louisiana. Getting ready for the season. I haven't seen any martins yet. Anxiously awaiting their arrival.

Jerry

[Whippy]

A table spoon of sevin seems like a lot.

Yeah. I meant to type tea spoon or less. Thanks for pointing that out.

Coolwhips.

[-=DKC=-]

I use Live Oak leaves since that's what my birds have been using themselves. I can't find any White Pine needles locally so I've never tried them.

[Dave Reynolds]

A table spoon of sevin seems like a lot.

Yeah. I meant to type tea spoon or less. Thanks for pointing that out.

Coolwhips.

.
..

Thanks Whippy on the information about the “tea spoon” and not a table spoon.. I’m thinking of using Seven this spring when pre-nesting...

Dave

[Whippy]

A table spoon of sevin seems like a lot.

Yeah. I meant to type tea spoon or less. Thanks for pointing that out.

Coolwhips.

.
..

Thanks Whippy on the information about the “tea spoon” and not a table spoon.. I’m thinking of using Seven this spring when pre-nesting...

Dave

My first pair did not get Sevin dust. They sat up on their perch and constantly scratched. I did a nest change and the babies were being harassed as well so I put a little in at that time and all was good after that. The next year (2018) I added some in the pre-nest material and I noticed both pairs that year were going about their business without sitting up on the perch spending time scratching all day. At nest change the babies were healthy and happy. I see it as a huge benefit to the Martins.

Coolwhip

[Dave Reynolds]

Hi all,

I want to put some bedding in the compartments and also be ready to do nest changes this season. I have southern pine straw (Pennington) that I bought at Home Depot, a bale of hay, and I can buy cedar wood shavings. Would all of these work or is there a preference? Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,

Jerry

..
.
Jerry -- Last year was my first year for hosting Martins.. I use pine needles in every room. Some of the needles seemed a little long to me, so I cut them in half, and flatten them down.. The Martins took 15 out of 16 rooms, and put their own leaves and sticks "on top" of the pine needles. I think they liked the pine needles as a good base for their nest..

Dave

[Conrad Baker]

I bought some pine needles from the PMCA Shop. I also treat the houses with Sevin Dust. I just take a 1 inch paintbrush, dip it in the bag of Sevin and brush it into the compartments. After I add the pine needles, I dust a little more Sevin onto the needles. Easy does it and a little goes a long way. Once the birds start nest building, I will add more Sevin, dusting with the paint brush. I won't dust it if there are eggs or babies in the nest.
I seem to remember reading that cedar shavings helps repel mites and blowflies, but I have never tried it. I do cut 6 inch pieces of cedar fence board (6 X 6 inch) for the nest compartment. I put the pine needles on top of the board, which keeps the nest off of the floor. Maybe the cedar does help repel the mites.

[mjfog]

I would avoid using wood shavings. I worry about their ability to absorb, hold moisture and potentially plug drain holes.