Purple Martins

Geri · Feb 19, 2006

I would like to find a Purple Martin House that I can raise up and down the pole. I have seen a pulley type pole in a magazine somewhere and would like to adapt the poles I have up already. Our Martins should have been home by now. This crazy weather has them confused I think. They usually show up around the 10th of Feb. It's always been a nice Birthday present!

thcri · Feb 19, 2006

( This crazy weather has them confused I think. They usually show up around the 10th of Feb. It's always been a nice Birthday present! )

The crazy weather is probably what is holding them back. But like all birds they are pretty smart, they will come when they know the weather is right so it may be more crazy weather ahead yet.

murph

Piedmont3 · Feb 22, 2006

These people make plastic and wood Puprle martin houses that have a rope and pulley that allows you to raise and lower the house each year for cleaning and closing for winter. My mom has one at her house that is about 20 or 25 years old. Still looks good and works great. Sorry I couldn't find a website for them. But they have a brochre that shows all their products. If you call them they would probably send you a brochure.
Mac Industries
(405) 631-8553
8125 S I 35 Service Rd
Oklahoma City, OK 73149

BillG_in_TX · Feb 22, 2006

Sorry I couldn't find a website for them. 

MAC Industries web site.

heehaw · Feb 22, 2006

around here, walmart sells some plastic martin houses, that work pretty well, after the martins decide to use them: i had 8 houses around my pond, 2 wooden, 4 metal and 2 plastic: i have gotten rid of the wooden houses, it took 2 years before the martins would build in the plastic houses, they filled the metal houses very quickly: 2 of the metal houses are on pulleys like your wanting: they really work well, the plastic houses take a special triangular pole, that slides up and down easily..and the house has a lifetime warranty?? not sure against what?? but not the pole..
the houses sell for about $30-40..
heehaw

billbill1 · Feb 22, 2006

Trio Grandpa is what my Purple Martin houses are called and they go up and down the pole on a rope. The ones we own have railings around the porches to keep the babies from falling off, wife really likes that feature. There is also a version called Trio Grandma. They have 6 houses on each side of the pole, made of aluminum, and the interior of each house is polished ( a feature that starlings can't live in) Hope this helps.

EddieWalker · Feb 22, 2006

I was thinking about getting a Martin house last year, but never made up my mind on what I wanted until I got caught up on some other projects. It just never happened.

I did get power run into my place and the lines run over the corner of my pond.

Sometime over the summer I realized that I had dozens and dozens of them hanging out on the wires. Towards the end of the day, they would drink from the pond while flying. Really neat to watch.

Now I'm wondering where they nest. Do they travel far from their nesting sites to the pond and feeding grounds?

I really enjoy watching them and from what I've read, they are really good at eating misquitos, so I want to keep them around. Should I put up houses, or is it better not to mess with something that's already working?

Eddie

kenmac · Feb 22, 2006

Got my martin house & pole at wal mart, put it up 2 yrs. ago & still no martins. I don't think they like al. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

heehaw · Feb 23, 2006

thats exactly why all of my martin houses are around the pond: the show up early every year: has anyone had any problems with crows eating the eggs/babies right out of the box?? i did, went a couple years without raising a single baby martin, till i finally put some 2"X4" welded wire across the fronts to keep the crows back far enough they can't reach inside and feast.
heehaw

billbill1 · Feb 23, 2006

Eddie, put the houses where you can watch the birds, about 50' away from trees and the power lines. We really enjoy having them around, they don't mess on your vehicles or around your home. Smear mud on the bottom 1/3 of the entrance holes when you put up one of the houses, that will help attract them. We have 3 houses on the front lawn and get birds every year. They arrive in early April in Kansas and stay until late July or early August. I'm not much of a bird watcher but the wife and I really enjoy purple martins.