Wood duck/bird houses????

[Big E]

I love building bird houses for blue birds, swallows, wood ducks, bat houses, flying squirrells and every animal or bird that nests in them. I need some ideas for some cheap wood duck houses. I had a guy tell me that 5 gallon buckets work but you have to smooth out the hole and put wire for the ducklings to climb up just like in a wood house. Has anyone heard of this or tried this? Maybe you have a better idea for a cheap house? I would also like to know where I can buy those cone shaped plastic green ones. If anyone has any other ideas on houses for anything please tell me about it. I love building this type of stuff.

[kenhuntin]

I see where you are coming from with the price of cedar lately. I have made them with plywood and they last a long time. I have even made some of log siding with copper roofs for those waterfowl that prefer a more prestigeous home. This year We took small branches and fastened them to the houses to deter raptors from landing on top waiting for an easy dinner. They have such a big wingspan that they will not light where their wings will hit. As far as cutting cost Mira tec is about the chapest material you can buy that has longevity. Along with that come the weight though. You could also save on cost by putting two boxes back to back so they share a single pole. Those fiberglass or plastic cone shaped huts are spendy too. but the birds do nest in them.

[trout whisperer]

wood duck house.........have you tried the green plastic drain pipe.........it is for below grade drainage, sewer, etc.......but you can get a pieceup to 12 inch diameter...drill your entry exit hole...jigsaw whatever........drain holes drilled semi circle at base....1/4 inch wire cloth for crawl out....cap the top and bottom..buy the caps at the same time......these are light weight.........for cleaning in the spring.......unscrew base cap.....old nest materials fall right out........we have had golden eyes nest in them as well......

[HUNTER2]

I put up one next to the river we have on our property last year. I put ceder chips in there. Haven't seen any action in there yet.

[Joe]

Big E-are you looking for ideas to build wood duck houses? I've got a newspaper clipping from a few years back that has the directions for building wood duck houses, but its the traditional wood design. I can't locate it at the moment, but would that be something you'd interested in?

[JoeFisherman]

Somewhat off topic, but I want to put up a purple martin house out at the cabin.  Anyone have plans or ideas for a house and pole system?  I saw Fleet Farm had the poles and houses on sale a few weeks ago, but they were pretty cheaply made so I opted not to go that route. 

[kenhuntin]

Do you have water nearby? Or have had martins around before? I put one up 15 years ago and they never showed up. Probably because it is near a small drainage ditch and not enough water. I just used treated 4x4s for a post Two short ones buried in the ground with the mast in between. Then put two bolts through all three so i can remove one to pivot it to the ground for cleaning.

[JoeFisherman]

Yep, the cabin is by a lake.  There are martins around.  The neighbor down the road has a martin house full.  I'm hoping to lure some my way.  They're fun to watch and good mosquito catchers.  I understand I need to get the house up by mid April to have a chance of getting some this year.

[Big E]

Thanks Joe but I think I have that paper clipping you're talking about. I got it out of the outdoor news a few years ago and I've made a few with that design.
 
 TroutWhisperer that is a very good Idea but where would I find that kind of tubing? Menards? Is it spendy? I really like this idea though for sure.

 Joefisherman I've used a antena pole for our purple martin houses. My Aunt is a fanatic with martins and she puts mirrors in the back of her houses because martins think it's another martin and that's they want is other martins around. She also puts strings of gourd style houses between her houses. As far as plans go you can get them on the internet. Gourds are very cheap and easy. They like a clear fly zone and high houses. She has all the gadgets like decoys and tapes that she plays in the spring to attract them. The main food for Martins is dragon flies and not mosquitos as once thought by many. If you have a mosquito problem put up bat houses they take care of them in a hurry. You're by water and your neighbors have them so it shouldn't be too tough to get them nesting in your yard. Good luck!

[Joe]

Thanks Joe but I think I have that paper clipping you're talking about. I got it out of the outdoor news a few years ago and I've made a few with that design.
 

Outdoor News...that was it. I still haven't found it. I never did build any. How did the plans work out for you?

[Big E]

Those are very nice wood duck houses. Very easy to clean and they look very sharp also. Woodies have nested in it every year and it still looks like new. Cedar really holds up and we leave it out year round.

[kenhuntin]

Here is one I found in the outdoor news: www.sandsbirdhouses.com  what I have found from building and maintaining what is now 57 woodduck houses for the last nine years is they seem to prefer sawdust in the bottom as opposed to chips.1/2 inch hardware cloth works as well as 1/4 inch. If there are alot of duck boxes in sight of each other you can get what is called a dump box where several hens will lay eggs in one particular box and abandon them. Usually they go unincubated but one time a hen hatched 48 of 53 eggs in a dump box. I know it sounds unreal but looking in at what was the perfect time the whole bottom was full of the little just hatched fuzz balls.Nest boxes have greater success if they are mounted on a metal pole over water. Coons can still scale them but it eliminates feral cats. It is surprising how many entrances get clawed and chewed bigger on the cedar boxes by the racoon. Hawks have learned to recognize there is food in our boxes and have been sitting on them waiting for an easy meal. I mentioned it before but a branch that will hit their wings when lighting will prohibit this activity. When we service them in early April we always need to expect a lovely mouse wintering there. usually we find more dead mice than live ones.Which is good because the jokers I do this with love to try and sneak the rodents into somebodys pocket or waders. Back to back houses are economical and will both be used by wooducks simultaneously or wooducks in one and mergansers in the other. Thank you all that help prolificate waterfowl. I really wish the p.e.t.a. people would do what you do.

[Russ-Judy]

im haveing Judge Judy read your info on the Drop Boxes they use--she doesnt believe me

[BigWinnieDuece]

i have built wood duck houses growing up and they are a fabulous thing, what an environment boost.

[kenhuntin]

If anyone has any wooduck box questions or wonders, the Woodduck society founded by the late honorable Art Hawkins has a fantastic website that is well worth your time. www.woodducksociety.com There is even a video clip on it showing the little fuzzballs leaping from the nest. I found it very heartwarming..

[Tyler Rother]

For a good set of plans, also, Outdoor News features em in like a months worth of issues... I could find a set up and mail em to ya if needed or wanted.