16 Apartments for rent.....cheap

[Splinter]

I recently completed a Purple Martin house that I have installed in the backyard. I didn't visualize how large it was going to be when I started on it. It was made based on a plan from Handy magazine. It is made from pressure treated 2 x 4's, exterior ply, cypress and has a metal roof to match my house and outbuildings. Each floor has 8 apartments. The house can be lowered on a cable with a winch for cleaning. The floors and top can be separated for cleaning by removing two turn buckles per floor.

Now if I can convince the martins to take up residence and pay a small rent I can recoup the expense of the metal pipe I had to buy.:lol: The other material I had on hand or were given.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/

 

[DaveO]

Very nice, those Martins will pay you back in lack of mosquitoes bites :icon_thum That's pay-back to me :-D
Dave

 

[Mark Anderson]

years ago i built one of these and put on a bunch of scrap mouldkings and a curved copper roof. when my father-in-law saw it he said a bird would hve to come down from new york to be able to aford the rent.

i set min up in the front yard, not in the best place, there were several pines surounding it, not at a field edge where they prefer. i moved it out to a better location last fall, so we will see how this year goes.

one thing i might try is to set up a speaker to call them when i first see thier return to the area. a sound track can be found at the link below along with intresting purple martin info

Attracting Purple Martins, locating houses, feeding, nesting, mating habits

 

[sapwood]

Cool Dolan!
How high did you place it??? My neighbor has tried a couple around the pond and they seem to like them high and clear of adjacent tree, etc.

Roger

 

[NCPete]

Dolan, that is really cool! Perhaps you could get more rent, if you moved that thing to Fayetteville... rates seem to be going through the roof! - even with the constant construction.

 

[Splinter]

Cool Dolan!
How high did you place it??? My neighbor has tried a couple around the pond and they seem to like them high and clear of adjacent tree, etc.

Roger

Roger,

It is about 11' off the ground and no trees for about 150'. Plenty of open space around it.

 

[Gofor]

I have heard that if you put crushed egg shells on the ground beneath a new Martin house, it attracts the scouts that are looking for a new home. I guess crushed shells are part of their calcium diet. Don't know if it works because unlike you, I have still to build a house for 'em!:lol:
Once they get established, I think there is no problem with them returning.

Good luck, and a neat bird condo!!

Go

 

[ChrisMathes]

Nice apartment building...I'm sure you'll be a good landlord. Those are 'cheep cheep' apartments

 

[cpowell]

Very nice looking apartments. I hope you're able to find some tenants quickly. :lol:

Chuck

 

[Travis Porter]

Looks good and good luck. My father tried for years everything from gords to multiple houses. They would swarm it and fly around it for awhile, but he could never get them to nest in it. Hopefully, your luck is better.

 

[LeftyTom]

I have heard that if you put crushed egg shells on the ground beneath a new Martin house, it attracts the scouts that are looking for a new home. I guess crushed shells are part of their calcium diet.
Go

Microwave the eggshells for a minute or so, to kill bacteria, then set out for the birds.

Keep an eye on the houses, to make sure European starlings do not move in.

 

[skeeter]

Nice job, Dolan! We had one when I was growing up (not home made, and definitely not that nice). When the Martins were there, it really made a difference on the mosquitos.