Russ, Great idea. I have about 75 boxes up now that I made out of our cedar but I really like the pipe idea. I have never seen this done before. I was going to make about 50 more boxes this year but now I’m going to use some old sections of 4 inch pipe I have laying around. I have been able to attract a large number of tree swallows to the farm and I do think that the fly load has decreased significantly since putting up the boxes.Thanks again for bringing us along on your projects and activities around the farm.
I'd love to have cedar bird boxes. We don't have any cedar around us. Have you ever thought about purple martins. They are another good bug eater. We love our tree swallows. Thanks for watching!!
@@RussWilson Too bad about the cedar, most of our larger trees have died but we still have a few. I will have to check into the purple martins but I have not seen any around here in southwest Virginia. We live about 30 miles southeast of Blacksburg Virginia.
@@tomfisher3581 Hey, Tom It is recommended to have the boxes 5-6 off the ground. We put our boxes at around 56" this seems to be working for us. Thanks for watching!!
My daughter's been waiting for me to help cut the wood scraps for birdhouses, but this looks like it would be way less time consuming - perfect timing!!
@@RussWilson I did, I replied, but maybe it is in my drafts so I will check!! My apologies, I'm signed into an old account on my computer instead of cell phone, but I am same person :)
I use to make my 4” pvc Gilbertson style birdhouses but last year changed to 6” pvc. It worked out good for the bluebirds. More room so both parents can be inside at the same time and they don’t jump on top of their young to search for fecal sacs. I recently saw a Wisconsin video saying the young were dying inside of Gilbertson boxes in hot summer. Probably because the inside of their demo box was a dark brown color which may make it hotter inside. The white pvc isn't dark inside/outside of the pipe and hopefully keeps it cooler inside. You may have to be really careful that the sun doesn’t beat directly on the black pvc/abs pipe or it may cook them. As for house sparrows…..they tried to used 4” pvc too.
Thanks fora great video Russ. I have been building tree swallow houses out of 6" boards. Really like the pipe idea. Looks like it would be much faster to build.
For Australia I would extend the mount and use nail plates (teeth facing out) on it to stop the snakes getting to the birds. They can get their own tucker elsewhere. For cleaning I'd use fence wire or two skinny carriage bolts to hold or suspend the floor; pull them out to remove the floor, disinfect, line them up again and the box is back in business.
Snakes or Raccoons are not a problem as the fence has electric in it all the time. I do like the fence wire Idea. Sure would make things quicker. Thanks for watching!!
Do you have any up you could show after being installed on the post? I think Greg Judy said they need to be a distance away from the timber, but can't remember just how far. Thanks Russ!
Have you had any significant issues with egg viability or predation? I've heard the darker houses are hotter inside and that affects some eggs in a negative way if it gets too hot.
We do clean them out in the early spring. Just before the birds return. That way we can get the flying squirrel and deer mice nests cleaned out of them. Thanks for watching!
Hey Todd, You won the Freeze Miser!! Get a hold of me @ ancattle@gmail.com . I'll get it sent out to you. I will announce it in an up coming video. Seems that Scout has made a lot of dogs get riled up. Lol I'll try not to do that in the future. Thanks for watching!!
@@RussWilson I'm here on the Tn/Al state line literally walk across a county road and I'm in Alabama. Thanks for videoing and sharing your projects with us . It's so helpful ..
Only way I could figure to clean it out. Is to take the 2 screws from the top and reach down and pull the old nest out. I wanted to do something with the bottom the way I mount them over my fence post doesn't allow that. Great question!
You could put a screw in the right and left side of the bottom round piece of wood then cut a vertical slice up each side so the wood inserts in the bottom (half inch up), then add a half inch turn. You can slide the bottom piece in and turn to stay in place then turn and pull down to empty out the nest. Its just a thought...
Russ, I’ve been told that the fledglings need to have a rough surface in order to climb up to the hole, and that they would die inside the box without that one little detail. Let me know how it works out for you.
I have never had any troubles with the babies getting out of the nest. I think that they hook their bill on the doorway and pull themselves out. Great question!!
I love your dog, how you kick stuff out of the way and how you brace things against your tummy. ❤
You are so kind
Russ, Great idea. I have about 75 boxes up now that I made out of our cedar but I really like the pipe idea. I have never seen this done before. I was going to make about 50 more boxes this year but now I’m going to use some old sections of 4 inch pipe I have laying around. I have been able to attract a large number of tree swallows to the farm and I do think that the fly load has decreased significantly since putting up the boxes.Thanks again for bringing us along on your projects and activities around the farm.
I'd love to have cedar bird boxes. We don't have any cedar around us. Have you ever thought about purple martins. They are another good bug eater. We love our tree swallows. Thanks for watching!!
@@RussWilson Too bad about the cedar, most of our larger trees have died but we still have a few. I will have to check into the purple martins but I have not seen any around here in southwest Virginia. We live about 30 miles southeast of Blacksburg Virginia.
@@RussWilson Hi Russ, I really appreciate your videos showing your innovations. How high do tree swallow houses need to be?
@@tomfisher3581 Hey, Tom It is recommended to have the boxes 5-6 off the ground. We put our boxes at around 56" this seems to be working for us. Thanks for watching!!
@wjm left a comment in this thread about using 4" or 6" pipe you might want to read. Cheers.
Really neat design with pvc. And that is the first time I've ever seen anybody cut tin with a knife. I'll have to try it in the future.
Be carful cutting tin with a knife. You just need to score it good and bend it. Lot easier than tin snips. Thanks for watching!!
The dog is too funny and cute 😂😂😂
Thanks for a great idea , made from scrap ,like your channel very practical ideas, thks ,God bless!
Thank you very much!
Very clever way to make a bird house and constructively use left overs that would be waste. Great video.
Glad you liked it!
Awesome use of extra materials. very creative. looks durable and practical . And for the good of our pastures and wildlife.
Thanks for watching!
Your dog reminds me of my pup 🙂. Thanks for sharing the video
Scout is a great friend. Hope your pup is to. Thanks for watching!!
Scrap material is gold sometimes. Love the bird house and love having birds, valuable asset. Farmer rod
Love our birds I'm in process of building 90 more houses. Thanks for watching!
Looks like some of the screws on the inside may be exposed, but such a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
My daughter's been waiting for me to help cut the wood scraps for birdhouses, but this looks like it would be way less time consuming - perfect timing!!
I think pvc are more sanitary for the baby birds. Thanks for watching! Returned your email did you get it?
@@RussWilson I did, I replied, but maybe it is in my drafts so I will check!! My apologies, I'm signed into an old account on my computer instead of cell phone, but I am same person :)
I use to make my 4” pvc Gilbertson style birdhouses but last year changed to 6” pvc. It worked out good for the bluebirds. More room so both parents can be inside at the same time and they don’t jump on top of their young to search for fecal sacs.
I recently saw a Wisconsin video saying the young were dying inside of Gilbertson boxes in hot summer. Probably because the inside of their demo box was a dark brown color which may make it hotter inside. The white pvc isn't dark inside/outside of the pipe and hopefully keeps it cooler inside. You may have to be really careful that the sun doesn’t beat directly on the black pvc/abs pipe or it may cook them.
As for house sparrows…..they tried to used 4” pvc too.
Thanks for the input. I was wondering about going to 6" pvc.
@@RussWilson are you using anything inside the house for a ladder so the young birds can climb out?
My dog does that with the vacuum. Great video. Thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching!
That dog is hilarious.
Scout is a furry human. Thanks for watching!!
Your supervisor doesn’t like power tools! 🐶
My dog attacks snow shovels😂
Thanks fora great video Russ. I have been building tree swallow houses out of 6" boards. Really like the pipe idea. Looks like it would be much faster to build.
They are lot faster to build out of the PVC. Thanks for watching.
Have you thought about running the screws from the inside out after you drill the holes for the mounting post so it would be safer for the birds?
The great Aussie protector!! Mine carries on the same way. How are those BB houses working out for you?
Amazing! I like them better cause of the them be cleaner and hold less disease.
For Australia I would extend the mount and use nail plates (teeth facing out) on it to stop the snakes getting to the birds. They can get their own tucker elsewhere.
For cleaning I'd use fence wire or two skinny carriage bolts to hold or suspend the floor; pull them out to remove the floor, disinfect, line them up again and the box is back in business.
Snakes or Raccoons are not a problem as the fence has electric in it all the time. I do like the fence wire Idea. Sure would make things quicker. Thanks for watching!!
This was interesting for me and my dog lol 😆
Scout was so amusing.
He is a ham for sure. He has the personality of a human. Thanks for watching!!
Love the dog👍
We love our dogs!! Thanks for Watching!!
What drill attachment do you use to cut the round wood pieces?
A cheap spade bit works well
Nice! With the pipe being so smooth did you do anything to help the fledglings up and out the hole like rough it up some.
Do you have any up you could show after being installed on the post? I think Greg Judy said they need to be a distance away from the timber, but can't remember just how far. Thanks Russ!
I'm going to do a video on box placement. It's recommended to put the boxes 100 feet from the woods. Thanks for watching!
Have you had any significant issues with egg viability or predation? I've heard the darker houses are hotter inside and that affects some eggs in a negative way if it gets too hot.
How do you clean out?
remove the screws on the bottom.
Thanks for the inspiration Russ! I've got the scraps and will be making a bunch of these swallow houses. Do you ever clean them out between seasons?
We do clean them out in the early spring. Just before the birds return. That way we can get the flying squirrel and deer mice nests cleaned out of them. Thanks for watching!
Also, I’ve read bluebirds like to start with a clean box every season.
Scout really foesn't like the drill
Very funny. Can i use white pipe to make this.
I don't think the birds will care what color it is. I'm going to make some out of that ugly green sewage pipe. Thanks for watching!!
Your dog has mine barking and looking for her lol
Hey Todd, You won the Freeze Miser!! Get a hold of me @ ancattle@gmail.com . I'll get it sent out to you. I will announce it in an up coming video. Seems that Scout has made a lot of dogs get riled up. Lol I'll try not to do that in the future. Thanks for watching!!
Is this the first year with black pipe ? Here the summer heats up to 100 + . Seems like that would be a problem but I've never tried it so idk ?
Most of the time the chicks fledge before the temps get to high in my area. In the south it could be a problem.
@@RussWilson I'm here on the Tn/Al state line literally walk across a county road and I'm in Alabama. Thanks for videoing and sharing your projects with us . It's so helpful ..
Did you putin a way to clean out each year? Thanks .
Only way I could figure to clean it out. Is to take the 2 screws from the top and reach down and pull the old nest out. I wanted to do something with the bottom the way I mount them over my fence post doesn't allow that. Great question!
Thank you sir. Always enjoy your posts .
You could put a screw in the right and left side of the bottom round piece of wood then cut a vertical slice up each side so the wood inserts in the bottom (half inch up), then add a half inch turn. You can slide the bottom piece in and turn to stay in place then turn and pull down to empty out the nest. Its just a thought...
@@leelindsay5618 great idea thanks!
Russ, I’ve been told that the fledglings need to have a rough surface in order to climb up to the hole, and that they would die inside the box without that one little detail. Let me know how it works out for you.
I have never had any troubles with the babies getting out of the nest. I think that they hook their bill on the doorway and pull themselves out. Great question!!
How could you add grooves to the inside? Just to be on the safe side.
جزاكًالله خيرا
Thanks for watching!!
@@RussWilson thank you for your teaching and sharing god bless your family
@@hamzaahadaf4399 Thanks for watching!!
thanks
You're welcome!
Black seems like it would get hot.
Have you actually used/seen birds hatch out any eggs.
Puppy hears the squeal of the drill, and thinks it's a kill.
Never thought of that.I think you right he does think its a kill. Thanks for watching!!
too large entry - chicks or eggs will easly killed by crows, magpies or even squirrels.
Thanks for the concerns! I haven't had any problems. We went to 1 3/8" hole
I don’t think your dog likes that drill
He really doesn't like the drill LOl. Thanks for watching!!
TANKS FOR THE VIDEO. WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE WHOLE CUTTER ?
4" for the bottem and 1 3/8" for the enterence. Great question!