Birds of a different feather...

[MalcolmR]

I'm in the middle of constructing a large chicken coop/shed and it is coming along nicely, thanks to all of the info I've gleaned from this site.

My only previous experience in constructing houses for avian occupants was a couple of bird houses I made over the winter, hoping to attract Eastern Bluebirds - a very long shot seeing as they are fairly rare, and declining in this area. Fortunately they like houses with the same dimensions and entrance hole size as Tree Swallows, which are much more common, and I rather like them too. So I made two houses and kept my fingers crossed.

About 2 weeks ago, after a little hesitation, we were graced with a family of swallows in one of the boxes. Yippeee! I was very pleased, and spent quite a lot of time sitting on my back steps watching them come and go. I was also dive-bombed by the ungrateful wretches yesterday while I was trying to mow the lawn.

But today, in between cutting 2X4s for the framing of the chicken coop, trying to figure out the right dimensions for the pop door, the windows etc, my wife suddenly calls from the house. I turn around, and there is a Bluebird! It flew around a little, sat on a few different perches, and eventually went to investigate the other empty bird house. I was very excited! No guarantee that it will be back of course, but we'll keep our fingers crossed. Unfortunately there are no takers for the Owl house yet. I guess the chickens won't have much of a say in whether they like my chicken coop or not, but it is wonderful to know that other houses I've built have been voluntarily chosen by our feathered friends. Just thought I'd share that!

Malcolm

 

[schellie69]

I love watching the different birds as they make nest in out trees, I have thought of putting up bird houses but have not got around to it yet due to building and moving chicken coop, I am thinking of making some bat houses since they eat so many bugs I am thinking of having my son make some after we get done with the chicken coop. great to hear about the birds and I am sure your chickens will love their home also.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah...I've wanted to do the bat boxes too!! Maybe this summer we'll actually do that project. We do have a lot of the bluebird boxes. I've taken some of them down though, as our dogs and cats were taking to hanging out around them when the chicks became active.

I hope you get owls eventually malcolm!

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I have an owl house, and the owls use the box year after year. Owls may not take up residence in your house until next year, since most of them have already made nests and hatched babies out by now. You will love having barn owls!

here's a picture of mine:

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

Have seen Bluebirds only once in our area of Texas...December 1994 we were putting up Christmas lights and DH asked what that bird was on the utility wire at the road (lived in the country). I was shocked when I realized it was 2 Bluebirds.

I have birdhouses on my Honey-Do List...maybe one day after we finish the fence, coop and run!

 

[MalcolmR]

Ah - bat houses too. We have a significant size nursing colony under a roof which we are going to have to remove later this year. I'm hoping to build some bat houses so that the evicted colony has somewhere to go, but I'm not sure about how to entice them into the house. My wife suggests rubbing banana on the opening - anyone hear of that???

Love your owl picture, fancbrd4me02! I'm very jealous. Unfortunately we don't get barn owls up here, the commonest ones are barred owls. Hopefully we can get a pair of them for the next season.

Malcolm