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I went back and rechecked Brettski's photos of his Wood Duck boxes and saw that the fronts are secured by screws when closed. That's good; I don't think raccoons have learned to work screwdrivers yet. They can operate many types of latches.


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Sorry Brettski......I was trying to be humorous. Ouch!


20 acres of trees & 3/4 acre pond.

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don't be sorry, BarO...allow the clown to bow. \:o
(next time, gimme a firm signal with the roll-eyes....the graemlins were invented for guys like me) \:\)

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There's not a problem I can see that's not been already mentioned. My openings were rough cut with a jig saw, and a 4" grinder to open them up a bit. 3x4"? yeah, something like that...

I made mine out of some 10" wide old cypress boards that were laying in the barn for about a hundred years. They'll probably outlast me.

For cleaning, I hinged the bottom (it fits inside the sides) and drilled oversize holes through the front, into the bottom. Shoved in 16d duplex (double head) nails. I don't need any tools to open them for cleaning...pull the nail, bottom drops open.

I'm not sure what to call the things I mounted them on...they're steel, sorta u-shaped, heavier than a T-post. They're used as diagonal braces between wooden fence posts. Several leaning in a corner of the barn. Before I drove them in the ground (with the bucket on the 560, as I'm lazy) I slipped a piece of 4" schedule 40 pvc over the "posts". Ain't seen nothing able to "hug" that stuff and climb it, yet. And, I've got plenty of coons, snakes and a few mink running around.

If you're like me, you may have WD's nest/hatch, and yet never see them. Two years now, they've successfully hatched (IDNR biologist explained the difference in shell pieces between hatched and eaten nestlings) but I've never seen the babies. I believe they immediately lead them to the neighbor's pond, as it's 1/4 mile from anybody...


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No problem, Ski.


20 acres of trees & 3/4 acre pond.

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Hey Bar-O and the rest of you raccoon experts. First of all, does it make sense that I have plans for a raccoon nesting box with an entrance/exit hole that is 5" hi x 6" wide? (don't worry, I don't plan on using them) I look at the hole pattern on the paper, measure it to be sure, and still cannot believe that a coon can skamper in and out of that small of a hole. Then, I put it next to the WD hole pattern that is 3" hi x 4" wide and think to myself "well, if it was a youngster or anorexic coon, maybe he could squeeze at least his head and couple of coon-arms in there.
Now...the big question: are they coon-arms or front legs? :rolleyes: (how's that for Graemlin-ese?)

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Based on my experience with "city raccoons" if they can get their head in, they can get in. I gotta say arms and hands up front, they would reach in the pond, pick up snails and eat them as daintily as you please.


1/4 & 3/4 acre ponds. A thousand miles from no where and there is no place I want to be...
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I think pert near all coons could get through a hole 5"x6", least wise all but the great big'uns.

P.S. They's got paws on 'em, so they muss be front legs.


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My WD nest extends about 20" deeper from the bottom of the 3"high X 4"wide opening. It would take some Long-Front-Legged coons to reach the eggs or ducklings(maybe a reverse/kangaroo mutation).

Originally, the WD nest was attached to a young pine tree at the very top reach of my front-end loader on the tractor. It was probably close to 18' up 5 years ago. In other words, the nesting birds have to do spring cleanup themselves....
Another reason to put on a free standing pole.

On the bright side, the returning ducks get a new view from a higher perspective every year.


20 acres of trees & 3/4 acre pond.

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Matt,

Just curious, what is the difference between hatched eggs and eaten. I would speculate that the hatched eggs end up in two pieces while critter eaten ones are crumbled to pieces.

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If they're like chickens and quail, Russ, I'd expect you're essentially right - hatched = big pieces with a smaller section chipped out vs. eaten = miscellaneously crumbled up.


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Brettski,

I've been reading up on boxes and had a few questions. Did you consider cutting grooves into your board with the entrance over wire? I don't know anything about either aproach, so I'm curious if you did any research on it.

I read that wood ducks don't build there own nests or carry any nest materials. It said you need to put wood shavings in there, not sawdust. Are you gonna do that? Where do you buy wood shavings?

Wasps can be controled with a no pest strip. What's that? I'll look around, but have you heard this? Is one brand better than another? Any recomendations?

From the two dozen sites I went to, the dimensions all seem about the same. I have an idea to build one just a little different with some materials I have on hand, but I'm still researching.

When are you putting yours up? They said cleaning time is December and January, so I'm assuming we have lots of time.

Thanks,
Eddie


Lake Marabou http://www.pondboss.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=139488&fpart=1

It's not how many ideas you have, but how many you make happen.

3/4 and 4 acre ponds.
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Eddie-man,
Yep, the cross cuts in the face of the board is a good idea, but I passed on it thinking that the hardware cloth would provide a higher level of duckling traction. Also, this area is below the only opening in the box where rain could be blown in...so...Mr. Overkill considers that water could collect in these grooves, particularly since the boxes will be leaned forward slightly. This might promote early decay because I used pine. Nope, I also passed on any finish on the interior to maintain a natural, chemical-free wood environment. The only place I put interior finish was on the bottom panel and about 2" up the sides because any water that does enter, whether it be thru the hole or because some duck forgot to wipe his feet, will eventually migrate to the bottom. I also drilled 8 holes x 5/16" dia in the bottom for drainage. I am not concerned with compromising the au-naturale interior by sealing the bottom because....
I plan on laying a bed of 3" - 4" of cedar shavings. We picked up a 16 litre bag of Kaytee Cedar Bedding and Litter (pure cedar shavings) from PetsMart. I think it cost about $7. It will be plenty for a couple/three years.
A no-pest strip. How old are you? These things first came out in the late 60's, manufactured by Shell Oil. They were famous: "the Shell No-pest strip". Honestly, I don't know where to buy them, but I presume there are plenty of knock-offs. It looks like a strip of cheese, about 1/4" thick x 2-1/2" wide x 12" long. Insects are attracted to it and if they touch it; dead.
Lastly, I recommend you follow Myron's directive to use the dimensions shown on the WD Society link I provided in an earlier post.

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Brettski, The latest pest strips I bought were at a feed store. I think most of them carry it.


It's not about the fish. It's about the pond. Take care of the pond and the fish will be fine. PB subscriber since before it was in color.

Without a sense of urgency, Nothing ever gets done.

Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley Rancher and Farmer Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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They're also available at the Conehead Deli.


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...funny you ask, Mr Walker:
 Quote:
When are you putting yours up? They said cleaning time is December and January, so I'm assuming we have lots of time.

Oy, I'm gettin' too old for this stuff...
The area slated for the WD boxes and other nesting structures is the small, shallower wetland zone between the beach and the building pad.
Because I elected to use pine instead of the lighter wood, cedar, my WD boxes are on the heavy side. I just cannot see them enduring long term on a metal pole pounded into the ground. We elected to use treated 4 x 4's.
I rented the one man ground hog unit, the same one on wheels that we used for all the concrete piers at the docks. We drilled eight holes, 8" dia, spaced out along the (someday to be flooded) timber line, about 20' out from the trees. Each hole ran about 30" deep. We sakrete'd 8 base poles in. I set the tops of these base poles at 24" above normal pool.
Then, I pre-fab'd the top poles in the comfort of the basement workshop. Each top pole is another 4 x 4 x 48". 4 poles will receive the WD boxes and 4 will remain empty for future development. The 4 poles that receive WD boxes also have tilt boards attached at the top. This will tilt the WD boxes forward, about 3" off plumb. These tilt boards were fab'd from a 22" long section of treated 2 x 4. I ripped the 2 x 4 across the diagonal creating 2 mirror image wedges x 22" long. They were screwed to the 4 x 4 top pole with SS screws, leaving a 1/2" gap between them. The 2 SS 3/8" x 10" carriage bolts that attach the WD boxes to the poles feed right between these tilt boards, in the 1/2" space. The box mounting carriage bolts continue thru the 4 x 4 top pole, SS washer & nut at the back.

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The bottom pole is permanently embedded in the concrete. The top pole is designed to hinge, allowing access to the nest boxes by removing one 3/8" x 10" SS bolt.

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The hinge assembly is basic. It is a coupling of 2 pc of treated 2 x 4 x 24" long. The bottom pole is securely thru bolted with 2 pc 3/8" x 10" SS carriage bolts/washers/nuts. The top pole has a mirror image of hardware, but I made the very top hole 1/2" dia to ease removal of the SS bolt.
I provided a 1/2" gap between poles. I also cut 45 degree chamfers on the top pole. Each of the two chamfer cuts eases 1/3 of the width of the 4 x 4. The center 1/3 remains square with the pole. This allows the pole to swing down, unemcumbered.

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We have 8 poles totally installed. 4 of them have the completed WD boxes installed. I still have to design and install predator guards; fill ya in when we get there. I already know that one of the other 4 poles will support a bat house, so that leaves 3 for additional fowl thoughts. \:\)


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Oh yeah....and a few more nesting boxes.
I knocked out 8 pine boxes with 1-1/8" holes, suitable for wrens and chickadees, but small enough to exclude sparrows. These got screwed to trees just off of the walking trails in the vicinity of the pond. Bathouse is next.

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Brettski:
Bathouse is next.
Are you moving in permenently or just visiting? :rolleyes:

I've never seen a bathouse, Brettski (at least one for actual bats). That should be interesting.

Is the access hole in a no-sparrow birdhouse still supposed to be the size of a quarter?


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Bathouses are very difficult to construct, particularly the required batpole. When installed correctly, they will also attract robins and occassionally penguins.
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\:D \:D \:D



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Ouch! And hopefully a feline. \:\)


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B-ski,
Stop it, your kill-in me!! \:D \:D

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Theo and Russ:

You're pretty close...the shells of "hatched" eggs basically show a round cap sorta pecked off the fat end, with the rest of the shell more or less intact. Lil 'uns use that egg tooth to do this...

If the nest has been raided, the shells would be pretty much hacked to pieces...no pattern at all.

BTW...cleaned out the box on the pond and it had an old nest in it...success. Did the one on the creek and it had a huge squirrel nest jammed inside...oh well. However, I was a bit leery of dumping that out. Figured I'd catch a pile of pissed off tree rat, but it was unoccupied at the time. Used chain saw to clear limbs about 5 feet away from that one. Hopefully, Mr. squirrel sees it's just too much work to get back in that one...we'll see.


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Glad you didn't utter the ultimate panic cry: "SQUIRREL!"


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Did someone scream " TREE RAT ". I am surprised that your box was not gnawed to pieces .
















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