Building My Widowhood Boxes

[Roland]

Well mucker, look a lot like mine. Mine are only between 12 and 15 inches square. about 18 inches deep. I keep moving the nest bowl foward a inch every other day so that the nest bowl is at the front when the birds are ready to go down again. Just place another bowl then at the back.

[OLDYELLOW]

i have decided to line the nest box floors with lino as i think this will serve it's purpose better than the newspaper just scrape and wipe job done

[Roland]

No, bad idea that mate. Has ingrediats in it that birds if given the chance peck at... not a good idea.

Sames as fornmica... Was told this via a very knowleadgeable true gypsy.

Now, like I often have, you wax it with Bees Wax, it is water proof, scrapes a treat and is quick, easy and simple. Slightly warm is like, but is very inflamable. I use to till last 3 season make a thick solution of Garden lime, and paint the whole inside. Then Floors and nest boxes bees waxed. A bit of 'Chinese Chalk' drew under perches, nest bowls, any where draw a few lines.

This season close I will start wek after next, scrape throughly and then saturate with blewach, a couple of times. When dried I blow lamp it all well. Then paint it through out. Section of course via section. Yes and will bees wax the nest boxes and floors. You can litually pour water on the floors and swill out.

Looking for Chinese chalk at moment.

many the times.like ole timers did, I'd damp cloth garden lime and dab the sides. Always fresh smelling, keeps birds sweet and has a calming effect. Likewise a handful splashed into the drinkers and allowed to settle once or so a week is brill. Shouldn't sceintifically, but is great against young bird sickness. Never had it, likewise in one club that does the same.. other clubs, well they have, but again, they don't use lime.

[Roland]

Well mucker, look a lot like mine. Mine are only between 12 and 15 inches square. about 18 inches deep. I keep moving the nest bowl foward a inch every other day so that the nest bowl is at the front when the birds are ready to go down again. Just place another bowl then at the back.

 

I use to do the same with sliding doors for storage etc. Wax them, or coat with lime. But am impressed. Just need the ventilation system that I and Tony Wing use I guess  ;D

[OLDYELLOW]

lino would be covered by the grills so birds wouldn't be able to get at it to destroy it , yup lime is great for yb sickness , never heard of Chinese chalk before tho what is it exactly ?

[Roland]

An insecticide chalk. Looks exactly same as normal chalk that is used in schools etc. and at home.

Doubt it would kill any kid licking it... but that is one of the rreal reasons frown on here. Further it is an very inexpensive way of keeeping creepy crawies away. Cock roaches etc. last only seconds like. Any thing that creeps / crals over it is a gonna.

But with the likes of Renta Kill etc. and other money making concerns vested interests, it is banned here from USING. Like Micxies for Rabbits it can be brought and storebut not put down. Now any and nigh every decent restruant has it ... but getting on the right side to buy is another thing.

I bought 10 sticks for a £1. It lasted 3 / 4 seasons. as I only have a stick and a couple of bits left.

May have to ge a mate to send a packet over again.

Look it up under Chinese Chalk. A whole lot is crap writings, as it is legal in some countries etc. Vested scare mongering plays a downward part again of course.

[OLDYELLOW]

cheers for the reply Roland never came across it before

[Roland]

While the active ingredients are legal in the United States[2], the chalk is no longer legal there due to a number of reasons, including alleged child poisonings reported while the chalk was legal, the packaging in which the product is sold, which frequently does not conform to lead content standards, and inadequate safety labeling on the packaging.

 

Despite its illegal status, 'Chinese Chalk' is still imported from China and sold in Chinatowns in the United States. Worldwide, the product remains very popular due to its effectiveness in rapidly controlling crawling household insect infestations without fumes, foul smells or sticky toxic residues, and its relatively low overall toxin content compared to other insecticides.

[Roland]

Any way, instead of Lino, why not just put a loose floor tile under the grill. Might try this myself as I just thought about it this afternoon when cleaning out the sections like.

[ally mac]

yu will have loads ov problems with them boxez plenty ov snapped flights tried it before and happend 2 me!

 

 

Excuse my ignorance but what would be the reason for snapped flights? I'm thinking of building my boxes alon the same lines as these.

 

Al.

[OLDYELLOW]

the bars on the fronts if bird backed up in box could cause flytes to bend or snap but if you use the privacy covers there fine and theres a mistake i made on my thread i have 18 boxes i had 16 cocks to go in the section a slight freudian slip they are very happy in there boxes  and i believe they have ample room

[ally mac]

Yellow thanks for that. I have been messing around with asquared paper fo weeks trying to figure out the best way to make use of the loft space. Getting there though.

 

Al.

[OLDYELLOW]

my boxes uses the space very well and as the section will hold 36 birds comfortably its only like that whilst breeding prior to racing giving the birds more higher positions than a regular widowhood box as only 3 birds be on top row of a 8ft loft  

[ally mac]

That makes sence Yellow.

Founds are down for the loft now. it should be up early next week. I will order up the fronts etc then build the boxes to suit.

 

Cheers.

[GypUK]

Silly question time...I've bought some of these Sue Fronts but it looks to me as if the birds can get through the gaps between the bars, especially the end ones??

 

Are they secure?

[OLDYELLOW]

not enough room theres only about an inch gap unless you have made your boxes too big  

[GypUK]

I havent made the boxes yet, it the fronts i'm worried about, there is about 2inch between the vertical on the egdes?

[OLDYELLOW]

you trim the middle bit down to fit   on the boddys site it tells you the dimentions of the box it fits if following my design its 14 inch   To fit boxes 73cm x 35cm approx.

[Guest joshdonlan]

I think you mean the spacing between the plastic bars? Ive had that problem, so i had to get rid and get some new ones.

[GypUK]

I think you mean the spacing between the plastic bars? Ive had that problem, so i had to get rid and get some new ones.

 

Yeah thats what i meant 2inch seem pretty wide to me?

[Guest youngboy]

i must say well done on your boxes!! in am upgrading my boxes atm and i am making it more of struggle if i new they were this easy to make i would have made new ones!!!

[OLDYELLOW]

i must say well done on your boxes!! in am upgrading my boxes atm and i am making it more of struggle if i new they were this easy to make i would have made new ones!!!

 

its easy enough , just sit down measure everything twice and work it out then go get it cut and take paper plans saves alot of time and work

[OLDYELLOW]

used chipboard for many year never had a problem with it

[demolition man]

used chipboard for many year never had a problem with it

 

I like ply best found chipboard holds the damp. Nice boxes though might be ideal for widowhood hen boxes also

 

Regards

[Guest bakes]

very nice mark all my nest boxs,box perchs are made from chipboard i made my self misses bought a few ply up and over boxs no different from the chip board 1's i got my self out of the two i prefure chipboard as like ya said easy to repair if anythink does need repairing due to age not had a problem with any of mine getting damp my boxs get scraped out twice a day i think if ya loft holds damp ya have a problem but if its dry you wont have no problems as mine are still perfect.