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Migratory bird populations have taken a nose dive in the past 40 years. But you can help bring their numbers back by creating beneficial, beautiful and fun habitats in your own backyard. Discover favorite plants and environments that shelter and feed colorful songbirds, as well as how to make them feel welcome by offering their preferred natural foods.

Grandma Pearl
(Connie Smith)

Monday, December 30, 2013

Best Bird House Pole and How to Install It

Threaded Galvanized Conduit and threaded flange with screw holes
by Grandma Pearl
After a lot of trial and error, I have finally found the very best pole to use for installing a bird house or bird feeder.  And it comes from an unlikely place—the hardware store!  Go to the electrical department of your nearest big box hardware store and purchase inexpensive conduit about 10 feet long.  It’s made of galvanized metal, which helps it outlast the worst weather conditions, and it is sturdy.

 But the best part is that one end is already threaded.  In the same department, find a threaded flat metal flange with screw holes that will fit your pole.
 
What You’ll Need: 

 Bag of quick setting cement in which to permanently install your pole
·         Bucket in which to mix the cement
·         Shovel to mix cement
·         A level
·         Screw Drive
·         Wood Screws
Step By Step:

1.       Attach the flat metal flange to the bottom of your bird house with appropriate length wood screws.  Check to make sure the tip of the screws will not penetrate into the nest box itself, because the points might harm baby birds.
2.       Dig a hole at least 3 feet deep in your selected bird house location.  You may have to go deeper if you live in a region that has a deeper frost depth. 
3.       Attach your bird house by screwing the metal flange onto the threaded end of the pole. 
4.       Set your pole in the hole and use a level to make sure the pole is straight.
5.       Add some large stones to support the pole while you mix up your cement.
6.       Read the directions to properly mix your cement. 
7.       Once the cement is ready to pour, check for level once again, and as the cement goes in the hole.  Make adjustments as necessary.  It is very important that the pole be level all around so that the baby birds don’t fall out!

Most backyard birds that will use a bird house like to nest from 5 to 10 feet off the ground.  Keep that in mind when you buy your lengths of conduit.  Remember to add the depth of the hole to get your overall pole length.  I suggest 10 feet of threaded conduit, which gives you about 7 feet of height, plus 3 feet for the depth of the hole.

Your birds may not find their new house right away, but be patient!  Once they find it, you will enjoy the fun of watching all the activity as the babies are fed, and eventually learn to fly.





2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

You are very welcome!