Feasibility of prefab nestbox

[Nash's garden]

Quite some time ago I created a batch of three Bird nest boxes . The unusual thing about these boxes being they were made of reclaimed materials.

As far as I know two of the boxes no longer exist and the third one which dates to 1999 may or may not still be a Aunt Doreens house , and to my knowledge it has never been used.

The boxes were based on the dimensions on standard wooden ones that I used to make with the then New Deal's Environmental task force at the Bromley field studies centre at the Scadbury Park nature reserve nr Sidcup London . I also made 10 wooden bird boxes at one of my last gardening jobs back in 2001.

I was just wondering what you guys here think of the concept of a prefabricated nest box , made from these materials below.

Old Estate agent ( Sold ) boards
Roof felt
Silicone sealent to hold sections together
Cotton thread to hold roof felt on each section
Brass drawing pins covered in wax to cover knots in cotton.
Some area of Green acrylic spray paint

The box I have pictures of dates to 1999 , and bearing in mind I left each box for some weeks in order that fumes could dissipate.

Is this a general good idea , or just another indirect way to kill with kindness.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/jm003r2467/Jonathans%20photo%20albums/Temporary%20Items/Birdbox3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/jm003r2467/Jonathans%20photo%20albums/Temporary%20Items/Birdbox1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/jm003r2467/Jonathans%20photo%20albums/Temporary%20Items/Birdbox2.jpg

Nash's_Garden

[PiratesAhoy!]

Seems a bit 'labour intensive' for a nest box, to be honest. Most are made from bits of wood with nails in - I don't think I've ever seen any with cotton thread!

Having said that, I can't see anything with the basic construction that could cause harm, provided that the fumes have dissipated. The only thing I'd have reservations about is if the birds could get at the silicon or the thread. If they could, it could cause them harm, but a well built box shouldn't pose any problem.

One other thought though - the 'Sold' boards might not offer as much insulation as wood. Ok for sheltered areas perhaps, but possibly not as good as wood in locations that are expected to feel the chill or wind.

[Nash's garden]

Hmm ? , you know what me thinks you are right about the insulation problem , I had'nt realy thought about that.

The prefab bird box realy only came into existance by accident , I am what can I say a very resourcefull individual , and having Aspergers I tend to do before I think . But as in many cases I end up coming up with something never seen before.

I know as common knowlege that you should'nt posistion a bird box in a southern posistion of any kind in case of risk of chicks overheating , I must persuade myself from not taking your insulation point the wrong way and accepting a prefab box facing south , as the risk of overheating still applies no matter what the construction of the nestbox.

Constucting a nestbox such as these is indeed labour intensive as you say , and even though only today I found myself some heavy duty black button cotton that I could used for any such further prefab nestbox's.

Like I said earlier I am not in a posistion where I have access to any large trees that I could put up a bird box anyway . I hung a standard wooden bird nestbox many years ago on a suitable oak tree , and to this day I dont think it has ever been used , as the Blue tits and Great tits would rather use the natural hollow in the tree just 3 ft higher up on the trunk that I did'nt bank on.

I have yet to experience the joy of seeing chicks reared and fledged from a bird nestbox that I have made with my own hands , as most of my boxes go to other people.

All the cotton thread does is to hold the roof felt down tight onto the prefab sections , in the past I have used cream coloured thread that was just as much for show than for neccessity . But if I now used this black button thread it will be much stronger than the .

Silicone sealent when fresh does give off a powerfull smell of Acetic Acid which I would have to give time to disperse . Also if I do happen to use Acrylic based spray paint I will also have to give time for fumes to vanish.

Also I have noticed when exposed to the weather and sunlight , this prefab material appears to Photodegrade and become brittle , so I would guess that a bird box such as this probably would'nt last more than 5 yrs.

Your Insulation point however has gotten me thinking but then again would the prefabs material construction with airgaps benefit or draw back the design , also do you think the layer of roof felt would help water and weather tight the nestbox itself ?

Nash's Garden