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After building my garbage/recycling container storage unit I had plenty of cedar left overs. So one project that came to mind was a winter roosting box for the local birds.

Not all birds like these nor do some birds like to share but since this was a project to use up some wood and practice some other woodworking I went ahead and made up a design. I did do some online searches and found a lot of different ideas and theories so this is my take on what a box needs to be like and we will wait and see what the birds think.

I needed to join some wood strips to make wider boards so for some of the places where things might show I used my PC biscuit jointer. As you will no doubt know this is a pretty easy process but you do need to decide and mark where the biscuits go. So here is a picture of that having been done.
How ever there are other ways of making this same sort of joint, and if you watched some of the later episodes of new yankee workshop, I think it was the kitchen project he showed how the pros sometimes do these.

First it takes a special table saw blade that cuts the 5/32" kerf. I have one mounted here.
The idea is to make you cut full length and be able to put the biscuits any where you like along that line and you don't have to mark anything.

Here is a sample of the cuts.
I had the depth set for #10 size biscuits. This was a dry fit test to make sure things fit.
You simply glue them up just like always.

For the box I went with a cut like this because the ends would not be visible but there are places this would not be the right way to go.

With the boards glued and dried I then proceeded to make it into a box. This was done in a round robin method rather then a front/back, side/side method because I went to test out this for another project I'm thinking about making. For this it would have looked more finished the other way but heck this is for the birds anyway.
Before putting it together I wanted to make the hole. They recommend the hole to be at the bottom, heat rises and all that stuff. I went with 1-1/2" making it for smaller birds. Used the bandsaw to make the mouse hole look.
The top and bottom are made to fit inside for mounting reasons. They also recommend that you have no vents or drain holes so that is how I went. Here you can see how it all comes together.
For the roosts I used a 7/16" dowel I had on hand. Some people used smaller and some used larger but since I had that on hand I went that way. I put in 3 levels and made sure then didn't line up as was recommended. Even this way I don't think you want to be the bird on the bottom rung....
I'm going to go have a snack and will finish this post in a short while.

Ed

Even this way I don't think you want to be the bird on the bottom rung....

You crack me up!

Found an apple with my name on it.

How about a peak inside?

Sure no problem.
Now lets finish with a front and rear shot of it all pretty much together.
Can't answer many questions on these boxes yet but if you want dimensions and other details let me know and I can tell you what I did, be that right or wrong.

Ed

First off I like the design, I never mastered the bisquite thing, friend had one and on one of the wood shows I watch use it for case work. I trust my tong and groove better. When I had chickens built may roosting boxes, but not as fancy, just utilitarian.

Finally got around to putting it up today. It's snowing and they think it is a special event with predictions of more then 5" in the city (Chicago) and more out here. In the 130+ years of records this would be the 13th (or was it the 11th?) time for this early a snow of this size.

So with the house up and the snow coming and a 13 degree low over the fresh snow on Sat/Sun night we will see how adaptable the birds are to something new.

I also went ahead and put the bird feeder up in the back yard. I normally wait until Thanksgiving but with the fresh snow coming I figured why wait. I was also able to score a bag of black oil seeds for a really good price as compared to last year. Only wish I had gotten a few bags at that price but with no where safe to store them what do you do?

We will be watching out for the birds on both sides of the house tomorrow. I'm betting the feeder is found pretty quick, the rousting house might take a few days.

Ed

Me to Ed, start feeding this weekend, snow a bit less here by moms in Milw suburb.

reible wrote:Finally got around to putting it up today. It's snowing and they think it is a special event with predictions of more then 5" in the city (Chicago) and more out here. In the 130+ years of records this would be the 13th (or was it the 11th?) time for this early a snow of this size.

So with the house up and the snow coming and a 13 degree low over the fresh snow on Sat/Sun night we will see how adaptable the birds are to something new.

I also went ahead and put the bird feeder up in the back yard. I normally wait until Thanksgiving but with the fresh snow coming I figured why wait. I was also able to score a bag of black oil seeds for a really good price as compared to last year. Only wish I had gotten a few bags at that price but with no where safe to store them what do you do?

We will be watching out for the birds on both sides of the house tomorrow. I'm betting the feeder is found pretty quick, the rousting house might take a few days.

Ed

Ed,
Curious, what do you pay for black oil sunflower seeds. I have been feeding for a month and just bought a bag last week. I had about 30# left over from last year. $28.84 for 50# this year. I don't think it has gone up. I go through 5 or 6 bags a winter.

The bags I buy are 20 pounds and about all I can store at any one time. This last bag was $6.99 which translates to a pretty good savings over the normal $13 they charge later in the season.

With the new feeder that is squirrel proof I get almost a month on the 20 pounds which is pretty good. Back when we had several feeders and were giving away the food to the squirrels 20 pounds was a weekly thing. About the same amount of other bird food too. Can't afford that anymore so just the one feeder and just black oils.

Ed

reible wrote:The bags I buy are 20 pounds and about all I can store at any one time. This last bag was $6.99 which translates to a pretty good savings over the normal $13 they charge later in the season.

With the new feeder that is squirrel proof I get almost a month on the 20 pounds which is pretty good. Back when we had several feeders and were giving away the food to the squirrels 20 pounds was a weekly thing. About the same amount of other bird food too. Can't afford that anymore so just the one feeder and just black oils.

Ed

That is less than half what I pay. Oh well. I use a 30 Gal galvanized garbage can on the back deck and it holds 50# about 4" from the top. No squirrels here but I remember them them from North Carolina. Racoons were really bad here for a few years ago but are not a problem now.

I did not spy any takers for the roosting house yet. Of course if they were already in or in and out I have no idea.

The bird feeder was another story. About 11:15 local time I saw a bird feeding and the rest of the day it has been busy.

BTW we did get a heavy wet snow, we had more then less as the day warmed and the snow became wetter still. Just got back from our walk and I would have to say that we have about 3" on the ground and still a few flakes in the air.

Now we have to wait and see if it gets as cold as they predicted. So far it is about 29 degrees yet and pretty clouded over. If it clears then we might also see the temperature drop quickly. Anyway we are in for the evening and no plans to go anywhere tomorrow so it doesn't matter much to us.

Ed