| Gourds or Houses? That is one of the most | | | | choose, it really doesn't cause problems. My |
| common questions you will find from someone | | | | reasoning behind this is really the cost when it |
| looking to get in the hobby of attracting purple | | | | comes to gourds. Generally you'll have to pay |
| martins. I can understand why they would be | | | | considerably more for a setup with more gourds |
| confused. Most of the manufacturers and | | | | than eight. This is really just a good amount of |
| companies selling purple martin houses will also sell | | | | compartments to get your started. Generally you |
| the gourds. They kind of go hand in hand because | | | | won't have a colony large enough to fill all of |
| typically a purple martin landlord will frequently | | | | those compartments your first year, but will give |
| prefer one versus the other. The truth of the | | | | you enough experience to really know if this is a |
| matter is, in all of the purple martin landlords I | | | | hobby you want to continue year after year. |
| have come across, it is more of just what they | | | | The next thing I would recommend that you look |
| started with or are most familiar with and that is | | | | at is a couple of years down the road. As |
| the reason why they prefer them. Those that | | | | mentioned above, you probably won't have a |
| use gourds probably would tell you that gourds | | | | colony large enough to completely fill your purple |
| are better. Those that have three or four houses | | | | martin compartments all up. However, it isn't |
| obviously love their setups. Neither one honestly | | | | uncommon for people to outgrow 8 or 12 |
| attract purple martins better than the other. As | | | | compartments after their first year. This means |
| long as you have the right sized doors, decent | | | | that if you really like this hobby, you might wish |
| sized compartments, and a place that appears to | | | | to expand. What happens if your pole isn't strong |
| be safe to the purple martins, they will come and | | | | enough to add another rack with gourds? Perhaps |
| stay if they are migrating through your area. | | | | it can't support a multiple house adapter on it so |
| I am sure though that you are reading this trying | | | | that you can add a second house on it. The need |
| to get a personal recommendation for what you | | | | then is that you have to add an entirely different |
| should be looking for. Regardless of whether you | | | | pole with a new rack or gourd. I always |
| go for gourds or a house, I would recommend | | | | recommend that people pay a little bit extra |
| either a six gourd setup with a single rack, or at | | | | upfront for a really sturdy pole and good setup |
| least a 8 family purple martin house. There are | | | | the first year, it will save you money when you |
| smaller houses on the market, but this amount of | | | | decide to expand later on as most people who |
| compartments is good for someone starting out. | | | | enjoy purple martins will do. |
| You can go a little bit bigger on the house if you | | | | |