The Screen Bottom Nest Tray is the foundation of the ChirpyNest. Even if you the landlord elects not to do nest checks, the screen bottom nest tray will allow a martin pair to be more successful raising young. This is due to the drainage and ventilation issues discussed as well as the better hygienic environment allowed.
After a nest exchange at 8-12 days, the developing young grow quickly. There is much dander that exfoliates from the young as well as remnants of insects after feeding. With the screen bottom nest tray, most of this material falls through to the floor of the ChirpyNest, thus allowing the young to have a cleaner nest. Without the Screen bottom, the birds would be living in their own filth. I am always amazed at the amount of this material that accumulates under the nest tray.
This screen bottom nest tray has allowed me to eliminate the recommended 18-20 day nest change because blow fly do not have a way to burrow under nest material after the first change out. Blowfly larvae typically feed on the young at night, then burrow between the leaves martins use in their nest, or burrow under the nest material during the day. With the Screen bottom nest tray, I change the nest after the young are ten days old, replacing it with a fresh bed of pine needles. Any blowfly larvae that try to develop, will burrow under the needles looking for a day hiding place, fall through the screen and then are unable to get back to the young. They eventually squirm to the bottom opening and fall out of the house, of die from lack of food.
The screen bottom nest tray provides excellent traction and is a great climbing exercise for the baby martins as they make their way to the entrance to beg for their next meal. This screen bottom also eliminates the possibility of leg splay.
Every aspect of the ChirpyNest is designed to better the nest environment of the purple martins and to make our job as landlords more rewarding.