Paint your bird box at the end of the summer which allows enough time for the paint to fully cure before spring comes. When cleaning any nest box at the end of the breeding season check the paint. Sand down and repaint the box if the paint is peeling or chipped.
Promoting your gift basket business will help people find you. Create a website. You should segment the market.
If possible, consult a local bird expert to better understand where to place your birdhouse.
Ideal Placement for Bird Boxes
Ideally, position a bird box in an open, yet sheltered spot facing away from direct sunlight and rain. Natural elements like wind and weather greatly impact the safety of birds inside a box. Avoid facing northward as sun and wind will be too direct.
Use latex-based exterior paint when painting birdhouses. Latex-based paints are safer and more durable than oil-based paints.
Pick colors that help a bird house blend into its surroundings. This keeps birds safe from predators. Consult a local expert on the best color choice.
Untreated bird boxes of cedar or cypress naturally resist decay without paint. Boxes made this way can last over 25 years. In the South paint boxes light colors like white, gray, light pink or pale blue. Bluebirds do not care what color their box is.
Painting Nesting Boxes
Birdhouses don’t need painting, but the box may last longer if you paint the outside. Never paint the interior of a birdhouse. If you’re painting the outside, use a dull (not bright or shiny) color that blends in with your surroundings. Nest boxes that don’t match the vegetation may be easier to find by predators.
Update: The RSPB has warned that nest boxes should not be brightly coloured as the more inconspicuous to predators the better. You can read a list of their dos and dont’s here.
It is recommended not to draw bird boxes, as if unpainted or untreated – it might be more attractive to potential nesters. In rare settings, painting the bird box in a bright, decorative, or more mismatched neutral tone may be OK, but it will draw unwanted attention.
Chicken Nesting Boxes
You need to provide comfortable nesting materials for each chicken nesting box. The hens will be sitting here for long periods. Whatever material you choose should add to their comfort.
I personally love the idea of a white painted chicken coop and white nesting boxes. It makes the space brighter and for someone like me who loves to decorate, the white paint creates a great backdrop.
General Advice on Birdhouses
We recommend that you clean your birdhouses out a minimum of once a year. Cleaning prior to nesting season is a priority but nesting boxes can be cleaned out after every brood has fledged.
If you plan to raise chickens for breeding purposes, having nesting boxes is essential. The presence of nesting boxes triggers a hen’s natural instinct to become broody and sit on her eggs, potentially leading to successful hatching.
Color Choices for Birdhouses
Birdhouses should not be painted bright colors. Bright colors attract predators. Dark colors absorb too much heat. White signals alarm and danger to birds. Use dull, natural colors that blend into the surroundings. Tan, gray, green, brown and blue are good choices.
Inside surfaces should not be painted or treated. Outside surfaces can be painted or stained to weatherproof. Use nontoxic paint.
Provide nesting materials suited to the bird species. Clean out nest boxes at least yearly, just after breeding season.
Place nest boxes in sheltered spots facing east or southeast if possible. Avoid facing north where exposure is too direct.
Having nest boxes can encourage hens to go broody and sit on eggs. This leads to successful hatching.
Bird feeders and birdbaths near nest boxes provide supplemental food sources. Sites with additional food and water attract more birds.