S & K PBH-12 12-Family Martin House

by S & K Mfg.

Product Features

• Houses up to 12 purple martin families
• Snaps together in minutes with no tools required
• Slightly sloped floors for drainage
• Measures 18 x 19 x 20 inches and weighs 8 pounds
• Made of UV grade polypropylene copolymer plastic

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 18 x 19 x 20 inches ; 8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00004ZBQN
• Item model number: PBH-12
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,127 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)
  • #76 in Patio, Lawn & Garden > Backyard Birding > Birds > Birdhouses

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Designed for use with S&K's telescopic poles, this durable, lightweight birdhouse provides shelter, space, and privacy for nesting purple martins. Easy to assemble, the house includes divided compartments for up to 12 families, with enclosed keyhole-style entrances measuring 2-1/4 inches in height and width. Protected from rain by overhangs, the compartments are 6 by 6 inches with 3-by-6-inch railed porches and white front panels to increase entrance visibility. Though the house does not include the porch dividers recommended by some experts, it does have slots in which you could fashion an adaptation. While no martin-nesting structure is maintenance free, S&K cuts down on the work with slightly tilted floors for drainage and hinged front panels for end-of-the-season cleanup. --Emily Bedard

Product Description

The best martin house in the industry, the 12 family purple martin house is made of polypropolene copoly plastic. It can be easily maintained by using the S & K Quad-Tel Pole. The entire house snaps together easily with no tools required and is conveniently maintenance free. When used with the quad-tel pole the house has a lifetime warranty. Enjoy the pleasure a unique and well designed Martin house offers as a comfortable home for our feathered friends and enjoyable entertainment to the avid martin enthusiast.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Possibility?, December 7, 2002

By 

Christina Packard (Dahlonega, GA 30533) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: S & K PBH-12 12-Family Martin House (Lawn & Patio)

I own this product, but I have not used it yet. Actually I have never finished putting it together. Why?

First I want to stress, saying, "DO YOUR HOMEWORK!". I have learned since wanting, and then quickly purchasing a Martin house for my backyard, that there is more to than just putting something up. I did not read that there is a time to put up Martin houses. Nor did I learn about the different types of Martin houses there are. And I had no idea of all that needs to be considered when one does put up, and then to maintain a Martin house.

I gave two stars. One is that if you do not have the money for a proper Martin house, then this house might do. One star was also for the possibility of correcting some problems this house in my opinion has.

The corrugated plastic material totally deflated me when I saw it. I will probably still give this product a try in January, but with some changes. The room size is way too small. So I will make only 6 rooms which are 12 inches deep, and not the 12 rooms of 6 inches deep. Because Owls make midnight snacks of the Martins reaching in for a claw full of whatever they can grab. Also I have read that Martins don't like their neighbor Martins, so on the porch area, besides needing to have Owls guards, there should be porch dividers. I believe these two extra items can be purchased for this particular house.

Even though the instructions look easy enough to put together, I was taken back that I would have to cut out the type of hole I wanted to use. Again read to find out which size you want to use. I would have liked it better if the holes were able to just snap out.

I think this item may fall in with the saying, "You get what you pay for." This item may fit our pocketbook, but think of the birds first on this type of a purchase.

(Note: Learn why you should NEVER allow House Sparrows
to ever breed in your Martin Houses.)

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It's plastic craptastic!, March 15, 2008

By 

Matt Mangum (Between a rock and a wierd place, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: S & K PBH-12 12-Family Martin House (Lawn & Patio)

My wife received this house for Christmas along with the tri-pole and was very excited to have a martin colony of our own, after enjoying watching our neighbor's colony feeding against central Texas sunsets for about six years.

During the holidays, I opened the flat-packed box and got after sorting the component plastic pieces and corrugated plastic internals (like the yard signs you see on wire legs at intersections and the like...). Put it together and was a bit disappointed in the poor materials, design and reliance on plastic friction fasteners for assembly, but figured it would be all right...Not everything has to be over designed/built per my preferences...

So, mid January finally came and we gleefully hoisted the house atop the tri-pole I had so carefully cemented in the center of our backyard's "flightpath". Over the next week, we cheerfully discussed the return of the martins with our neighbors and appreciated the ease of the tri-pole's telescoping ability to clean out the sparrow nests that kept appearing overnight, and were somewhat dismayed that about half of the plastic tabs that keep the entrances to the rooms closed had broken off during the repeated cleanings. All the while, hoping that the swarm of martins flying around would show interest in our new house.

Then it happened. Yesterday. Two male martins flew over and very intently began checking out our house! My wife was giddy...the kids were dancing around singing and pointing...And the males were uncomfortably clinging to the railing outside the entrances. The picture shows several adults contentedly perched on the railing. With only about a half inch between the railing and the house, there's not enough depth for them to do anything besides awkwardly hang on, like bats. And finally it hit me...THEY CAN'T GET IN! Those two males tried every opening, including the ones in the "attic". No go.

Imagine the dashed hopes of your family when they see that the birds can't use the new home you've been talking about for three months.

So, in summary, the design is miserable, the materials are as cheap as possible and the result is the prettiest sparrow house on the market.
I'm going to go find some corrugated plastic signs and make my own. The quality will be about the same, except it'll work.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Survived recient 40 + MPH winds in Alabama, April 10, 2007

By 

M. Badner "Love Amazon" (AL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

My wife and I could not believe how light the whole thing was, we were afraid it would turn into a kite. However we purchased the tri angle pole as well and actually used a glue gun on the more important joints. Recently Alabama had some bad weather and a tornado about 10 miles east of us. The house not only stayed in placed but was not damaged in any way. It sits about 12 feet off the ground and sways a bit but still standing.