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So excited that 4 of the 5 Eastern Bluebird eggs hatched! 3 hatched 2 days ago and 1 hatched yesterday. Now there is 1 left. I have read that if the egg does not hatch in 4 days, to remove and dispose of the egg to prevent a rotten egg from attracting predators. Is this correct? If so..what’s the best way to remove? With tweezers? I have to disturb anything.
Some people remove unhatched eggs, others just leave them. Unless it is very hot, there’s not a great deal of danger. The egg won’t attract a predator unless it leaks or gets broken or explodes (and there are various opinions about whether hot eggs actually explode or not). I’ve sometimes left unhatched eggs in the nest, and never had an issue. If it should crack or show signs of being broken, then you might want to remove it. The adults might take care of it themselves, anyway – either removing it, or pushing it out of the nest into the bottom of the box.
As for posting pictures, you have to use the url for the image itself, not the album page it’s on. I fixed it for you this time. Look at the instructions in the Posting Guidelines sticky thread for more info.
Central NY
TMB StudiosI’d just leave it for a few more days, just in chance it would hatch. It’s not likely too but I always err on the side of caution. After that you can remove it. Just reach in and pick it up with your fingers. (don’t use tweezers) If you touch the babies it is no big deal. I have to do it often to count the babies etc. Eggs rarely break inside the nest. I’ve never had one break.
Tammy
Yikes…!! checked the box today and the egg appears cracked with some yolk spilling out. I’m going to carefully try to remove it without making a mess.
Did you remove that egg? Check the nest as much as you can to see if there is spilled yolk in it. There are 2 ways to handle this situation. The first is to grease the pole up under the baffle to make an ant barrier. I use lithium garage door track grease for this. The harder solution is to check the nest itself for any remaining yolk. If you’re not going to grease the pole, the contaminated nest material should be removed so that ants don’t find it.
Gin
Atlanta, GAYes, Gin. Thanks for checking this. I did remove the egg. And I did apply grease to the pole. I do believe some of the egg white and a little yolk leaked. Hatchlings are doing well, and are 7days old. I’ll be checking the pole daily to re-grease as needed. I want nothing to go wrong now! We’re so close!! Thanks again!
BabyBday8 by Lori Mullican[/url], on FlickrApparently still clueless about pics. But maybe got lucky this time :)
You shouldn’t have to grease that pole again until next season. It lasts a long time and doesn’t harden quickly. You did put it up under the baffle, right? We don’t want feathers to come into contact with that stuff.
Those little birdies are looking really good! I love to see them all huddled up together.
Gin
Atlanta, GA
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