4th nest of eggs question

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

My 4th nest of 4 eggs is worrying me – I did see mama come off the nest a time or two (been 1 week since last egg), but the past couple of days that I have checked she has not been on the nest. It has been miserably hot (one day was 100 degrees here) so I am wondering if anyone else has had this situation, meaning, mama blue not incubating as much in hot weather. I finally got a few more meal worms (just 1,000) to last out this 4th nesting, so I will be able to get them through a little more. The pair have been faithful to get their small bits of worms in the morning and I see them taking worms to the previous fledglings up in the tree. I just remembered the mark on the egg trick – I need to do this to see if the eggs are being rotated. Got to go and do this right now . . .

[David in Stafford,VA]

Carol – I have not had the “heat” experience that you have there in the Midwest, but I have seen my female bluebird sitting on the nestbox or in the trees when our temps are in the high 90″s and not go into the box until the evening. I would mark the eggs as you said and watch for the rotation.

David
Stafford, VA

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Thanks, David – gives me some hope – I will be checking for the egg rotation tomorrow – giving them the benefit of the doubt for a couple of days, meaning just too hot but “we need to keep these eggs rotated”.

[Chris]

i noticed similar with my birds, the mom was off the nest for a long time in hot weather. We had about three weeks of hot 90 degree weather, now we are getting relief with rain.

Chris

[Carol – Mid-Mo.]

Well, I have hopes again – checked the eggs this morning and the one I had marked had been turned, meaning mama & papa are still doing their thing by rotating – and hopefully she is on the nest in the evening time. Due to hatch next Thursday or Friday I believe.

[Dana]

Wow 4th nest and eggs! I am envious here! About the heat…it got above 100 here too for awhile and I didn’t see the female bluebird go in the nestbox hardly at all to incubate except in the evenings around dusk. I’m just glad the eggs were fine and later hatched. Anyhow the heat may be why she not sitting on the eggs much. Keeping my fingers crossed that your bluebird’s eggs will be ok.

Dana

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