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I have a bluebird box for the first time. I would like to know if the eggs have gone too long and I should removed them from the box. After seeing mating activity for several days, I started monitoring the box on April 6 – there were 3 eggs. On April 10 there were 5 eggs. I’ve seen the female in the box for at least some portion of each day since. The male has a favorite branch to hang out on just outside my office window and I see him every day. There are still 5 eggs and none have hatched. Today would be about 22 days of brooding. I’m in Northern Virginia and the weather has not been the best and we have had some very cold nights. How long should I let this go before removing the eggs and nest and hope my pair will make another attempt?
The kindest thing to do is absolutely nothing until they lose interest. Pretty soon they will know if the eggs are viable or not.
When they stop tending the eggs is the time for you to remove them and the nest. I know it’s hard to wait but it is the best thing for them. Imagine if you were taking care of those eggs and then they vanished. Please wait.
Gin
Atlanta, GAA normal hatch would be 14 days from the last egg laid or 14 days from when the female starts incubating. I agree with Gin that you see if she might have started incubating later. April was a strange month here in Virginia and maybe your eggs will still be viable. Good luck
David
David
Stafford, VAI’m a novice birder, so I probably misidentified the wren. First thing this morning there were still three eggs, but no sign of either parent. By early afternoon there were no eggs left. I removed the nest.
Definitely sounds like a wren- probably a house wren. The only thing you can do if you want to keep that wren out is to clear the nest and leave the box open for a few days. If you see your bluebirds again, close the box and watch for activity.
David
Stafford, VAMine nested successfully after a probable wren attack. I used a half shoebox to make a wren guard and it worked so far. Today they are 7 days so it’s coming off.
Lisa, you used the shoebox idea? Cool! That hit me one day when I looked at a guard I made and I thought duh. Why not just cut out one long side of a shoebox? You could spray paint it and make it last longer.
J, I really don’t like HOWR. Even their “song” annoys me. They tried to start in all of my boxes a week ago. The holes are now all blocked. I block them instead of leaving them open so they don’t get wet inside.
Gin
Atlanta, GAThanks for all your advice. Looks like a wren guard is what I need. I cleaned the nest out. Before I got the advice to block the hole or open the box, I have a new male hanging out at the nest (but no female yet). I haven’t seen the old male or female in a few days.
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