Are these eggs OK?

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  • #1747
    LantanaAl
    Participant

      I think I can get them out easily… and I’ll use a plastic spoon. Hopefully at least one more will hatch before Saturday but I’m not going to hold my breath. Kind of a bummer that only 2 out of 5 hatched.

      • This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by LantanaAl.
      #1770
      dogsandbirds
      Moderator

        I know. Been there, done that and bought the DVD. Maybe the birds will do a better job next cycle.

        Gin
        Atlanta, GA

        #1787
        tamsea
        Moderator

          It’s very unusual to have the eggs break. I only remember it happening a couple of times on here in all the years we’ve been on this forum. And you don’t need to take them out with a spoon, just use your fingers.

          Tammy

          #1792
          LantanaAl
          Participant

            I removed them and am glad I did so I don’t have to look at the constantly in my nest cam. It looks like 2 of them didn’t even start to develop (or maybe they did but stopped very early). Another egg had something in it that must have died. Sad but that’s [bird] life. The two that did make it are still doing well.

            Hope they have another brood before the summer is out and are more successful… and of course I hope these two successfully make it out of the nest when it’s time. Last time (last year) I think they fledged a little prematurely because a snake was around and the parents went wild.

            #2008
            LantanaAl
            Participant

              UPDATE: The two fledged just moments ago and I have empty nest syndrome.

              Should I remove the nest or leave it there in hopes that the female lays some more eggs?

              #2009

              I always remove the old nest and clean the nestbox with soap and water to prepare for the next brood. Many of the bluebird sites recommend this as a way to remove ants, mites etc. that may have hatched during the growth of the young birds. I think that is good to have a fresh room ready for the nest family.

              David
              Stafford, VA

              #2010
              Carol – Mid-Mo.
              Participant

                David is absolutely correct – clean out box now. They usually want to build a new nest & start fresh. P.S. Many site also recommend a very light bleach solution when washing out the box and then rinse it very well. I always do this, as one time a nest of TRES (which all 5 perished) had mites in it when we cleaned out box after the babies died (probably from the mites). They were crawling all over us – UGH!! Doesn’t cost anything and leaves box disinfected for next nest. Just BE SURE to rinse it very well with clear water & Leave out in sun to dry good. P.S. Yeah, I know – out in the wild no one washes out their nesting site, but then again this is what we are trying to do is improve on nature, aren’t we?

                #2011
                LantanaAl
                Participant

                  OK… I’ll clean it out with soap and water….. probably won’t use bleach though.

                  #2034
                  tamsea
                  Moderator

                    I used to clean it out with bleach, then just cleaned out with water and now I just scrape the old nest out and leave it like that. The only time I scrub with water is when it had TRES in there and they made a mess….which is most of the time!

                    Tammy

                    #2039
                    dogsandbirds
                    Moderator

                      I used to clean it out with bleach, then just cleaned out with water and now I just scrape the old nest out and leave it like that.

                      :yeahthat:

                      Gin
                      Atlanta, GA

                      #2055
                      Love my blues!
                      Participant

                        Congrats on the 2 fledging! Hope they give it another go when you get box back up & running!

                        Nicole

                        #2061
                        LantanaAl
                        Participant

                          Congrats on the 2 fledging! Hope they give it another go when you get box back up & running!

                          Thanks! Me too.

                          I am anxiously awaiting for another family or the same family to build another nest……. watching with my nest cam. I have never seen a nest build or egg laying with my nest cam since it was never installed that early before.

                          I’m curious, if the same birds are going to build another nest, how long would it generally be? Is there a certain time frame to expect?

                          Also, I wonder if all my monitoring and the other people that were around the nest would bother them enough to decide not to build there again even though they had a successful brood (excepting the 3 eggs that were duds).

                          • This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by LantanaAl.
                          #2072
                          dogsandbirds
                          Moderator

                            Once again, timetables vary so much it’s impossible to predict when/if the next round will begin.

                            Monitoring does not deter them from choosing a box for a repeat if they were successful in it. Hatch rate doesn’t determine success but fledging does.

                            Gin
                            Atlanta, GA

                            #2075
                            LantanaAl
                            Participant

                              Once again, timetables vary so much it’s impossible to predict when/if the next round will begin.

                              Monitoring does not deter them from choosing a box for a repeat if they were successful in it. Hatch rate doesn’t determine success but fledging does.

                              That’s good to hear… so they must consider it a “success” then even though only 2 eggs hatched and I was probably a bit “bothersome” to them with all my monitoring. I guess I can’t really do anything else except just hang tight and see what happens. :)

                              • This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by LantanaAl.
                              #2089
                              dogsandbirds
                              Moderator

                                Monitoring probably does bother them a little but the drive to reproduce helps them tolerate the intrusions. I rarely open a box unless I suspect something is wrong. If the adults are coming and going, acting normally and seem peaceful I just let them alone to do their thing. I am in HOWR territory so they get a guard when a first egg is laid but that’s about it.

                                Gin
                                Atlanta, GA

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