Home › Forums › Bluebird Chatter › Help! 5 bluebird eggs and non have hatched
Tagged: Eggs nest hatching
- This topic has 88 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 6 months ago by
Lisa.
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July 1, 2017 at 5:54 pm #5238
Whitney, your box has become a fast food stop now so you’ll want to change it over to a slick metal pole with a predator guard soon. There’s a decent chance your birds might try one more nesting. Whatever got them knows that box means food now.
Tammy
July 1, 2017 at 7:59 pm #5244Whitney, the guard you have at the hole is a Noel guard and, as you found out, not effective most of the time. You do need the pole with a wobbling stovepipe type baffle, sized for a raccoon. The squirrel size just won’t get it even though some people have tried that.
Gin
Atlanta, GAJuly 2, 2017 at 2:52 pm #5251I’m not even sure what a Noel guard would protect against with the tons of predators I deal with. I know they market them heavily on the bird websites but just wont do against the losses I’ve had so far…snakes and house wrens. And though not yet I have a Rocky Raccoon who has moved in. Trying to keep his belly full in the front yard and greased the metal pole to bits. 3 more days til fledge. But they are really scary days as far as snakes because they go by smell. I’m afraid a raccoon guard would help the snakes bypass the Krueger trap.
July 2, 2017 at 2:54 pm #5252Gin, I have tons of grey squirrels and never have a problem with them? Do others?
July 2, 2017 at 9:52 pm #5260Does the wobbling stovepipe keep snakes out?
July 2, 2017 at 10:12 pm #5261Most of the time, Meg. But some Purple martin landlords in the south that have rat snakes have found that they are so long that they can breach a guard so some people use netting around their pole too. But I’d say it’s effective most of the time.
Tammy
July 3, 2017 at 12:34 pm #5266Lisa, squirrels are not usually a problem. Guards sized for squirrels are good for poles used for feeders. That small size won’t stop anything else.
Gin
Atlanta, GAJuly 3, 2017 at 11:45 pm #5276I have rat snakes so I have the Krueger guard up. I bought a big metal raccoon guard but I’m afraid the rat snakes which are about 5 feet long would use it as a ledge to climb over the Krueger. All we can do is our best. These rat snakes can definitely climb the baffle. So next year I plan on a stovepipe with the Krueger on top. My POA will love it!!
Must say the metal pole with Krueger have been awesome for snakes. Then I got HOWR>
It’s always something!!!
At least I fledged 5 with hopefully 3 more in the next day or so…July 5, 2017 at 4:23 pm #5326So good news: the bluebirds are trying again. I returned home today from vacation and found a nest in both boxes and one of them had one egg. Bad news: now I’m terrified the raccoon will be back to eat these eggs. Is there anything I can make to put on the wooden fence post that may stop him? I have a bunch of wood and tools, my moms a wood worker so I may be able to make something.
July 5, 2017 at 7:56 pm #5339Wood won’t help you. You could try barbed wire spaced very closely or a really big piece of sheet metal wrapped tightly around the post. The wire would hurt those little coon feet and the sheet metal would be almost impossible to climb. What you really need is a pole with a wobbling stovepipe baffle.
Gin
Atlanta, GAJuly 5, 2017 at 9:09 pm #5348Yep, Whitney. See about moving that box now. We’ll walk you through it if you get the materials and make what you need.
Here’s directions. http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/topic/5934/How-I-install-a-nest-box#.WV0x42jyuUkTammy
July 5, 2017 at 9:33 pm #5351I think you will be fine moving the box with the egg in it. The predators always come back.
Last year the rat snake that ate 5 babies ready to fledge had the nerve to come back to the empty birdhouse the very next day in broad daylight “just in case.”
Much to his regret.July 6, 2017 at 9:09 am #5367I don’t have anywhere to move the box to. I plan on getting metal fence posts and all the guards next year since this breeding season is coming to an end. I set a trap for the raccoon not too far from the feeder he’s been at and the birdhouse so I’m hoping to catch him. I can try putting barbed wire around the post as well. Another question, do y’all think the same two bluebirds made a nest in the same box and also a nest in my
Other box? Because both boxes now have a nest but only one has an egg. I’ve seen more than 2 bluebirds around so I’m wondering if it isn’t another pair.July 6, 2017 at 10:43 am #5368Without those little nametags which they refuse to wear, it’s hard to tell. We’ll just have to wait and see.
Honestly, I don’t know anybody who has succeeded with the barbed wire thing. I just sit here and problem solve and that came to me. If you do this, that wire is going to have to be spaced REALLY closely. You don’t want anywhere on that post for him to put his feet. Bear in mind raccoons can also jump, almost as well as cats.
I really encourage you to move the box to a pole ASAP. If you don’t want to tackle making the baffle, you can order poles and raccoon baffles online or buy them in any wild bird store.
Gin
Atlanta, GAJuly 6, 2017 at 10:54 am #5371I have a ton of barbed wire just laying around so it doesn’t hurt to try it. I’m afraid by the time I order poles and baffled it may be too late. I’m hoping to catch him in my traps.
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