Need advice for cold weather when baby bluebirds hatch

[Love my blues!]

This Thursday & Friday will be days 12 & 13 since my Mama bluebird started incubating. The problem is that the lows will be 37 one day & 43 on the other, which are the coldest days coming up in the next 2 weeks. What is considered too cold for new hatchlings & what can I do to help keep them warm besides temporarily covering up the ventilation spaces (that is, if they hatch on one of these days)? The days after that are supposed to be extremely wet for several days. Any advice?

Nicole
Birminghamm, AL

[dogsandbirds]

All you can do is cover the side vents. Chances are extremely good the female with brood them almost constantly until the weather warms.

Gin
Atlanta, GA

[tamsea]

Nicole, one time I put my daughter’s hood from her coat around the nextbox and tape it in place so it doesn’t move and cover the entrance. Another time when it was really really cold…sub zero temps I put a heating pad on low around the box and covered it with the hood. That’s extreme but the temps were really really low that time. Now, I mostly let nature take it’s course.

Tammy

[Love my blues!]

Thanks, Gin & Tammy! I bought this padded material that has adhesive on one side to cover each side if the box (except the entrance, of course). Eggs haven’t hatched yet & the temps aren’t as low as were originally forecasted. After tomorrow morning, it will warm up, so hoping they will hatch Sunday or Monday. Any time now…

Nicole.

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