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I have heard that the Western Blue Bird can lay 6 eggs but I do not know that for a fact. Possibly Renee could help us on that.
David
Stafford, VADon’t kick yourself for “learning”. I have a couple of suggestions. I would get that nestox out of the tree and onto a pole right away. The birds will follow it if they have eggs or young in it.
Like Carol suggested, mount it on a slick surfaced steel or PCV pipe. I have mine mounted on A 5′ 1 1/2 in PCV pipe with a stove pipe baffle to keep away predators.
And I would either take off the front of your nestbox and trim it so that you can make a door that will open from the front. (see the front of my nestbox. It opens from the top outward and is held closed by an “L” shaped screw in hook.) If the opening for the birds does not have a predator guard, I would install one as soon as you can.
Keep us posted on your progress.
David
Stafford, VACarol and all, I have tried to get them to start building – even put some dry pine needles on the bottom of the box to help them get started – but not yet. I am thinking that they may have found another nest box nearby and just come to feed on he mealworms.
David
Stafford, VALisa, Carol is right about the feeding of mealworms to the new ones. I do not use dried worms at all. I raise mealworms for my birds and use the TMB cage feeder. I started mine to use the feeder by taking the bowl out of the feeder and using a copper wire holder to hold the glass bowl from the feeder with some mealworms. It did not take the bluebirds very long to start using the bowl. Then I put the bowl with mealworms into the cage with the top left open and let them get accustomed to the cage for about a week. When they accepted the cage, then I closed the top. It took a few try’s of fluttering around the cage before they hopped into the openings and onto the bowl for the worms. Have a little patience, they will find it and be happy that you are feeding them. You will have to watch if you have wrens and tufted titmice in the area. They are able to get into the cage and they also like the live mealworms.
David
Stafford, VAGlad to see the bluebirds starting to nest.
My nest box is lonely right now. The bluebirds come to the mealworm and seed feeders but have not started to build a nest. I may have to wait until the second round if they don’t start soon.David
Stafford, VAHi Sally. I am in NO. VA also (Stafford) and know what weather you are experiencing. Between a week of 70-80 degree teaser weather and then back to cold, rainy and sometimes snow, I am sure that the birds are confused. I have a pair that have been here all winter, in and out of the nestbox every day but no nest building yet. At this rate we will probably not have birds until the first part of June.
Keep us posted on your activity.David
Stafford, VA
