[tamsea]

Thanks Judy.

Tammy

[tamsea]

I’m pretty sure it’s mineral oil.

Tammy

[tamsea]

Wow… Great ending. Unfortunately my 5 eggs didn’t hatch. Maybe the first time for me. Too much spring cold weather up here. I opened one just to be sure and found that they were barely starting to develop. So hard.

Tammy

[tamsea]

Very cool!!!

Tammy

[tamsea]

Where did you get your new Gilbertson? Does it have the bar in the opening?

Tammy

[tamsea]

Carol. It’s always cold here in the spring so I normally do not worry about it. Mama was sitting on eggs so I figured they would be just fine. It’s when there are babies that I worry more but my five eggs didn’t hatch. I had to remove them. So I guess it did get too cold. Breaks my heart especially because I was taking my granddaughter out to check every day, looking forward to showing her hatchlings. 😭

Tammy

[tamsea]

As in a Gilwood? The wood box and not the PVC one right? My blues love the Gilwood box!!! They prefer it.

Tammy

[tamsea]

I’m not very familiar with dees either. Are you sure they are the culprit? That’s not normal behavior for them.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by tamsea.

Tammy

[tamsea]

Agree.

Tammy

[tamsea]

Maybe mites are more of a swallow thing. I’ve only had them in Martin and TRES nests.

Tammy

[tamsea]

Sorry. I just figured everyone has heard of it. It’s been out there in the internet and talked about for awhile. Julie Zickefoose is a writer artist and naturalist. She created a suet recipe for her bluebirds similar to the ones that we’re familiar with. She started noticing that her bluebirds had stiff swollen toes and feet. She got feedback from a Me Lovelett “that pointed out that suet dough mixes are very low in calcium, high in phosphorus, and “contain proteins that are relatively low in biological value.”
Ms. Lovelett suggested basing suet dough on a “formulated diet that provides adequate calcium, high quality proteins and other essential nutrients.” And she mentions unmedicated chick starter as a base.”

Here’s the link.http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2010/03/zick-dough-improved.html?m=1

• This reply was modified 6 years, 3 months ago by tamsea.

Tammy

[tamsea]

I usually have mine all winter long but we’ve been gone some I. The winter and so they have gotten out of the habit of eating at my place. 😣

Tammy

[tamsea]

Yep, some of those are way to shallow, even for a chickadees. What I’ve realized about WBU is that they will sell whatever sells! I always cringe when someone shows off their bluebirds living in one of those things.

Tammy

[tamsea]

I don’t think this will work but…hey it’s worth a try. I think they will go in the second or real hole and do their dirty deed.

Tammy

[tamsea]

My daughter is going to have a huge issue this next year with wrens because her hubby refused to stall the wren that was building so it had a family. I cringe when I think of the battle that she will probably have this coming season.

Tammy

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