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Do u guys think the bluebird eggs will hatch?

17 years ago

I live in Michigan and I was shocked to find 2 bb eggs in the nest. That was March 30. I have not opened the box to check to see how many eggs there are as it has been sooooooo cold!! It is very windy and gets down in the 20's at night and high today was 36 with wind chill 30's.

I feed the blues mealworms and the female comes out of the box to eat. I do see her fly back in, but they (the eggs) have got to get cold. I have the back and sides taped to help keep the warmth in.

What are the chances of them hatching??? I won't open the box to check on the progress.

Thanks!!

Karen

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Comments (6)

Connie Kru
17 years ago
Hi,
I live in SE Michigan too and we have wood ducks laying eggs, but not setting yet.
I also wonder if they will hatch after being so cold.
I guess time will tell. Is you momma sitting on the eggs???
I will wish us both luck
Connie
bluebirdbabe
Original Author
17 years ago
Connie, yes, I think she is sitting. When I call them for mealworms, I see her fly out of the box. She eats and flys to a tree by the box stretches a little and goes back in.

There were 2 eggs in the nest March 30th and I assume she laid some more, but they were in the box without the female sitting, and it was in the 20's. Yea, I guess time will tell.

Wishing us luck too.

Karen
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That's why I suggested the suet. It may not be a perfect solution, but it should get them through the cold spell. If you choose to try mealworms, you could place them out in an open dish. Or tie an empty cat food can sized container to a nearby branch? Other birds will eat them as well, so only as an emergency to keep the babies fed until the weather warms up enough for the parents to find insects. Of course, if it rains, they drown. My local feed store sells the dried mealworms. Blues won't usually take those, but in a situation where their young are starving I think they will.
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kenn3d
17 years ago
Karen - Seems your female is a bit ahead of schedule... But I would hope you still have a good chance for hatchlings if she's incubating and staying in the box a lot. I suspect she knows she has to keep those eggs warm, and will try to.

Connie - Sorry I know next to nothing about ducks. I would worry too if they're not incubating yet.

Our Missy Blue has been incubating 5 blue eggs day and night for the past 10days. She spends most of her time on the nest, with just short breaks during the day. Her Mr.B is feeding her thru the hole like a champ. It's also a good bit warmer here I'm sure, altho we've approached freezing two nights since the last egg was laid.

I wish best luck to all of us,

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bluebirdbabe
Original Author
17 years ago
This is sooooooo funny. I saw the female fly out of her box to get mealworms. She got some and flew to the tree by the box. Ole dad blue comes to gets some worms, flies right past momma blue, he goes to the nest box (flies past her again) to feed her. LOL he then flies to the tree and feeds her on the branch. I love them so much!!!

Kenn, I have been thinking about your blues since we had this conversation about my 2 eggs march 30th. Lets keep each other posted....the wood ducks too.

Karen
fairychick
17 years ago
Just went through the same scare with near record lows here in Atlanta. 4 eggs that should hatch by this weekend.

Karen - it sounds like my male. He's so silly sometimes. Like he just doesn't know where she is. Then when he finds her he gets so excited he drops the worms. She usually eats on her own, but also accepts food from him (if he can actually get it into her mouth).
Connie Kru
17 years ago
Our wood duck was in the box at 7 am when I first turned the camera on. (she was not there during the night) She stayed till 10:15 am. Gone all day and returned at 8 pm.
Do I call this day one? I was surprised she was gone all day.
Camera's are fun but now I worry more than when I knew less about how and when she is in the box.
Connie

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