Purple Martin hosts have trained their charges to accept crickets launched into the air from the end of a long plastic spoon. They have even trained them to eat scrambled eggs from platforms. If it works for a bird that mostly hunts on the wing, it should work for barn swallows.

If you put out a tray of mud nearby with some straw mixed in, you could help them build a nest without having to expend much energy.

Mulchmamma, they already have a nest, they've come back to the same one every year since '01. They've fixed the nest up from time to time, but it still looks to be in good shape for this year.
I am wondering, will these temps cause them a problem and I should try to feed them somehow, or are the temps high enough for them to be able to hunt and survive until Sunday when it warms up?

I've read where PM folks have lost many birds during chilly weather even extending into May. If your barnies don't eat scrambled eggs from a platform (you could even add some pulverized egg shells or mealworms) other birds would welcome it.

It's worth a try and until the insects become more plentiful, it seems like a good attempt at nutrition. I'm sure you'll get lots of advice from more experienced people.

Funny, my mom always had barn swallows nesting in the garage and she always fussed about those "darn birds" that pooped all over her car. LOL

Linda

Okay, I have eggs but no mealworms. I guess until I can find mealworms I'll put some eggs out and hope it will help them. Thanks much for the advice!!

For mealworms, try a local pet stoer and look in the reptile dept.

Many times, that will be less expensive than buying from a bird supply place.

I buy mealworms at a nearby feedmill in bulk and save a bundle. I don't buy live ones, only the freezedried variety.

Gail R (WNY)

Gail, thanks for the suggestion, I'll call the pet supply store when they open. In the meantime, I've put out scrambled eggs, but I don't know how to get them to eat them. We have a hanging wooden planter about halfway down the wall next to the swallow's nest, so I put the plate in there. But they haven't eaten any. So far, they are just huddled on the nest. It's not that cold, 39 degrees, but it's raining again. They did see me put the plate down, I just hope they will eat.

How did it go, Petra?
Here is a website from a local purple martin enthusiast, it will tell you all about feeding and how to
make fluffy scrambled eggs in microwave oven.

Konrad

Here is a link that might be useful: Supplemental Feeding

Konrad, thanks for asking, they are doing fine and laid eggs. :o) I don't know if they ate any of the scrambled eggs, but it warmed up again after 3 days and they must have found enough food.

What an interesting article, thanks for posting. Terrible about the cold snap killing all those Purple Martins, that's how we lost the swallows nesting in our entry a couple years ago. It was close to freezing for a week and they died on the nest. I don't ever want that to happen again, it was so sad.