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Bluebird Eggs Not Hatching

16 years ago

After many successful yrs. of bluebird hatchings, we are stymied after 25 days of 5 eggs not hatching. Both male and female very attentive to the nest but still no babies. What do we do? Will parent bluebirds abandon the eggs or should we destroy the nest so they will rebuild and start again? Help!!

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Comments (4)

parrotmommie
16 years ago
It sounds like an immature pair that are trying parenting for the first time. It's not unusual for the first clutch to be unsuccessful. As long as the eggs don't smell rotten, you can leave them & the bluebirds may lay eggs around the other eggs. Since it's been 25 days and you're sure there are no new eggs laid since that time, it should be okay to remove the eggs to entice the birds to try again.
green_t
16 years ago
BB parent- I'm going through the exact same thing for the first time! And it's in a box I have a nestcam in, so it's super disappointing. Mrs. B is still incubating diligently and Mr. B is still bringing her food (day 23!).

Other sources have said the male could be sterile. :( I think I'm going to mark the eggs and leave them in there and keep observing what happens.

Here is a link that might be useful: unhatched eggs
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i was reading this thread with interest. i have a situation where it appears i have 8 bluebirds who have hatched in one nest (thursday may 2, they were born). it may be 9, it's hard to tell. while monitoring the nest in late april i noticed what appeared to be eggs missing from the 3 that had been laid earlier in that week. the reality was that the eggs had been pushed down deeper into the nest and covered with pine straw. the mother kept coming back (may have been another species coming in and covering the egg with straw? i have seen no house sparrows here at all) and eventually she started laying again. turns out, there were 10 eggs total in this nest when she was done! i guess five from the first attempt and 5 after that. bottom line, 8 babies are in there now. i'm putting out meal worms twice a day and making sure there's lots of water nearby in the bird bath, and plenty of shelled sunflower seeds for the parents nearby in that feeder. anyone ever seen or heard of a situation like this?
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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, Kenn
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Leslie, I'm sorry that happened but as many others have replied, we've all made mistakes. Fortunately I had bluebirds nesting for at least two years before a chickadee showed up and claimed another box. Because of this forum, and the helpful members here, I knew that I could protect the dees FROM the bluebirds by adding a hole reducer (to keep the bluebirds out). I've talked to several people over the years (people I know personally and not from this forum) who have removed chickadee, titmouse and brown headed nuthatch nests because they wanted bluebirds. When I listened to their stories I took a deep breath and then explained how much these other species NEED our help. Bluebirds have been getting our help (YEA!) for the last 40 years and sometimes it's easy to forget or not even think about the other species who also need a safe nesting spot. I think that when we put up that first bluebird nest box we only have one thought in mind...... getting bluebirds to nest in our box! I waited FIVE YEARS to get my first bluebird couple! LOL! What I've experienced in hosting three nest boxes is that the Dees and the brown headed nuthatches are just as much fun and such nice little birds! I've never been lucky enough to host titmice but maybe one day.... Anyway, I know you are sorry and won't do it again and that really is the point. Janie
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lcmoore99
16 years ago
After watch a female bluebird sitting for 23 days of incubating 5 eggs (have a nest cam, too), a house wren pecked 2 of the eggs and threw them out of the box. I found one at the base of the box and it had a dead embryo in it. It had all its 'bird parts' but would not have hatched after all that time. I didn't find the 2nd one thrown out but I did take out the remaining 3. The dead embryo and the 3 eggs I took into the house stunk like dead fish! That's after I opened them, I don't know if you could smell that though the shells or not.

The other 3 eggs were not developed past maybe 24-48 hours. I have no explanation as to why these eggs did not develop. If the parents don't mind, you could take the eggs out and smell them to see if they smell rotten. If they do, I'd take them out of there. The parents may be confused at first but it might be better to help them move on to the next brood.

I left the nest in the box hoping that Mama Blue will be stimulated to try again. I'd leave the nest there if I were you.

Good luck, I know your pain. Linda...
lisa11310
16 years ago
At 25 days I would candle them. Gently bring them in and shine a strong flashlight through them, If there is no mass then remove them. If there is a fully formed mass put it back in the box. I usually like to see whats in the eggs at this point. Never ran across a baby that would have hathed. At 25 days if you do find one put it in the nest. I would not expext to find life at this point. Good luck on the next nesting, at least they are trying!

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