First egg hatched (without male)

18 years ago

I posted "Success" yesterday and in those pictures are the entire family. Well, truth is the male was killed last week while hunting at the roads edge (didn't want to down the party). Well, this morning one of the five eggs of the second brood has hatched. The female has been busy - and i have to believe the recent heat has helped with her incubation (less time in the box)- but now I'm a bit more concerened. Feeding the young ones on her own? I have a good supply of mealworms, they are small, but aren't they still too big for such young nestlings? Anyway, wish us luck!

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Comments (8)

bet_from_ct
18 years ago
Small ones should be okay. See tips on helping out at link below. Mix it up, and recommend calcium dust.

Here is a link that might be useful: widows/widowers
kenn3d
18 years ago
Very sorry to hear about your male, but a successful fledging is a major joy of birding, and we all know that birds are sometimes lost.

We are so happy that we've had 2 success nestings this Spring, but hearing the losses of others' birds is somehow cathartic... It prepares us all, to face nature.

I'm sure Bet is right, and you're sure lucky to have ample worms now.

Best luck and Happy birding,

Kenn
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hideglue
Original Author
18 years ago
UPDATE: Today brought a new suitor!!

The Wave....

The Wait....

This just might work....
bbcathy
18 years ago
I'm sorry about your male too. I had this happen last year a week before hatching and she found another one within 2 days BUT he won't help her raise these babies. They usually don't harm them either. It is not the norm but sometimes the female will abandon the babies and take up with the new guy. The new male I had last year got frustrated b/c she was taking care of them and tried to empty the nest box. I caught him and returned the baby to the box and all went well but I had to keep an eye on him. This is also NOT the norm. All the babies fledged and she took care of them for a full 2 weeks after that and then she had another brood with the new guy.
Good Luck
Cathy
hideglue
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Cathy, I think your observation of the female being too busy is true here as well. He seems to go missing for hours while she hunts and feeds (only one of the five eggs hatched). So either she doesn't need his help or he realizes her "baggage" isn't worth the time.

They did seem compatible...
dzyg
18 years ago
Hideglue, do you normally have more than two nestings each year of Blues? Just curious as to if there was time for another nesting with the new male or not. I had "thought" I lost my male Bluebird this year also as he was mia for just over 4 days, right after the fourth egg was laid. I had seen him daily before that and then nothing and the female was acting very very skittish during this time. The on that fifth day there was a male again and there was lots and lots of wing waving going on. I had no clue if this was a new male or just the old male returning from vacation. LOL! However once he returned I saw him daily again. Anyway the eggs hatched on Tuesday and he does seem to be feeding them so I assuming it is the original male.

Hope your female stays attentive to the one baby that hatched after it fledges!

Donna
hideglue
Original Author
18 years ago
Hi Donna, last year we had three nestings. Glad your "new" male is helping out. I have to say, since our biological papa was killed, the female has been really self-sufficient. I'm sure having only one mouth (plus her own) really helps, but to only occasionally come for mealworms is surprising - it seems to be a matter of pride for her (anthropomorphosizing, I know). Feisty little girl!
Good luck with yours, Donna
dzyg
18 years ago
LOL hideglue! Last year I had a pair that I had been giving waxworms along with the mealworms. They only ended up with one baby too, out of four eggs. One had a deformed leg and died, the other two died due to a bad blowfly infestation in which I had to do a nest change for the remaining baby. Anyway with just that one mouth to feed the Blues stopped eating any mealworms and would only come for the waxworms, if there were no waxworms they would find their own food. Talk about being picky. This years pair since I had been giving them crickets/mealworms and waxworms (because I thought I would have a lone female) is a little less picky. They of course will eat the crickets or waxworms first but will slowly eat the mealworms too. I only give them so many crickets or waxworms a day though. Since the babies hatched though they are busy and don't always come for the free food, I think once the babies are bigger they will though. I am having a hard time with them coming to the deck too, so far they will only come to about 20 feet of it. I am going to try again tomorrow to put the feeder on the deck. I figure as the babies grow they will get more demanding and maybe the mom/dad will give in and come all the way up to the deck for the free food. LOL!

Donna