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Dead baby blue...what to do???

17 years ago

Went down to check on the nestboxes at the park, two TRES and one Blue. LAst check date was on Sunday all was ok in the Blues box, they hatched on the 26th. Today when I was walking up to the box I heard flies, opened the box and smelled death. One baby blue was dead in the nest which I removed. I was in a hurry as I am now since I have to go pick my dd up from school. I didn't see any sign of trauma on the baby but it was already bloated and decomposing. The other ones at a quick glance looked ok. I plan to go back down and lift the nest up and do a blowfly check after we get back. Should I check the other babies out at all or just leave them alone? Not sure how clean the bottom of the nestcup is with that dead one being in there a few days. What do you think??

Gotta run, thanks!!

Donna

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Comments (2)

bbcathy
17 years ago
I would check everything out really good.
dzyg
Original Author
17 years ago
Ok, I went back down there with a bucket, towel, large hamburger flipper, gloves, brush and scraper. Took the nest out and inspected the floor of the box, no blowfly larva. The babies looked ok, I had thought one looked bigger than the rest but they are pretty much the same size and feathered the same. I had been worried that I have only seen a female every time I have checked this box but I did see the male this time, thankfully. I picked one of the nestlings up and inspected it and got some gooky stuff off the nestcup area where he was sitting, I think it was from the dead baby yet. This baby looked fine with no blowfly larva attached. I know they normally only come out at night but I also recall some still being attached to the two babies I lost two years ago. I didn't try to pick up the others as this one tried mightly to hang onto that nest when I picked it up. Was going to take a picture of the nest but totally forgot since I was immersed in trying to find a problem. I didn't see any blowfly unless they were buried deep in the middle of the nest. So I am feeling a bit better about it anyway. Maybe there was just something wrong with the one baby. The nest and the other babies really look fine, mom and dad are there so I am praying these four will be fine.

Thanks Cathy, hopefully I checked everything as well as I should have.

Donna
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