Thank you for being kind to the Robins! Can you wait just a couple more days ...just until she is done laying? Are there any bushes or trees close? If not you could sink a a pole near where the nest is and secure a milk crate (or something) on it's side. Once she has eggs she should accept the new placement as long as she can find it. You need to be sure it is secure, my thought would be something like craft wire, strong enough to weave through the nest and affix to branches etc. Let us know how it goes. You may get some telling you it is illegal to tamper with nests but I understand your dilemma. Go to www.whatbird.com to look up the nesting timetable for Robins. Again thank you for caring!

lisa,
there are some trees close by, but they sure don't look like my blue Ford tractor. I have to move the nest, but I can wait a few more days. Thanks.

Anyone else?

Hi there steelskies, Wow...what a dilemma! Who would think that the nutty things would build their nest inside a tractor engine? Amazing! Of course, you need to use your tractor. That is completely understandable. Like Lisa, I would say to wait until all of the eggs are laid (3-5 eggs) if you are able to. Then, VERY gently remove the nest and place it into some sturdy and secure type of container, and place it as close as you possibly can to where it originally was placed by them. They will use a wooden platform for nesting. So, if you have any spare wood, you could fashion such a platform and nail it up to a tree or the house or barn, and put the nest inside. I've included a link to an example of what I am telling you about. Hope that helps you. The main objectives are to help them to have a successful nesting, while you are able to use your tractor! Keep us posted??~~Angie

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Angie, I want one of those, remind me to ask for one for Christmas! LOL!
PS. no Monarchs yet. Also no Martins

Still only one egg. Wouldn't they lay one every day?
I feel bad making her leave her nest.

Another dilemma, new rabbit nest really close to my house. Cat got one baby already today. We have way too many rabbits this year and they are eating my flowers. So I think I have to relocate them once they are big enough. There are way too many, but they sure are cute!

Uh-oh. Well, you would think that she would lay 1 egg each day. Do you still see her going to the nest? If you simply have to use the tractor right now, just go ahead and move the nest. Remember to be very careful when you move it. They use mud in their nests, and it may be that you have to gently work it free of whatever it is built upon. I bet that as long as the nest is there in the same general spot, she will go to it and continue to lay.
In regards to the bunnies, I don't know what to tell you. I don't see how you could protect them unless you can keep that cat away from them. They are cute, and they are prolific breeders! Once the cat knows where they are, it will continue to come back.~~Angie

P.S. Lisa--I have this very nesting platform, and it didn't get any action last year. I mounted it on my front porch post, and I really thought I would get a Dove, a Robin, or my fondest hope, a Phoebe to nest in it. I relocated it to a different spot on my porch, and we shall see what happens this year. So far, no lookers. May end up having to mount it in a tree which I really did not want to do.

Bandmom: She is definitely on the nest. I have to move it tomorrow. Hopefully she'll find the new location.

We have the cat locked into our garage. I wonder how long that will be. Bunnies still have their eyes closed. They are so cute, but their relatives have eaten a lot of my pansies, some tulips, and some lilies. Not happy with them! This is the first year I've had this problem, so I think the bunny populations is definitely increasing.

Well, that is good then that she is still on the nest. Maybe everything will go well for her and for you! Let us know?~~Angie

Well didn't move the nest yet. Trying to find just the right sturdy tree limb to put the nest on. Doesn't it have to be rather high up? Two eggs today!

Do mother rabbits move their young? The nest is empty today but it looked intact and looked like it wasn't ever disturbed! After the cat got one of them, I'm thinking the mom moved her babies? They're way too young to move themselves, their eyes were still closed.

Glad you have more eggs now! I would not try putting the nest into a tree because a strong wind will just blow it right out. They use mud in their nests to help to secure them to the tree limbs. I don't know how you would adequately secure the nest into a tree. You would honestly be better off nailing a safe and sturdy container to a nearby tree and putting it in there. No, it does not have to be so high up. I have seen them build at 5 feet. The keys are to keep it as close (as humanly possible) to where it is now and to put it into a safe and sturdy container. JMHO. Keep us posted. I bet the mama rabbit did move her little bunnies.~~Angie

OK, this isn't working. The day I was going to relocate the nest, the eggs were gone. So I took out the nest and placed it in a 3 sided upside down blue container (our tractor is blue) tied solidly into a tree close to the tractor. They didn't like it. Build a 3rd nest in the tractor. There were 3 eggs by the time I tried to relocate it, and this time, I actually moved a potted tree almost right where the tractor was and the put the nest in a crook in the tree, and kinda tied it into place with baling twine. No deal!
Now robbins are building a FOURTH nest. Gee, I am feeling bad for them. Next I guess I have to just cover the tractor engine so they can't access the engine. Talk about persistence!

Rabbit update. The babies were still in the nest, I just didn't check deeper into the hole. I tried to close off the nest on all but one side with plywood, and the mother did come every night. BUT the (darn) cat ended up killing 3 of them, and I caught the other 2 and relocated them to our woods. So 2 out of 5 made it to the woods at least!

Oh my word. You have really had a time with those Robins, hey? Seems like they are determined to use your tractor. Yes, I would block off their entry port so that they cannot continue to build in there. They need to go and build elsewhere. Glad to hear that a couple of the bunnies made it. Bunnies don't seem to have a problem with their population numbers. Looks like they are doing pretty well without our help. :o) ~~Angie

You're sure trying hard Steelskies! We get some mice nests and an occasional wren nest in some of our equipment. The equipment stands idle all winter, and in early spring it feels like a safe spot for them.

We have the same problem with rabbits. We had to put a fence around our back yard with chicken wire at the bottom, to keep the rabbits out, just so I could have flowers. They are cute though!
Good luck with your various animal problems!

I just recently discovered a robins nest in my orange tree pot on my deck on the second floor. I'm willing to leave it there if momma bird doesn't mind me watering the hundred other orange trees surrounding her. I might even name them for her. I know never to touch it anyways. This is rather exciting lol

I had to move a nest tonight. I feel so bad. Mommy bird is sitting in the wire above where her nest used to be. I moved it to a flower pot on my deck. It's not too far away. There wasn't a safe place near the old spot. She had built on our electric meter box. My husband said that could be dangerous. They keep going back to that spot every year. Last year, He was not as careful as I was in removing it this year. It's all intact and she even added little artificial flowers to it. So pretty. I hope she finds it.

Did mama bird find the nest?

No, not that can tell.

She may have made a new nest close to the original spot. If you find it, just move this egg into it.

All the best to you.

I keep watching out, but I think it might be too late for the egg. It's been alone for so long. I still seeing Momma bird around the yard though.

Thank you all for all the comments here. I have a nest though while no eggs (3 robins fledged successfully ages ago) the nest remains the parents home. Issue is it's under my bedroom window in ivy which due to leaving them so long, its now completely covered the window and onto the roof. I'm going to build a box as shown by rober49 (thank you) and place it under the eaves for protection. The nest is huge and looks very solid (i.e., been in use a very long time). The robins eat from my hand (as did their babies) so trusting they will understand, forgive and continue using their relocated nest. The UK robins are tiny compared to those in the US. Ours are a fair bit smaller than a tennis ball. I think your's are on steroids. Thank you all ... feeling much happier about this.