Thinking Outside the Box (nest cam)

18 years ago

Well they SHOULD be but do not appear to be. My 5, 15 day old babies show no signs of wanting to come out of the box. Yup they stare up all day long but then they have been doing that since before their eyes were open. I would be getting a really bad kink in my neck. Nobody has gotten it in their head to explore what might be outside of the hole yet, they know it's there but nobody has even tried to climb the BIG wall to peek. I turned my nest cam so I have just a bit of the bottom of the box and can see the side they will need to climb to get out. There have been a few instances where one will flap the now feathered wings for a moment but not go anywhere. One somehow got up to the camera and was hanging upside down from it, madly flapping and then fell on it's head. I know it hurt, it started peeping loudly in protest to what happened. Joe Daddy came running in to check and all was well in a minute. I expect to see some wall climbing tomorrow. This box did not have any wire mesh or grooves so I took a screw driver and made 5 of them about 1/2 inch apart. I really dont see how they are going to get out of there! These guys can stay as long as they want, the longer the better for me! ;) I am going to miss them SO much when they are gone!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

griffin_MD
18 years ago
Lisa, if it means daily reports like this from you, we don't mind them staying either. Thanks for the entertainment!
Kathy
anita55
18 years ago
Lisa, I didn't see any wallclimbing with my nestlings. They sort of just push off of the other birds and hop up to the window. The last one hopped too but he didn't have his brothers to stand on so it was a little more strenuous for him! I also don't remember a lot of peeking out until the day they fledged, unlike the swallows that spent DAYS peeking and teasing me!
Related Discussions
Muscovy Nesting Boxes
Q
Comments (2)
If your pond and area around the pond is protected against predators they will nest in them safely. When I had them years ago we provided 2' x 2' x 2' box (with hinged lid for easy checking and cleaning) 1/2 filled with grass clippings or what ever we had. It had a 1' round hole and was on a 3' tall post. A 2" x 4" x 5' was mounted on the bottom of the nest box sticking out about 3' in front of the hole. They could fly up to the perch and get into the nest box keeping them safe from skunks, 'possums and such. The Male usually roosted just outside of the opening like a guard a night.
...See More
Building a cheap nesting box
Q
Comments (19)
I found some 2x4s laying around, if you don't have any you can get the stud grade I have them at Lowe's for $1.57 for the 2x4 x96 studs. I used about five, if I count my scrap. Then I used a peace of 15/32 inch plywood at 2FT x 4FT as the bottem. I ran a 4FT peace of 2X4 on one side, and four 18 inch peaces on the ends standing up right with supporting 2x4 peaces forming a box at the top and bottem of my up right peaces. Make sure the supporting peaces are on the outside, as you will need them later. My only question, of witch I have not tested, as I still have nails to cut off before doing this, is I atached screening to the short ends as I was reading that a open air coop is better then a dark dank closed up coop. I then took some old barn wood from a barn we took down next dore, and used it for the back as I didn't have any more plywoodI then started running out of scroos, hints the nails that I have to cut off, my framing gun only had really long nails in it at the time. I plan to add a hinged top as I am thinking of cutting an opening in the coop wall, and ataching the box over it on the outside so that the Hens can go in and out at will. I spent in all $20 on my coop and nesting box. I had the deck scroos and the 15/32 plywood left over from building the dog houses, and the 1/4 sheets were removed from the walls of the house when we took out the old bathroom. This is why I tell people not to get rid of things that you might use later. if anyone has a good idea about the screened sides, Please let me know if I should close them up. On the coop, I am installing a screen dore on the south side, that can close at night, but open in the day time to let the hens out to the yard.
...See More
Nesting Owl Cam
Q
Comments (12)
Never mind! I copied and pasted FAQ's in case someone else thinks the same thing I did----it's infrared light and doesn't bother her. Guess I can go to sleep now. Listen, I know I fly off the handle--nothing new----it's just that I CARE---with all my heart, I CARE. Ask Little White-Foot Mouse who lives in the woodpile on the deck, just outside the window. Right now she's getting up dropped seed from the feeder---she knows I see her, but she goes on with her work. I respect her work ethic. ************************* What kind of cameras and lighting are used? The cameras are Logitech Orbit AF (daytime) and Agama V-1325 R (infrared, nighttime). There are 4 infrared (IR) LEDs on the camera that are invisible to owls and humans, but allow the camera to pick up an image we can see at night. There is also ambient light from the neighborhood that comes into the box at night. Is this camera hardwired, battery operated, or solar powered? ItÂs hardwired. Can the night cam zoom in? No, only the daytime camera has zoom and is height-adjustable. The infrared camera is positioned lower and gives a different view of the nest. Does the light at night annoy Molly? There is some ambient light from the neighborhood, but there are no extra lights used at night. Molly doesnÂt seem to mind. Are the cameras actually inside the box? No, they are attached to the exterior of the house with a protective cover.
...See More
Eggs found outside of nest box?
Q
Comments (7)
The three eggs are still there, and mom and dad have been busy at work. They're eating up the dried mealworms, too. I haven't seen any house wrens, but I'm not great at picking them out, either. I just went to my Sibley book, and it says that they are at edges of woods and overgrown gardens, we really don't fit that bill. No woods, and not much of a garden. This neighborhood was corn fields until 2006 and they scraped off all of the good soil and left the clay. Two neighborhoods side by side, same outcome. Any trees here are under 7 years old. I've put in bushes in the last 2 years, all are still quite small. I do have a carolina wren that nests every year in the propane tank, about 15 feet from the bluebird feeder. I've left that nest alone, but found it on the ground after the propane guy came about a month ago. I don't know if the wren will rebuild or not, I hope so. That's a funny bird, when we sit on the back porch it'll jump around the porch just out of eyesight and peek over to look at us as it goes around. Like it thinks we don't see it!! Would a carolina wren disturb it? My daughter just started taking lessons at that horse farm, I was actually shocked when I heard and then saw those HOSP. They were only there that one time, but they were there. We are quite rural, and close to the bay with a lot of swamp around. I never feed birdseed beyond the winter time and it is always BOSS or safflower seeds, never millet and that filler crap that those HOSP seem to love. I really hope I never see one of those here!! I have a killdeer nesting somewhere way in the backyard, I haven't gotten too close, I got a warning last time I walked back there, and my purple martins are back, too :) Each of the plots in the neighborhood are an acre, and it is only about 40% built, the builders left after the market crashed. The empty plots are regularly mowed, lots of empty fields around here. Christy
...See More
Connie Kru
18 years ago
Our's are 13 days old-looking up, but not peeking.
Today it is terrible warm-How warm can it be in the box, before we need to worry-anyone know.
I feed meal worms during the heat of the day, so if it hard for parents to find bugs during the hot time, they have them.
We have lots of practice flying and lots of baby feathers sticking out and coming loose and flying around in the box.
Mom is still spending the night.
This has been so much fun. Hubby has ordered another camera, so we can watch the wood ducks next year and the blue birds at the same time (do we have to much time on our hands???)
Hope I get to see them fledge.
Connie
Have not seen any wing waving from Mom, so I will be surprised if we have another nesting.
Connie
lisa11310
Original Author
18 years ago
Oh geese thats all I get from Mom, wing waving and tail feathers shaking . LOL It is in the low 90s here. Babies look a little hot and sleepy but not in danger I dont think, besides if it's too hot in there they can come out! LOL. Still nobody really interested in going to take a peek. Hussy Moms last kids left on day 18 so I am expecting Friday. Tomorrow is the ONLY day I have to leave the house so they are not allowed to go then! This box is right near the fish pond ( like 5 feet) so I really need to keep an eye on them.
lisa11310
Original Author
18 years ago
Well the kids behaved while I was gone and everybody is still in there. We have lots more wing flapping going on , poor guys have to duck when someone goes to flapping, don't want to get a wing in the eye! There have been one or two that have finally decided to go see what may be out there. Nobody has been brave enough to stick their heads out , but maybe it's because whoever they are standing on is squacking get off get off! Two of them have also learned that there is no reason to push and shove to be at the front of the box when Joe Daddy comes with food....it's much simpler to hang out in back and jump on top of someone in front to get the bug! LOL. The parents are not trying to call them out yet so I expect they will go tomorrow. This time I am NOT getting up at 6:30. Last time I did and nobody was awake. Pop was up around 8 and Hussy Moma didnt even show up until sometime after nine. Boy it's going to be quiet when they are gone. :(
donnalovesblue
18 years ago
I will be so glad when these babies fledge, cause your little family has worn me out!!!...and I'm not even related to them!!!LOL....Something tells me you WILL be up again early in the morning..

Keep us posted!

Donna
lisa11310
Original Author
18 years ago
AAAHHH this is the funniest thing. One of the babies is jumping on a siblings head and practicing "take offs" jumping off it's Brother/Sisters head and trying to fly! LOL
These kids need to go, it's getting ruff in there! ( They do snuggle and give each other little pecks that appear to be affectionate). Yeah Donna but I think it will be closer to 7 or 7:30. Last fledge I needed a blanket to keep warm! I am sure that wont be the case this time.
anita55
18 years ago
Hey Lisa, it's hard to watch INSIDE the box and still see them fledge to the OUTSIDE unless your eyes are set in a very unusual way for a human! I was driving my husband crazy with making him watch the outside while I watched inside. I can see the box from my family room where the tv is, so I just started sitting there with the binoculars, back and forth, back and forth. Of course I missed them all, ha ha. Hope you get to see yours go.

Anita

Thinking Outside the Box (nest cam)

Comments (8)

griffin_MD

anita55

Related Discussions

Connie Kru

lisa11310
Original Author

lisa11310
Original Author

donnalovesblue

lisa11310
Original Author

anita55

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Thinking Outside the Box (nest cam)

Comments (8)

griffin_MD

anita55

Related Discussions

Connie Kru

lisa11310Original Author

lisa11310Original Author

donnalovesblue

lisa11310Original Author

anita55

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

lisa11310
Original Author

lisa11310
Original Author

lisa11310
Original Author