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Question about a Carolina wren nesting

12 years ago

Under the overhang, outside the front of my chicken coop, I have a deck box with junk on the top. I discovered that a Carolina wren had built a nest inside a small container turned on its side. I was careful not to disturb it......although I do occasionally carefully peek inside. The babies hatched about a 4 days ago. I peeked this morning and the mama few out. I thought that was strange, since I thought they only go in there to feed the babies........but she was laying down in there. After she flew out, I got a flashlight and looked in and the babies were all laying down, like on their sides. Isn't this sort of weird? It looked like the mama was laying on them. Is this normal, after they hatch?
Thanks.

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Comments (7)

catherinet
Original Author
12 years ago
Actually, I did an online search and read that they sit on the babies until they get a few feathers. I didn't know that!
Elly_NJ
12 years ago
Good idea to stay away from the nest, not look in. You may scare the mom off the nest for good, or frighten the chicks out of the nest prematurely.
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This is an issue which I have encountered many times in the past. Those silly Carolina Wrens will always choose the oddest places for their nests! You can hang all the wonderful "Wren" boxes that you want, and they will ignore them and go and build a nest inside your garden clogs. :0) It is VERY common for them to sneak into garages and find a little nook to build in. I had them build inside a Walmart bag that was full of rags and hanging inside my garage. I ended up moving the whole bag of rags with the nest inside to the outside wall of my house underneath an eave. Do you think that my neighbors thought that I was a bit "off" when they saw me hanging a plastic Walmart bag full of rags onto the outside of my house? LOL.. The Wrens went right to that bag and hatched, raised, and fledged their brood from it without problems!! So, I say, good for you!! I think that you did just the right thing. :o)
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catherinet
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks elly.
Will do!
tmann05
12 years ago
You can take peeks at them every few days to make sure things are going well. The mom sits on babies to help keep them warm until they are old enough to regulate their own body temperature and grow feathers. You should not peek at them after they are 10 days old so that they are not scared out of the nest early and become a meal for predators. They will leave when they are ready. If you have any interest in putting a bird house up in your yard please read the following website to ensure you do it properly. Happy birding!

http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/topic/5934/How-I-install-a-nest-box#.UfBlZo3bPSg
donnalovesblue
12 years ago
These little cutie pies are one of my favs! I've had them nesting around my house for several years, and they are well known for nesting in very unusual places! A friend of mine had them nesting in a football helmet on a shelf in her garage! I find it best not to peek at them at all, but you can observe from short distance. As long as the parents are going in and out, everything should be OK. As fledging draws near, don't be alarmed if the parents are not frequenting the nest as often as they did when the babies were young. I was fortunate to see a group fledge last year, but this year, they fledged when I was not at home! They are such fun little birds to watch!
Elly_NJ
12 years ago
Bluebirds are tolerant of well-meaning people poking around their nests.

Carolina wrens and other birds, not so much. Best to leave them alone and enjoy from a distance.
catherinet
Original Author
12 years ago
We have a big covered porch. One year we had our band saw on there over the winter, covered with a tarp. We went to use it in the spring, and there was a Carolina wren nest on it, under the tarp! Needless to say, we couldn't use the saw for awhile!

Then in the barn, I hung a basket over the wall phone so birds wouldn't poop on it, and they build a nest in there.
Lots more stories like that. haha

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