Hello, I have for the first time a Eastern bluebird nest in my yard but something happen after they lay 5 eggs, being the last one on March 30. On March 31 I noticed the entrance of the house covered with nesting material and then in the afternoon the entrance was cleaned a little bit so I checked the nest and I found a lot of nesting material in top of the eggs. My first impression was to think that they were covering the eggs to protect them from a predator but after that day, any of the adults entered the box at all so I decided to check the nest in detail and looks like a predator tried to dig inside the box without being able to damaged the eggs. My question is, do you think the eggs are still alive after 4 days without a parent worming them? I am in Houston and the temperature is around 70-80 F The parents are visiting the area but not getting inside the nest at all. Thanks in advance

tnjoseph....they lay one egg per day until the clutch is complete. Check tomorrow afternoon, you should see another egg. Don't check in the morning as that is typically when they lay eggs. Knock sofly on the box before opening or talk a bit so she knows you are coming if she is in there. Once she is done laying she will start incubating..incubation typically starts the day the last egg is laid. Incubation is normally 12-14 days and then hatching occurs. Typically 14 days is the norm. Once hatched the nestlings are in the box 16-19 days before they fledge. You can look to make sure all is ok but don't open the box after day 13 to prevent premature fledging. Agree with Nicknack...get a spooker up asap! Glad to hear you got so many HOSP..hopefully they don't bother you anymore. Donna

I've been lucky enough to "host" chickadees for the last 6 years. The first year it was a little war between the bluebirds and the chickadees. The bluebirds have always, w/o a single exception, used the back yard nest box. They already had five eggs and incubation had started when the chickadees started nest building in a front yard box. The bluebirds were having "none of that" and constantly harassed them by going in and out of the dee nest box. I was advised to add a 1 1/8 or 1 /14th inch hole reducer to keep the bluebirds OUT and I did and things were fine for both the bluebirds and the dees. I have bluebirds in the back yard right now and the dees have laid their third egg today in the front yard box. So far, the bluebirds are not bothering the dee box but if they do I'll add the reducer again. I agree with Elly, do no disturb that nest. It's possible the dees will return or that they have and you've just missed seeing them. While they do incubate every day it's possible they have not started incubating yet. Most times females do start incubation the day before, day of or day after the last egg is laid but not 100% of the time so it's premature to think they won't return. I would recommend that you add a reducer to keep the bluebirds out of the box. If, after that, the chickadees don't come back for a full week then I'd remove the nest and eggs and the reducer. But, be sure you've had a chance to look at the box for a full hour before assuming it's been abandoned.

If you think a cat is going to help her and not make things worse then go ahead and get a cat. As far as male vs. female I would have to say its all up to you. You can look at it several different ways. Lets say you get a male cat I am not sure about your area but here you can't fix them until they are 6 months old. I myself just got a male cat him and the dog get along great it took a while but now you find them sleeping together on the dogs bed. But before he was 6 months old he was spraying in the house and there was nothing I could do about it. I didn't want to let him outside for fear he would be out tomin and never be back or be back in need of a trip to the vet. So I had to get more bleach and that get the cat smell out stuff. Female cats I guess are cleaner but if they come into heat early or you can't get them right to vet you have to deal with the loud near non stop meow they have. Then if she does get out she might come home and you will have deal with kittens in about 60 days. So its really all up to you. I wouldn;t go and see if you can find a adult cat. Don't get me wrong I think getting them from the pound is great but with a cat I always think what is wrong with the cat. Are they dirty, loud, rip the house up. Or it could just be the owners where moving and couldn't take the cat and they are the best cat ever. Its really like rolling dice you never know what you are going to get. I know you can find free kittens, just by driving around this time of year. Between my house and the center of town I think there are two or three signs.(apox 5 miles) Barn cats have a better knowledge of outside life but may come with alot of medical problems and are not litter trained. House rasied cats should be litter trained and may come with less health problems. So if you are looking for price vs. sex of the animal females cost more to fix then the males. But if I had to do it all over again. I think I would go with a female cat. But I have never been much of a cat person, I was a sucker and co workers had them and the condition they where in I could just leave him here. I am a sucker for a lost cause! Just my two cents.