Thanks, we thought we had them safe. They coop is framed with 1"x 1" hardware cloth, and then the out side has fence stapled and buried around the coop and run. The only place I can think it is getting inn is thru a part of the bottom that is covered with bigger holed hardware cloth. That part is covered with a piece of plywood that is not screwed down, because we pull, that part up for cleaning and for their water to drain. All doors are locked up tight, 2 with key locks and 2 with medal rock climber hooks! That would be the gate to the pen, and the door inside the pen that leads to the coop. I key lock up the nest doors! Could the 2 hens fighting cause this? Would a duck poke a whole in an egg? A rat couldn't get an egg out of the coop, it wouldn't fit thru the hardware cloth! I'm off the recover the part with the loose board. Just when you think you fixed one problem, 10 more arise! Brenda

Misssherry, please notice I said, "over 35 years ago." And I refuse to be any more specific than that! LOL. Anyways, today the first SBST egg that was laid about 12 days ago got dark. I had to drop everything and run up the street before work to cut some sasafrass leaves. Why do people look at me so strangely when I jump out of my car, grab some leaves and take off?( I was really in a rush.) Tonight I see he hatched and I now have a teeny-weeny little SBST cat! I used a stapler to attach the little piece of leaf with the egg to the fresh new leaf.

She had been sitting since Friday and I have't seen her all day the Daddy blue has been hanging around and flying up and checking in the hole but I haven't seen the Mama since yesterday morning, I quess I'll just keep a close eye for the next several days. My husband said with the baffle that it just doesn't seem like it could of been a snake, I'm thinking about getting barbed wire and wrapping the pole with it just because we have stray cats roaming the woods now also. Seems like everyone is having a rough year this year with the Blues.

Could have been a predator. Was she incubating? Sometimes an egg is lost under the nest and you find it when it's cleaned out. Is there a baffle on the pole under the box to stop climbing predators like raccoons and snakes? I would like to invite you to join the bluebird nut cafe forum. It is much more active than this site and we have many veteran bluebirders that can give quick answers. Check us out! http://bluebirdnutcafe.yuku.com/ This post was edited by tmann05 on Fri, Apr 11, 14 at 11:26