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Bluebird Eggs haven't hatched 21 days since eggs were found

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Posted by ml_young (My Page) on
Sat, Jul 17, 10 at 17:44

I have a Bluebird nest box. I found 3 eggs on 6/26. I have checked the box several times and found the mother brooding. I'm concerned these eggs may not hatch since it has been 21 days. Does this happen sometimes? This bluebird pair had a successful nest earlier this year.

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RE: Bluebird Eggs haven't hatched 21 days since eggs were found

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Hi! I have had a hatch at 23 days. Do you have another box?

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RE: Bluebird Eggs haven't hatched 21 days since eggs were found

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I have had eggs hatch later than the 12-14 day incubation period, but never as late as 21 days, especially once summer has begun. You might consider candling the eggs to see if they are fertile.

Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: candling eggs

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RE: Bluebird Eggs haven't hatched 21 days since eggs were found

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Thanks lisa and griffin for your replies. Sadly, I report that the eggs are still there unhatched. I suppose after all this time that the eggs may not be fertile. Should I remove the nest completely, clean the box and hope for a better result next year?
Do you think it's possible I scared the parents away by checking on the box. I flushed the female out once, not on purpose but she heard me walking up to the box I guess and flew out. I'm bummed because now I think it may have been my fault the parents left.

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RE: Bluebird Eggs haven't hatched 21 days since eggs were found

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You did nothing to cause this. I doubt there are many of us here that have not accidentally flushed a female from her nest. Since you said the female was brooding, the eggs were probably just not fertile. Birds will only sit so long before they figure that out and abandon the nest.

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RE: Bluebird Eggs haven't hatched 21 days since eggs were found

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I guess that's one of the main reasons it's important to monitor nestboxes regularly and to keep a record of your observations. A few years ago, on one of my trails, I had a female bluebird whose first clutch of eggs was always infertile. She usually made 3 nesting attempts and sometimes would get one or two eggs to hatch in the 2nd brood and then the 3rd clutch would be a little better. It was hard to remove the eggs from the first nesting but I kept extremely careful records and knew they wouldn't hatch. I even gave the eggs an extra week beyond the 14 days before candling them. Removing the eggs allowed her to get on with the next nesting a bit quicker than she would have on her own, but she would eventually have abandoned the nesting.
I remember one year only 1 egg in her 2nd nesting hatched and that was the fattest nestling I've ever seen! I began to doubt that he'd fit through the entrance hole when it was time to fledge, but he made it! She sure was a good mama.
Kathy

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RE: Bluebird Eggs haven't hatched 21 days since eggs were found

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Thanks Kathy and Kendra. I feel better about the situation now that I am more informed. I will clean the nest box and hope they return next year.

  
 

 

 


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