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Last year I was given a blue tits nesting box with a camera. It went up Sunday night, and I had the first visitor Monday morning! One pair eventually bread and produced 8 youngsters! I could hardly tear myself away from it! My question is: Should I clean it out, ready for the next inhabitants, or not? I have read conflicting opinions about this and just don't know.
Hi Lizzie,
I believe you should have cleaned and disinfected the box last autumn - October probably. However, I would sugget it isn't too late if you do it now, but I wouldn't leave it any longer. The tits are busy investigating my boxes now. If the box is too dirty, they won't touch it.
I had this happen last year. I had a winter rooster in my camera box, and although the box was new that winter, it was full of his poo. I hummed and ah'd about what to do, eventually deciding to leave it. Big mistake! The rooster brought his wife who began trying to remove all the poo herself over a period of about 10 days. She then gave it up as a bad job and they nested elsewhere. I cleaned out the box in October, and have had the rooster all winter once more, but this week I intend to clean out his roosting poo myself and not leave it to his mate!!
Good luck, and I hope you get another family.
Cheers, Linda.
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Susan H said: Hi Lizzie, I believe you should have cleaned and disinfected the box last autumn - October probably. However, I would sugget it isn't too late if you do it now, but I wouldn't leave it any longer. The tits are busy investigating my boxes now. If the box is too dirty, they won't touch it. I had this happen last year. I had a winter rooster in my camera box, and although the box was new that winter, it was full of his poo. I hummed and ah'd about what to do, eventually deciding to leave it. Big mistake! The rooster brought his wife who began trying to remove all the poo herself over a period of about 10 days. She then gave it up as a bad job and they nested elsewhere. I cleaned out the box in October, and have had the rooster all winter once more, but this week I intend to clean out his roosting poo myself and not leave it to his mate!! Good luck, and I hope you get another family.
Liked that Sparrow a nice interesting informative comment.
michael s said: Liked that Sparrow a nice interesting informative comment.
Thank you, Sooty.
I agree, definately clean out your nest boxes now, so that they can be ready for thise year's birds to use. Leaving in old nesting material can spread diseases and cause illness in the new birds - especially the young birds! I think the best time to do it is during the middle of the day in the winter - as birds won't be roosting in it during the day, and by cleaning it then, it makes it nicer for roosting birds! But I'm no expert, thats just what i've heard from people who have nest boxes! Hope you get a good brood again this year!
Home again, home again.
Check it: http://sarahwestsblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Hi Lizzie
Sparrow and Sarah have given you spot-on advice there.
The RSPB web-site also has some good advice on cleaning nestboxes
Best wishes Chris
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Hi Sparrow,
My blue tits box is actually quite clean. Even when I had the last blue tit left, its parents came in, and just removed the poo. They didn't feed it anymore. They were particularly keen to keep the box clean. So at the moment, I have just straw and a few feathers. Will get round to cleaning it asap. Thanks for the advice.
Lizzie