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Some weeks ago I posted a picture of five healthy robin chicks only to have the nest and them destroyed by something. So cleared the remains out and waited. After a couple of weeks they came back built another nest and laid five eggs and before I could get to put some barrier up something came yesterday and took the nest out and left the eggs in. I have put the nest back and laid the eggs in it and covered the shed with chicken wire but do you think she will return of leave them and should I clean everything out and see if they come back and start again or is it too late in the season for them?
Hi
I have thought of a rat or even a weasel,But sure either of these would have eaten the eggs
if it keeps happening think I would have a cleanout, but hang back and see if they return.
They will know what the culprit is but seem willing to take a chance.
Not all nests are successful.
RAY
a good laugh is better than a tonic
Something strange has happened in two of my sparrow nesting boxes. There were 3 babies in the one with a camera and another 3 in another box that I hadn't been so aware of. The camera box was fine Sunday night with the birds half fledged and feeding well. Monday afternoon they had gone. When gardening the next day, I found all three babies dead on the ground and then spotted the three really tiny ones under the other box. There is no damage on the boxes, the parents are healthy, the dead babies showed no signs of injury, the boxes cannot be reached by a cat or anything like that as they are high on the wall. I would have expected a nest plunderer to take the babies for food, not to simply throw them on the ground. The babies were too small to come to the hole and be grabbed that way. I would love to solve the riddle
Thank you for the welcome and the suggestion. I had thought of that but we are talking about 6 chicks in 2 nest boxes all dying at much the same time. I saw the ones in the camera box the night before and they looked healthy. When I found them on the floor, one was smaller than the rest and I could believe that one might have died. It was awful when I was gardening as I was finding them one at a time so I had 6 separate funerals. I wonder if something poisoned them, but the parents are ok. I didn't see any bread go in there, I know that can choke them. You probably are right but it is still odd.