Hi
Our blue tits had 8 eggs which hatched 2 weeks ago. We lost one early on, and a couple of others since then. the third only a few days ago. The mother did not remove the dead babies and yesterday we even had a fly in the box.
Last night we sadly lost the remaining 5 baby blue tits in the early hours of the morning about 3-4 ish.
They were doing very well, making sounds, preening etc. All feeding.
the parents were bringing in a mix of bugs and fat ball food.
We do not understand what could have caused the remaining ones to all die within a hour of each other - 2 moved about and ended up lying down stretched out on their sides, another 2 just looked like they were asleep.
We know often they die due to food, dehydration etc but usually one goes at a time. This was odd as they were all doing well and all went pretty much the same time.
Could it be something they ate - although the parents are still around. Or could it be something to do with the dead chicks that were left in the nest.
I know nothing could be done but cant help wondering why.
It sounds like an early nest with not enough food around. My blue tit nest box has been abandoned but with monitoring they were being fed aphids but not a lot else. Fat ball food for adults but not chicks. The mother did not return for some reason.
More info on this thread here community.rspb.org.uk/.../blue-tit-nest-abandonment