Help! Can I fix my blue tit box, with nesting bird and chicks inside (1 Viewer)

[Emslou]

Hi, sorry I’m new and haven’t figured out how to start a post in correct thread!
I have nesting blue tits in box with a camera, chicks are a week old, tonight I went to look at the footage and could see the camera had moved, I went outside to the box and the roof was half off, could have been the heavy rain. I pushed it back on but it really needs a staple gun to attached it properly. Can I do this or will the mum be scared off and not come back to feed the chicks? Thanks

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum.

It is not a good idea to do anything to the nest box while it’s being used as it’s likely to cause the parents to abandon the chicks.

 

[Emslou]

Welcome to Birdforum.

It is not a good idea to do anything to the nest box while it’s being used as it’s likely to cause the parents to abandon the chicks.

Thanks, I don’t want that. What if I do it at night while mum in there, and just duct tape it? Sorry if that’s a silly question. I have managed to find a better thread to post this now 🤣 on one called nest boxes.

 

[PYRTLE]

Thanks, I don’t want that. What if I do it at night while mum in there, and just duct tape it? Sorry if that’s a silly question. I have managed to find a better thread to post this now 🤣 on one called nest boxes.

As Kit says, do nothing, even at night time this is more likely to make the sitting parent abandon the nest, thus exposing the chicks to the cold and eventually succumbing. Even a small change to the physical aspect causes disturbance - even waterproof glue or sealant as that has a noxious odour.

 

[Lisa W]

Hi, welcome to the forum on behalf of the staff and moderators. I think you will find us a friendly and helpful group. I think both Kits and Pat have given good advice.

 

[Chris G6 UXU]

Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Emslou and a warm welcome from me too. You have, really, been given the correct advice. The only alternative I can think of is to find a heavy flat-bottomed stone and keep it ready. If you get a strong wind and it looks like the roof might blow off, place the stone on top as quickly and quietly as you can. You'd still be in the "rock and a hard place" scenario though.

Do nothing in those circumstances and the chicks will almost certainly die; time it wrong and the adults may desert. But they might desert anyway if the roof does come off. They don't use nests with no cover, as they would, naturally, use holes in trees or banks for nesting in.

Just hope for a few weeks of calm weather meaning you won't have to do anything.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.

 

[Fritz73]

Hola! Welcome to Birdforum

 

[Emslou]

Thanks for the advice. The roof should stay on, it’s thick wood, I just wonder now if it was a magpie or something, because there are two less chicks, but as the camera has moved a bit (as it’s on the underside of the roof) I cannot see all the inside of the box anymore, just the nest cup. Thats probably a good thing though, I won’t have to see the mother dragging any dead chicks out 😳
Now I have to stop the cats getting the fledglings! We have a new young cat roaming about, so I have been firing with water pistol 🤣

 

[Chris G6 UXU]

Hello and welcome to the forum, enjoy and all the best.