Eggs with no nest
During a nest check today I found 5 eggs in a compartment with not much of a nest. Thoughts on whether or not the eggs will hatch successfully? Seems like they will roll around and be difficult for the female to incubate. Picture attached.
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randyM
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:30 pm
- Location: Long Lake SD
- Martin Colony History: * 2016 - 1 pair (ASYM + SYF) 2/3 eggs hatched 2 young fledged.
* 2017 - 4 pairs, 16/17 eggs hatched, 16 fledged, 16 banded - 2 banded SY returned in 2018 (12.5%)
* 2018 - 10 pairs, 46/52 eggs hatched, 45 fledged, 29 young banded - 3 banded SY returned in 2019 (10.3%)
*2019 - 32 pairs, 145/160 eggs hatched, 139 fledged - 87 young banded - 12 banded SY returned in 2020 (13.8%).
* 2020 - 35 pairs, 180/199 eggs hatched, 178 fledged - 150 young banded & 42 SY returned (28.0%)
* 2021 - 89 pairs, 363/446 eggs hatched, 355 fledged - 150 young banded & 19 SY returned (12.7%)
*2022 - 116 pairs, 495/579 eggs hatched, 471 fledged - 150 young banded & 27 SY returned (18.0%)
*2023 - 160 pairs, 708/828 eggs hatched, 572 fledged - 150 young banded & 38 SY returned (25.3%)
*2024 - 235 pairs, 950/1153 eggs hatched, 865 fledged - 100 young banded & 18 SY returned (18.0%)
*2025 - 200 pairs, 795/953 eggs hatched, 739 fledged - 200 young banded
Probably a SY pair with no nest building experience....I've had a few of those at my colony over the years. I usually help them out and build a nest with a slight depression towards the back of the compartment and the pair typically accepts the help and incubates the eggs. Without helping them out with nest building, the chance of the eggs hatching will be much lower.
Good luck
Randy
Good luck
Randy
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Agree. It’s a SY pair.. you need to help them out as randy said.. make a bowl shaped nest, with pine needles and some sticks, about 2 inches thick. Put the eggs in the nest.. the martins shouldn’t be spooked.. I’ve done this several times..
Good luck,
Rob
Good luck,
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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bootjack farm
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 9:30 am
- Location: Russell, Pa
- Martin Colony History: 9 years of trying hard...finally in 2017 I had 3 pair w/ 11 babies. T-14 +4 w/ 4 Troyer horiz. gourds. Troyer Super System 24. Fast forward to 2020... 64 fledged.
Egg orientation?. Probably worthy of a new thread but if you move an egg, aren't you supposed to be careful to maintain the egg orientation?
Northwest PA
I don't think egg orientation makes a difference. As a child I remember my dad had an incubator and we rotated the eggs a couple times a day as suggested. Never had an issue with those eggs not hatching. Sometimes I move the martin eggs around with a small pointed dowel to get an accurate count, and it has never affected hatching.
2019- 6 Pair, 30 Fledged
2020- 8 Pair, 32 Fledged
2021- 10 Pair, 39 Fledged
HOSP count 130, Starlings 2
2022- 31 Pair, 146 Fledged
HOSP count to date 17, Starlings 1
2023- 28 Pair, 124 Fledged
HOSP count 47, Starlings 1
2024- 40 Pair, 192 Fledged
HOSP count 37
2025-42 Pair, 202 Fledged
HOSP count 46
2020- 8 Pair, 32 Fledged
2021- 10 Pair, 39 Fledged
HOSP count 130, Starlings 2
2022- 31 Pair, 146 Fledged
HOSP count to date 17, Starlings 1
2023- 28 Pair, 124 Fledged
HOSP count 47, Starlings 1
2024- 40 Pair, 192 Fledged
HOSP count 37
2025-42 Pair, 202 Fledged
HOSP count 46
CT, from what I can see you look perfectly normal. It's the other 99.999999 percent of the population I'm concerned about.
- 3750488059_b9c25a7850_w.jpg (40.9 KiB) Viewed 1597 times
2019- 6 Pair, 30 Fledged
2020- 8 Pair, 32 Fledged
2021- 10 Pair, 39 Fledged
HOSP count 130, Starlings 2
2022- 31 Pair, 146 Fledged
HOSP count to date 17, Starlings 1
2023- 28 Pair, 124 Fledged
HOSP count 47, Starlings 1
2024- 40 Pair, 192 Fledged
HOSP count 37
2025-42 Pair, 202 Fledged
HOSP count 46
2020- 8 Pair, 32 Fledged
2021- 10 Pair, 39 Fledged
HOSP count 130, Starlings 2
2022- 31 Pair, 146 Fledged
HOSP count to date 17, Starlings 1
2023- 28 Pair, 124 Fledged
HOSP count 47, Starlings 1
2024- 40 Pair, 192 Fledged
HOSP count 37
2025-42 Pair, 202 Fledged
HOSP count 46
Haha. LOL!!! They do need classes!!
I actually did maintain egg orientation best I could when I made the nest and placed those eggs back inside. I’m a little concerned those eggs rolled around on the flat bottom for a few days and the bumps could have been bad. Also thinking if the SY female tried to incubate some of the eggs but wasn’t consistent…that could also be problematic. Will be a learning experience for me for sure.
I actually did maintain egg orientation best I could when I made the nest and placed those eggs back inside. I’m a little concerned those eggs rolled around on the flat bottom for a few days and the bumps could have been bad. Also thinking if the SY female tried to incubate some of the eggs but wasn’t consistent…that could also be problematic. Will be a learning experience for me for sure.
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to daveduit@yahoo.com. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
Your intervention in securing those eggs from rolling around was the best thing you can do. I've done this for years and have had good success. It is nice to see landlords like you who care enough to make things the best we can for the martins. Thank you.
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bootjack farm
- Posts: 112
- Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 9:30 am
- Location: Russell, Pa
- Martin Colony History: 9 years of trying hard...finally in 2017 I had 3 pair w/ 11 babies. T-14 +4 w/ 4 Troyer horiz. gourds. Troyer Super System 24. Fast forward to 2020... 64 fledged.
I guess I was thinking about turtle eggs where apparently orientation is important. Too many critters...no enough brains. 
Northwest PA