FINCHforum

Ok, so yesterday I submitted a post asking about when it's safe to remove the nest once owl chicks have fledged. Barbara and Sally both agreed that the nest can be removed immediately after fledging so we happily decided to remove the nest this morning. There are four eggs in it.

Oi.

I had no idea that they would start another clutch before the last was even fully weaned. I don't want to add the stress to the pair of having another clutch so soon but it makes me very uncomfortable to toss viable eggs. But I really want to remove the nest and prevent them from breeding again so soon.

My question is, is there anyone out there that would have any interest in fostering the owl eggs? I live in the northeast corner of Connecticut and would even be willing to drive to meet you halfway if there's a large distance between us (within reason, of course... maybe a round trip of four hours, max?).

If I have any other options, I'd love some feedback. Thanks!

The only other option, since you are uncomfortable tossing viable eggs, is to try to incubate them yourself. This is pretty hard to do without a proper incubator, and then you will be faced with having to hand feed the babies. It is not easy to give eggs to fosters if they haven't been prepared already, though some Societies will take on anything at any time.

I know how difficult hand feeding is and would like to avoid it. If I can't find anyone interested in taking the eggs, how dangerous would it be to the pair's health if they were allowed to keep the eggs so soon after raising a clutch?

It can be done. One parent will start brooding, while the other parent continues to feed the fledglings. As soon as the fledglings are weaned, they should be removed to their own cage, or the parents may begin to pick on them in an effort to drive them away (or some parents are quite happy to have multiple clutches in the cage, it all depends on them).

If you let them have this second clutch, it is not going to be terrible on their health, but keep them supplied with a good diet including seed/egg food/veggies. As soon as this second clutch fledges, remove that nest. Even so, you may find an egg or two (some birds do start laying even before the first clutch is fledged, though that is not common). If so, you really need to be realistic and toss the eggs, as a third clutch that soon would be hard on them. Laying eggs is hard on the hen, but even harder still is feeding all those babies.

Sally

Thanks so much for the input! I'm going to continue to hope that someone might want to have the eggs but it's good to know that, while not recommended, it's possible that they could successfully raise another clutch. I won't make that mistake with the nest again. This is quite the learning process!

I give them the breeding/molting finch & canary seed blend from LadyGouldianFinch.com, grated egg, soaked seed, veggies, and small live mealworms which they were devouring before the chicks fledged.

The fledglings are still begging for food but I don't see them being fed very often, though it still happens. I've seen them all eating and drinking for themselves, especially when I put a fresh spray of millet in. Do I have to wait for the begging behavior to stop before removing them?

neojinnx what little buggers,if it bothers you to discard eggs (it would me too) let them sit on one more clutch if they will after you touched the nest,not sure how sensitive owls are.Then after the last one leaves take nest out .I would do whatever I could but would not want to try to hand feed ,but that is just me Good luck with whatever decision you make

You can do it! Good luck!

It shouldn't cause too much stress on your pair especially if it's their second clutch for this year. If you give them the nutrients necessary for proper chick rearing they will be fine. Its very common for a lot of wild species to have two clutches of chicks in their breading season as long as the food resources are available. So you should be fine to let them hatch and raise this clutch just make sure you pull the nest as soon as the chicks start to fledge to give the parents a break.

In nature they have 2, sometimes 3 clutches depending on the food supply. I'm sure they will be fine with the diet you are supplying.
I would not move the others out till you see them fully eating and drinking on their own. You don't want to move them to soon and end up loosing them.

Best of luck, keep us posted

Thanks for your feedback, all! As Sally predicted, Zoe, the hen started sitting on the eggs yesterday so she must not be too horribly distressed that we messed with her nest. They've been awesome parents with the first clutch so we're going to let them keep the eggs and get that nest out pronto when the chicks fledge.

Her mate, Wash, has been feeding the little screamers. They've been eating and drinking on their own but they still pitch a royal fit for hand-outs from Mom & Dad, constantly. I saw all four of them eating the fresh veggies this morning, stealing bits from each other's beaks like little vultures. I've seen them pick at the egg but this is the first time I've seen them eating anything green, so that's good.

Since Zoe starting sitting yesterday, I think that means they would be due to hatch around the 23rd. Does that sound right?

That's awesome sounds like you've got an awesome pair of breeders there!

If they have anymore eggs, I'd be highly interested in taking them!
Keep me in mind!