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Blue tit nestlings

  • 14-05-2014 4:42pm
    #1
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,499 ✭✭✭✭


    So, 'our' blue tits laid 7 eggs in the end, but only 5 of them hatched early this morning. What are the chances the other 2 will hatch, or are they likely to have not been fertilized or something? Will the parents turf them out after a few days or just leave them?


Comments

  • #2
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Eggs usually hatch together but could be up to 24 hours apart - though unlikely. An unhatched egg or two is not unusual. They will often expel the unhatched eggs but equally as kitten they will get moved to the bottom of the nest during housekeeping on the nest?


  • #3
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,499 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Thanks, they only hatched early this morning, so there's hope yet.

    It's great watching them feed when they've just hatched. The parents bring in a caterpillar or something like that, one holds it in it's beak while the other tears tiny little bits off, chew it up a bit and feed the chicks. I guess they're too small yet for a whole caterpillar :)


  • #4
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,499 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    Update: well I think they all hatched in the end. Number 6 definitely did, the day after the first 5, and the day after, the other egg seemed to have disappeared but it's difficult to see properly as they're all squirming and writhing around on top of each other, plus my camera is pretty crappy and only seems to work in B&W, so difficult to see what's going on.

    Maybe it will become clearer when they get a bit bigger.


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