Question about birds nesting in chimney

NIMAN · 22-05-2019 12:16pm #1

I stopped using a stove this winter past, and put a cover on the chimney to stop the rain getting in.

However, some birds have decided to nest in it, and I see them coming and going. I assume there is now young chicks in it.

When will they be gone, so I can put on a better cover that blocks it properly?

Thanks

OpenYourEyes · 22-05-2019 12:26pm

Depends on the species, but a couple of weeks. By this time next month they should certainly be gone (though do a proper check before blocking up anything!)

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-05-2019 12:29pm

Depends on the species. Any idea if it's Jackdaws, Starlings etc?

Jackdaws, for example take 18 days to hatch and a further 30 to fledge.

NIMAN · 22-05-2019 12:42pm

Sorry, no idea what species.

I'll get a few searches done of the 2 you mention and see if I can get a match.

Thanks

NIMAN · 23-05-2019 5:37pm

I think its a jackdaw, it looks like a small crow.

I got a picture of it, but its not the best as its hard to catch one leaving the chimney and get it snapped with a camera phone.

I'll link it once Flickr is back up and running.

NIMAN · 24-05-2019 4:59pm

Photos

https://flic.kr/p/2g1VzXL

Or

https://flic.kr/p/2g1Vz6Y

dodderangler · 24-05-2019 6:12pm

Looks more like a starling to me buddy.
Should be gone within the month. Most birds are hatched by now.

BaZmO* · 24-05-2019 6:19pm

My neighbour has a family of crows that live in their roof space for the last few years. I don’t know how it doesn’t drive them crazy. The side of their house faces onto the back of mine and you can see the hole in the fascia where the crows come and go. It’s essentially just over one of the bedrooms.

OP, the noise is quite annoying?

NIMAN · 25-05-2019 2:01pm

BaZmO* wrote: »

My neighbour has a family of crows that live in their roof space for the last few years. I don’t know how it doesn’t drive them crazy. The side of their house faces onto the back of mine and you can see the hole in the fascia where the crows come and go. It’s essentially just over one of the bedrooms.

OP, the noise is quite annoying?

To be honest, it's not that noisy at all. When the patent bird is coming and going with good, you can hear the chicks chirping away like mad, but that's only when you're outside. Inside the house, and in the living room that has the chimney, you can't hear anything

The chimney brace passes thorough an upstairs bedroom and when the bird is coming and going, you have hear the metal of the cover making metallic tinging noises and he/she squeezes through the bars.

But no. Not noisy at all.

danny004 · 26-05-2019 5:39pm

BaZmO* wrote: »

My neighbour has a family of crows that live in their roof space for the last few years. I don’t know how it doesn’t drive them crazy. The side of their house faces onto the back of mine and you can see the hole in the fascia where the crows come and go. It’s essentially just over one of the bedrooms.

OP, the noise is quite annoying?

I have this exact circumstance right now its driving me and the other half crazy from maybe 6:00 am on in the morning. Will this be their permanent home when they start to fly. I assume there is nothing I can do until they do fly. About every 20 minutes it kicks off for around 1-2 minutes. Only good thing is its highlighted a broken slate that we didn't know was there. Im dreading going up to the attic to see what kind of mess is up there

BaZmO* · 26-05-2019 7:44pm

danny004 wrote: »

I have this exact circumstance right now its driving me and the other half crazy from maybe 6:00 am on in the morning. Will this be their permanent home when they start to fly. I assume there is nothing I can do until they do fly. About every 20 minutes it kicks off for around 1-2 minutes. Only good thing is its highlighted a broken slate that we didn't know was there. Im dreading going up to the attic to see what kind of mess is up there

Not sure if it’ll be their permanent home. I always thought it was just for nesting but then again crows don’t fly south in the winter so maybe it would be their permanent home?

It would do my head in. I think I’m more obsessed with the neighbours crows than they are.

I just can’t see how it wouldn’t drive you nuts. They do have dogs that tend to bark all the time so many they’re not the type to be bothered by noise!

Del.Monte · 26-05-2019 7:54pm

It isn't their permanent home and can be blocked up when the chicks leave the nest.

NIMAN · 26-05-2019 11:52pm

Quick question about my chimney cover I have in place

It's one of these
https://images.app.goo.gl/zAP9VzGdh1LJiz2A7

And it obviously is allowing enough space for birds to get past.

Does anyone know if it'll push right down to nearly tight, with only maybe half an inch for ventilation of the chimney?

Would rather not have to replace it.

Seth Brundle · 27-05-2019 7:56am

Are they nesting on it or inside it? Seems rather tight for them to get through.

BaZmO* · 27-05-2019 10:48am

NIMAN wrote: »

Quick question about my chimney cover I have in place

It's one of these
https://images.app.goo.gl/zAP9VzGdh1LJiz2A7

And it obviously is allowing enough space for birds to get past.

Does anyone know if it'll push right down to nearly tight, with only maybe half an inch for ventilation of the chimney?

Would rather not have to replace it.

Assuming you don't use the fireplace, why would you need ventilation?

NIMAN · 27-05-2019 5:28pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Are they nesting on it or inside it? Seems rather tight for them to get through.

Yeah, I assumed it would stop birds nesting, but these guys are getting through the spaces in the bars.

NIMAN · 27-05-2019 5:41pm

BaZmO* wrote: »

Assuming you don't use the fireplace, why would you need ventilation?

Have always been told you can't seal a chimney off completely, always have to have a small amount of ventilation.

Pretzill · 27-05-2019 8:52pm

We use a slightly taller version (cowl) I think on both chimneys - eventhough one isn't in use it's best to stop them building as they chuck twigs down into it. A tip if you don't want to change it yourself (or know how to) is ask a chimney sweep to do it.

We had starlings nesting in the fascia one year - it was an early alarm every morning with the chicks getting fed. Easily fixed once all have fledged.

NIMAN · 27-05-2019 11:45pm

Pretzill wrote: »

We use a slightly taller version (cowl) I think on both chimneys - eventhough one isn't in use it's best to stop them building as they chuck twigs down into it. A tip if you don't want to change it yourself (or know how to) is ask a chimney sweep to do it.

We had starlings nesting in the fascia one year - it was an early alarm every morning with the chicks getting fed. Easily fixed once all have fledged.

It was a chimney sweep who fitted mine, simply cos I have no roof ladders to get up there.

They had started to build a nest and he threw it out, then fitted the cowl. But obviously it didn't deter them, and they came back to re-build it.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 28-05-2019 7:49am

NIMAN wrote: »

It was a chimney sweep who fitted mine, simply cos I have no roof ladders to get up there.

They had started to build a nest and he threw it out, then fitted the cowl. But obviously it didn't deter them, and they came back to re-build it.

I would usually expect that to stop them but I think the error was in fitting it after they had already started building a nest. At that point they are so driven to nest and mate that they will go to extraordinary lengths to get to their nest.

NIMAN · 30-05-2019 4:03am

Ephraim Black Asphalt wrote: »

I would usually expect that to stop them but I think the error was in fitting it after they had already started building a nest. At that point they are so driven to nest and mate that they will go to extraordinary lengths to get to their nest.

They obviously liked the location, so decided to move back in, despite the obstruction.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 30-05-2019 8:09am

NIMAN wrote: »

They obviously liked the location, so decided to move back in, despite the obstruction.

But the driver was that they had a current nest there before the obstruction was in place. It may well be enough to keep them out next year when they return to scout out sites. For added security give it a push down until only a few inches clear of the chimney - after the birds have left for this season.

NIMAN · 30-05-2019 8:56pm

Ephraim Black Asphalt wrote: »

But the driver was that they had a current nest there before the obstruction was in place. It may well be enough to keep them out next year when they return to scout out sites. For added security give it a push down until only a few inches clear of the chimney - after the birds have left for this season.

The nest was only being constructed, and was chucked away.
So they moved back in, and started making one from scratch again, rather than picking a new place to build.

Question about birds nesting in chimney

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