Weather-related nest failure?

[tcg]

We have had some very cool nights this "spring". I lost a nest box of Carolina Chickadees to the cold a couple of weeks ago. Now, I think that my single pair of Martins may have had a nest failure due to the cool weather. They have 6 eggs that should have hatched on the 21st or 22nd. So far, nothing has happened. The eggs are covered quite well with some fairly fresh green leaves right now but I haven't seen the parents today.

So my question is, will a weather-related nest failure cause the parent birds to seek a new location like a failure that was caused by a predator? Or, could I expect them to try to renest here?

Should I remove the eggs at some point or clean out the entire nest?

[Louise Chambers]

Never be in a rush to remove eggs - they may just need a few more days to hatch after cold weather. If they are bad, the parents will likely renest, as long as you don't remove their eggs prematurely. They will remove them or push them out of nest later, most likely.

[Glynn B - LA]

My ASY pair should have hatched on the 22nd. I'm sure the cold weather played a roll. I hope they renest.

This pair is so dedicated to their nest. I can never find a time to lower without one of them in the cavity. I have watched for hours, when one leaves the other stays or they are both in the cavity.

I have this question that has been asked many times. This is my first pair ever and they have chosen a round hole. Should I change to sreh? Will they accept this at this stage?

I apologise tcg for asking this question on your post.



Glynn

[chickadee]

please change the hole. they will go in. I went threw the dread of changing all mine to sreh from round holes. then when I did I thought why did i not do it sooner?. it freed up my starling problem. they will always go for a round hole first for the most part. they will do a lot of peeking going in and backing out. but hold firm. they will go in. expecially if they have eggs or young. if not wait till they do then change it. one year I changed a entrance by changing a gourd from a big bo 9 to a supergourd, and they did not have any eggs yet.