First official nest check today found the first newly hatched young. I guess what makes this surprising is we are still experiencing record lows and heavy frost the past few mornings. Many other nests were delayed and are lined and ready.
I have one nest with 10 eggs in it. Anyone experience any success with that amount?
Overall there are 99 eggs and 4 young so far with many more eggs to come.
This looks like a very staggered year for nesting and hatching with the wacky weather. Already went through 5000 crickets 2000 superworms and several dozen eggs. Back to the heat again... temps near 90 coming this week. We have had that too but the cold keeps coming back.
Doug
10 egg clutch updated 7/4 .
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Last edited by Doug Martin - PA on Thu Jul 04, 2013 11:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Leandortree
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:10 pm
- Location: Saskatchewan/Grenfell
Hello Doug,
Regarding the ten egg clutch, I think there are two clutches of eggs in that lot? I know that a Martin hen cannot incubate ten eggs. The hen will move each egg every day, many times; each egg stands a good chance of getting cold, I think the chances of any of those eggs hatching are slim. Louise says the hen will toss (move) out the first (bad) eggs, but I doubt that! I don't think a Martin hen knows a good egg from a bad egg, but I could be wrong. I know that most birds will incubate artificial eggs full term. . I hope you keep us informed as to the progress of the ten eggs, I hope all ten hatch.
Good LUCK with your Martins this season.
Regarding the ten egg clutch, I think there are two clutches of eggs in that lot? I know that a Martin hen cannot incubate ten eggs. The hen will move each egg every day, many times; each egg stands a good chance of getting cold, I think the chances of any of those eggs hatching are slim. Louise says the hen will toss (move) out the first (bad) eggs, but I doubt that! I don't think a Martin hen knows a good egg from a bad egg, but I could be wrong. I know that most birds will incubate artificial eggs full term. . I hope you keep us informed as to the progress of the ten eggs, I hope all ten hatch.
Good LUCK with your Martins this season.
Saskatchewan "The land of living skies"
Leandortree colony
2012-46 pair 200+ Fledged
Leandortree colony
2012-46 pair 200+ Fledged
Doug, I think Leandortree is right about the all the eggs or any of the eggs hatching . If it were me I would remove 4 eggs and put them in a incubator and if thay hatch, I would redistrabute them back into other nest later. I have raised them from newborn, it's not easy but doable.
good luck------ Ed
good luck------ Ed
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Thanks for your replies.
My fear is many of these existing eggs will not hatch. Even the 5 egg clutches. I would agree that there may be 5 bad ones and perhaps 5 good ones in the batch of 10.
We used to "candle" chicken eggs to see if they were good. (Look through them with light) that may be a way to deal with 10 eggs.
Doug
My fear is many of these existing eggs will not hatch. Even the 5 egg clutches. I would agree that there may be 5 bad ones and perhaps 5 good ones in the batch of 10.
We used to "candle" chicken eggs to see if they were good. (Look through them with light) that may be a way to deal with 10 eggs.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
The result of my 10 egg clutch?
5 healthy chicks about a week from fledging right now.
Thought all might want to know this. I finally did discard the unhatched eggs amoung the feathered young.. But there were actually six of them.
5 for 11 in baseball is great. I will take it here too.
Doug
5 healthy chicks about a week from fledging right now.
Thought all might want to know this. I finally did discard the unhatched eggs amoung the feathered young.. But there were actually six of them.
5 for 11 in baseball is great. I will take it here too.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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DebA
- Posts: 1941
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
- Location: Pratt County/Kansas
- Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.
That's great news, Doug. I am glad you updated us!
Deb
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR