Freeze Sparrow Eggs

[rrmartins]

I have a male that finally got a nest built, after my martins had laid their eggs. The sparrows have three eggs in their nest. I read that you can freeze the eggs, or oil them, so they won't hatch. Has anybody froze them with a can of upside down compressed air? How do you oil the eggs and the parents not know? Thanks a lot.

[Foxie]

I have heard some landlords hurry and put the eggs in a microwave oven and toast them quikcly not to break the shell and hury back to the box for placement and the birds do not hatch after keeping sparrows busy. Of course the sparrow trap on a pole works as well to help remove them from a box. No knowledge of the freeze method but this might take some time if you are going to put in the freezer less if you it with CO2. They can attack the other nests if eggs are removed. One year Starlings and Sparrow trouble with no PM present. Took eggs from one nest and put in other nest for a mixed Brady Bunch. Resulting in all eggs and birds gone in a couple days. We would not want to implement this if PM'S were present or any desired birds in other boxes close by like blues etc. Other reported landlord watched close to eve the sparrow go into a lower bird box I think she said blue bird box and quietly walk behind the box pole etc and quickly placed a plastic grocery bag over the box catching the female for removal. later the male came looking for the female and after a period of time destroyed the nest and gave up. The best is not to allow the nest to be built with eggs as intense frequent removal a couple times a day the sparrow will move out before attracting a mate etc.

[Foxie]

One would think care in methods used so the sparrows do not attack the PM Nests. Sparrow trap and or other methods can be used to remove the sparrows. Some talk about having a good landlord daily watch and plan to implement will help discourage the sparrows by removal before they
get established in the box with eggs. had problem with sparrows in one blue bird box early in season before the blues nested. Removed the sparrow nest materials several time a day. After much extended effort and time they move away to some other place and the blues immediately move back to the box which they liked earlier and built a nest with 4 egss. Box is away from the Purple Martin Houses!

[Foxie]

A very short cquick couple minute microwave hit was told results in eggs that will not hatch. Quick then replace back in box and no hatch after the sparrow spend time to no avail. This is what we heard but have never tried to see the results so good luck. hope others can offer suggestions or opinions on comments as they are notes we have heard over some periods of time while communicating about the PM'S etc. Best of Luck!

[Dan G]

i never froze them, but i have been poked a pin hole in one end, and gently put them back in the nest . They were nesting in an area i couldnt shoot or trap.

[rrmartins]

Thanks for the replies guys. I dealt with HOSP revenge four or five years ago. I've killed twenty of the rats so far this year. I was reading last night, to let them hatch their eggs and then the male will go right in to feed them. I could've caught the female easy by now, but this male is too smart. I can't decide which way to go here, don't want my colony destroyed.

[Nealbopper]

A couple years back I bought a Benjamin PCP air gun (You pre charge it with a Scuba tank and it will get 20-25 accurate shots.) It's remarkable how accurate this gun is. It's got a 10 pellet wheel and a bolt action. Poor little Sparrows do not stand a chance. It's a must though and those sparrows will not go away. I sure hope I get some PM's this year. Then killing all those pesky birds will not make me feel so bad.

[detioh11]

I had to deal with the same thing last year. I had gotten a pair of Martin's and had a pair of sparrows that had gotten to smart to trap. I let them nest and when they were gone just submerged their eggs I. A small bowl of vegetable oil. I let them sit in the bowl for about a minute. Then I dried them off a little so they didn't seem to oily and put them back in the nest. The sparrows never knew. They say on them for a couple weeks and then built a new nest in a different cavity and tried again. Those eggs met the same fate. Sadly my single ASY pair has not returned this year even though they successfully fledged 4 young ones last year.

[MaryanneKaht IL]

....A quick "hard boil" of the eggs worked for us!....Gently place eggs in hot water for a 20 to30 seconds, then quickly return eggs to the nest. Adult sparrows eventually either abandon the nest or get trapped.

[rrmartins]

Thanks for all the good info everyone. I'm really wanting to catch this male HOSP. I'm thinking of doing the hot water trick. I'm able to pull the whole nest out of the T14, their nest is on a nesting tray. I use the insert traps, and was thinking of using the eggs as bait. I can cut the back of the nest off, leaving the front tunnel alone and place egg bowl in the trap. Any ideas on this?