Phantom nest raider

[Psmith]

Hi everyone, this is my first post!

I had 1 pr each of painteds, spice, stars, O-breasts, jackarines and cut throats in one of my aviaries and one morning found 3 dead painted chicks, 2 dead OB chicks and smashed star eggs. After observing the cutthroats moving in and out of the nest boxes while the other finches fed on seeding grasses one morning I caught and sold them thinking they were responsible.

A few weeks on and I have another round of smashed eggs, at least this batch of OB chicks are still alive.

Can anyone suggest what is the most likely culprit? I can't catch them out but I suspect the jackarine may be responsible.

Any thoughts?

[Tiaris]

mouse/mice?

[Redwing]

Wouldn't mice eat the chicks and eggs if they've gone to the trouble of tossing them?

[finchbreeder]

Do you have lots of nests so there is no need for any finch to want a nest currently in use? Are your nests spread out and of different types? Any way of rigging up a camera?
LML

[vettepilot_6]

Hi everyone, this is my first post!

I had 1 pr each of painteds, spice, stars, O-breasts, jackarines and cut throats in one of my aviaries and one morning found 3 dead painted chicks, 2 dead OB chicks and smashed star eggs. After observing the cutthroats moving in and out of the nest boxes while the other finches fed on seeding grasses one morning I caught and sold them thinking they were responsible.

A few weeks on and I have another round of smashed eggs, at least this batch of OB chicks are still alive.

Can anyone suggest what is the most likely culprit? I can't catch them out but I suspect the jackarine may be responsible.

Any thoughts?

I would of thought Cutthroats first then mice... if you have 12mm mesh sooner or later you will have vermin (guaranteed) and need atleast 3 nest boxes for every pair plus shrubbery for those (painteds stars etc) that prefer to build their own....

[branchez]

Hi Psmith and welcome to the Forum.
Jack