Expert: Roger Lederer - 5/18/2005

Question
We have small birds (maybe finches) nesting in a flower arrangement on our front porch wall.....There are three tiny bluish eggs in the nest.....My question is how long before they hatch? Last month we had the same situation with four eggs. During the first week or so I found all of the eggs on the porch open and empty.....There was some blood but no sign of a bird.....The nest seemed undisturbed as the basket on the wall was not affected in any way.....I wondered if another bird destroyed the eggs of maybe they were not fertilized? We are not using our front door so we can keep the porch peaceful for them...Any information would be appreciated..Thank you, Patricia

Answer
If you previously found broken eggs on the porch and empty,it may have been a predator of some kind that got to them - a rat, a jay, a crow, or something like that.
It is nice of you to leave the front porch undisturbed.
Eggs will hatch approximately two weeks after they are laid. After the eggs hatch, the young will remain in the nest for another 10 days or so after which they will leave the nest, but be unable to fly. But the parents will care for them for another 10 days or so until they can fly and fend for themselves. For more information on wild birds, see www.ornithology.com. Roger Lederer