How to catch/get Mom out of nest box so I check the chicks?

[Artchic528]

Ever since I candled the eggs way back toward the beginning of the month, Leia (Mom) decided it was far too risky to come out when I’m there. If she so much as hears me approach she’s right back in the nest box, on top of her chicks/eggs. If I get close to the nest box she can be heard thumping against the hinged door. Maternal instincts are strong with this one.

I need to add a bit more wood shavings to keep the chicks from being on the bare wood floor of the box and developing splayed legs.

Pico (Dad) is doing a great job of coming into the nest box throughout the day to feed the chicks (I assume). When he’s inside with Leia I hear lots of peeping. When he’s outside, not so much. I want to give the first time parents plenty of space so they don’t get so stressed they abandon the chicks.

Also, is this darker coloration under the chick’s wing anything to be concerned about? Or is just shadows?

 

[April]

@T. gillii @Zara @BrianB

 

[Finchbreed]

Generally it is best to leave the parents to do what they do for at least the 1st week, nothing but looking.
Not sure about that reddish spot - hopefully others can tell better.
Once the chick is at least a week old - use the method you would usually use to get mum onto your hand to lift her gently out. Add extra shavings and remove the unhatched eggs for candling.
Let her go back in - you can return any eggs that look OK with her in.

 

[Artchic528]

Generally it is best to leave the parents to do what they do for at least the 1st week, nothing but looking.
Not sure about that reddish spot - hopefully others can tell better.
Once the chick is at least a week old - use the method you would usually use to get mum onto your hand to lift her gently out. Add extra shavings and remove the unhatched eggs for candling.
Let her go back in - you can return any eggs that look OK with her in.

That’s what I’ve been doing. Just opening the the hinged access door a tiny bit to peek inside when only mom is inside for like, a second, and then gently close it saying “Good Girl, I’ll leave you alone now.” in a soft voice. All I see when I do is the egg shells from the hatched chicks tossed aside and Mom on the nest covering the eggs/chicks so I can’t see them.

When Pico is out, and I’m engaging with him, sometimes I hear the chicks in the nest box, sometimes not. Sometimes Mom thumps against the access door loudly with her beak to tell me to back off, so when she does that, I do. Pico comes and goes regularly and like I said, Leia sneaks out briefly when I’m not around or not at all. The chicks peep more when Pico’s in there to feed them.

 

[BrianB]

It's hard to get more bedding in when mom is being very protective. The best option is to try to get it in without her seeing your face. If you can get some bedding on a piece of paper and crack open the top of the next box just enough to slide it in, that can help. Just do a little at a time, and let mom move it around as needed. The idea is to make it as non-threatening as possible, and from the bird's perspective, there can't be much more threatening than a big human face looming over the cracked-open top of a nest box. The less they see you, the better. It's best if you can do it when mom and dad are out of the nest, but that isn't always possible, so sometimes you have to be creative.

 

[Zara]

Generally it is best to leave the parents to do what they do for at least the 1st week, nothing but looking.

Generally yes, however in this case, leaving a chick on that bare box for a week could cause problems in the legs.
Shavings need adding now.

Brian left good advice with some tips.
I used to slide a piece of cardboard over the doorway when I needed to get into the nest box, and would do it as quickly as possible to inflict the least amount of stress possible. I would hang millet in the cage nearby for her, which usually did the trick for us. If your bird has a fave treat, offer them.

 

[Artchic528]

Update: I caught Mom out of the nest box this morning and used a piece of cardboard to block the entrance. Turns out we have 3 chicks now! I added a few big handfuls of small animal aspen bedding to the corner of the nest box and left the chicks/remaining eggs untouched. I’ll let Mom arrange things as she sees fit. I made sure to be very quick too. The chicks look very pink and healthy and Mom and Dad are doing a good job so far.

 

[Finchbreed]

Good news.

 

[Artchic528]

The chicks look much better on some wood shavings instead of the bare nest box floor.

 

[Finchbreed]

Now she knows that nothing bad happens when you look, you can lift the lid every 2nd day and talk to her without touching.
Then after doing this about 4 times, gently remove the dud eggs, so they don't break and foul the nest.
Looks like they are natural parents - but would still recommend - next time she lays - remove the eggs - one at a time after the 2nd is laid and replace with a false egg or boil and replace.
Number the eggs as you replace - so you know which has been replaced, she can't read.