Wed nite we put sulphur powder around the base of our three birdboxes

Two are bluebirds and had eggs in them

We saw the next morning the door was unlatched and door was totally open like a landing zone and eggs gone

The other bird box was not open but eggs were gone same nite

One is on a pvc pipe
Other one on a tree

We have had four sets of blue birds
Every year to live

Any idea what did this
We have one nest of wrens and worried for them

So sad to see blue bird parents looking for their eggs

And or babies
Something ate the four babies two weeks ago

Never had that happen in twenty years here at our home

Ideas
Advice
What can we do to protect the boxes yet allow the parents in and out


Snake prevention

we are using sulphur powder at base of tree or pvc pipe base

Maybe raccoon

RJ
The only idea we have to try to protect blue bird eggs just laid this weekend in the same boxes

is liquid bought bottled deer and small animal repellent that has garlic.

bought brand repel

we cleaned out two weeks ago the robbed boxes that previously had eggs and or baby blue birds

We know the sulphur did not stop
A raccoon ,however maybe a snake


so we now

Have sprayed at bottom of the tree trunk below the bird box and sprayed deer and animal repellant called repel on the pvc bird pole that the bird house 🏡 is at top

If this works will try to post and let everyone know. We have two bottle brands We know to spray after every rain.

Sheri sheridragonfly

Sheri,

I have had good luck with a product called liquid PlantSkydd against deer and rabbits, might work on your critter.

Update July 14
We have four baby blue birds
In the box the young parents
Kept rebuilding and relaying after losing three times to the raccoons

What is working is we made a baffle see below and we are putting out sulphur and animal repellent at the base of the pole

I am praying 🙏 all goes well and they fly out next weekend

So far they are being fed well and growing feathers!

I'd recommend some hardware mesh inside the baffle (between the baffle and the pole). That kind will keep out racoons, but snakes can still get in between the baffle and up the pole.