Barn swallows and their hatchlings in my bathroom vent duct
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Barn swallows and their hatchlings in my bathroom vent duct
Ok, I'll partly admit I didn't take proactive measures in time and now I'm in a bit of a pickel.
Sometime over the corse of the winter, one or more fins on the vent exit for our bathroom vent came off.
Been meaning to get up there to replace the vent, but didn't have the proper gear (pretty steep roof, 3 stories high), and when I finally did have the gear, it's been raining.
Anyway, not only do I have a barn swallow issue (they made a nest in the duct), but when I went up into the attic to resolve the issues, I could hear little squeaks... The egs have hatched
So... The birds are ~3ft into the duct. Can't remove the duct from inside the attic without a great risk of loose birds. The ducts are that cheap metal flex hose (also on my list to replace), so I cant even get a good enough seal if I tried squeezing the pipe before and after them enough to contain them and get it out.
Any thoughts or ideas?
The best suggestion I've received (which isn't all that great) is a shop vac.
For those not fimilar with barn swallows, this is what the ones I have look like.
Sometime over the corse of the winter, one or more fins on the vent exit for our bathroom vent came off.
Been meaning to get up there to replace the vent, but didn't have the proper gear (pretty steep roof, 3 stories high), and when I finally did have the gear, it's been raining.
Anyway, not only do I have a barn swallow issue (they made a nest in the duct), but when I went up into the attic to resolve the issues, I could hear little squeaks... The egs have hatched
So... The birds are ~3ft into the duct. Can't remove the duct from inside the attic without a great risk of loose birds. The ducts are that cheap metal flex hose (also on my list to replace), so I cant even get a good enough seal if I tried squeezing the pipe before and after them enough to contain them and get it out.
Any thoughts or ideas?
The best suggestion I've received (which isn't all that great) is a shop vac.
For those not fimilar with barn swallows, this is what the ones I have look like.
#2
Group Moderator
I've been there before...
I would just leave them be for the time being. Check weekly to find out when the babies have left the nest. Then, once they are gone, go about fixing the outer louvers and either replace or clean out the duct. As you guessed trying to do anything while the babies are in there can lead to other problems but waiting a few weeks should make it much easier.
I would just leave them be for the time being. Check weekly to find out when the babies have left the nest. Then, once they are gone, go about fixing the outer louvers and either replace or clean out the duct. As you guessed trying to do anything while the babies are in there can lead to other problems but waiting a few weeks should make it much easier.
#3
Forum Topic Moderator
Mixing compassion with urgency is a tough one. If a couple weeks is all it will take then I’d consider waiting. Can you use the fan in the meantime or does it have to work too hard cause of resistance?
Pay attention for grayish bird mites in bathroom. They don’t hurt humans but humans do freak out about them.
Pay attention for grayish bird mites in bathroom. They don’t hurt humans but humans do freak out about them.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
They where gone pretty quickly.
Had to replace the duct as they had packed it in very tight just outside my arm's reach.
Was going to replace the cover outside at the same time, but yet again, it was raining. Don't want to play on the roof in the rain as it's a pretty steep pitch.
Had to replace the duct as they had packed it in very tight just outside my arm's reach.
Was going to replace the cover outside at the same time, but yet again, it was raining. Don't want to play on the roof in the rain as it's a pretty steep pitch.
#5
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I'm glad your guest split fairly quickly. It would be a shame to have to shop vac them out. Did you get everything patched up and ready to go for next year? The birds are beautiful, so apart from being in my home I couldn't complain.
#6
Member
Thread Starter
I'm glad your guest split fairly quickly. It would be a shame to have to shop vac them out. Did you get everything patched up and ready to go for next year? The birds are beautiful, so apart from being in my home I couldn't complain.
As for the repairs, got the vent fixed and temp ducts in place. Going to replace the flex pipe (dryer vent hosing) the previous owners had installed with ridgid insulated pipe when time and $$ permit. The flexable ducting is ok for summer, but will freeze and make a mess come winter.