faster. The hen may begin to lay eggs before the cock has come into breeding condition — both birds need to be sexually mature for fertile eggs to be laid. Delaying egg laying by late installation of the nest box or boarding up the nest entrance temporarily until fertility is accomplished may be the best way to deal with this timing issue. Younger pairs may also need more
18 BIRD SCENE
stimuli to breed. Older experienced birds will start breeding much more readily and usually go to nest at a similar date as they did the year before. The inexperience and ignorance of a young pair of birds often contributes to infertility resulting in a clutch of clear wasted eggs. Mistakes are made in courtship, mating and nesting. Style and
