Hi there. Sounds like your doing a pretty good job so far. Is your box on a slick pole with a baffle and away from trees and fences? I don't know if this site was given to you already www.sialis.org to learn more about nest boxes.
Good Luck!

My box is on a 4x4 post that is 6' from the ground and it has a lattice below it that comes up to 4' off of the ground with honey suckle vines and crossvine growing on it. It is basicly right above my hummingbird/butterfly garden. I actually live in a subdivision but I also have a small 400-500 gallon pond with fish and I have never had any coons or seen any snakes. In fact I did see a cat once but that was several years ago before I had built any of this in the backyard.
{{!gwi}}

Wow, you have a beautiful flowerbed there!! However it really is a bad spot for a birdhouse to be. Even though you don't see coons doesn't mean they won't find that birdhouse. Coons are "everywhere" and with your set up they would have such easy access to the eggs/babies and incubating adult bird. As would any cats, squirrels, snakes etc...Oh and coons are typically out late at night, so you would never see them.

Nestboxes should be mounted on slick metal poles (conduit works best) with a predator baffle (stove pipe is very easy to install) and be at least 15 feet away from any fence or tree with no overhanging branches of trees.

It sounds like you are really enjoying the Blues so let me tell you I have btdt years ago with a birdhouse on a wooden post and even though the first nesting went fine, the second didn't and raccoons got the five babies only five days from fledging! Believe me you don't want the heartache of that! You really need to move that nestbox.

Donna

Very nice but Donna is right... very dangerous! You really need to move the box. Read up on the website I gave you and you will get a better understanding of why this is so important!

I was just looking at your pic again and noticed the other wren? house on the far right of the fence and I can see a top of possibly another at the corner behind the Bluebird box. Are these for house wrens? Not sure if you have them in the area but house wrens do not live peacefully by any other cavity nester. They will pierce the eggs and or throw the eggs/babies of other cavity nesters out of their nests.

Donna

WOW DZ, I missed those, there are 2 . Nikonhead you have set your Blues up for certain disaster! Take those little boxes down or close them up. If they are ornamental you can put a cut out painted black to keep the look but dont let a HOWR nest there! So much to know on how to keep our Blues safe. Please get to the sialis site ASAP.

Hi there! I love, love, love your Hummer/Butterfly garden and would love to know what all is planted there. I am an avid butterfly/bird gardener myself. Congrats on the Bluebird eggs! You must be very excited to finally host the wonderful Blues. I wanted to send a private e-mail to you, but I did not see any link when I checked your page. You may e-mail me privately if you'd like, and we can talk butterflies and birds. :o) ~~Angie

Update:
Well thanks for the responses everyone and all the helpful suggestions and I will take note and implement them.
Will the BB take to me moving the box from there to another location with in a few feet onto a slick pole? By the way I have my fifth egg as of this afternoon and I just went and took down the other bird house as soon as I read the post about it.
I also came home to a Male HOSP in my repeating trap so all in all it was a good day for the BB. On average how long will it take now for the babies to hatch if everything goes well and once hatched how long untill they can leave the nest. Just trying to figure out how long I have to worry about them.

Incubation should begin when the last egg is laid, and then she will sit on them for 12-14 days before they hatch. They will then stay in the nest for about 14 days. Congrats on your Bluebird eggs!! Oh, and double congrats on getting that nasty male HOSP!! Probably should put a Sparrow Spooker onto that Bluebird box now. They are easy to make at home.~~Angie

The Blues will tolerate moving the nestbox however you will need at least two people and be very very careful with the box, you don't want to drop it! If an egg would break or crack they will most likely abandon the nesting.

Angie is right, incubation starts when the last egg is laid, typical hatching is 12-14 days from start of incubation. Typical fledging is on or about 17 days from hatching. I have had them fledge before day 16 but they were not good flyers yet, they really need to be in that nestbox for a good 16 days to be able to fly well. Some stay in longer too...I think most say fledging is anywhere from 16-18 days.

Good luck...glad you took those wren boxes down. I had a wren destroy a Chickadee nest this past weekend, she had just laid the first egg and a wren destroyed the egg and removed the nestcup. Dang birds are not good to have around!

Donna

Well today is day 12 and I still haven't had any hatches as of yet. I am excited to see them break out and welcome them into the world. Hopefully they will be here with in the next 24-36 hrs. Wish them luck!

Well I was sitting outside and I was getting ready to feed them and they went to go take a bath so I snapped a few shots of them.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

Love, love, love your shots!! Congrats on the eggs, and best wishes for a successful hatching. My Blues are at the same place as yours Today was day 12 for us too! Isn't that neat? Check out my bathing Blues. Just posted several pics! ~~Angie

Here is a link that might be useful: The Bonding Bath

Well I had a egg hatch some time between last night and this morning. There is one that has broke out of his egg. So it looks like things are going well.

They were feeding heavy this morning after the storms last night.
{{!gwi}}

Well today I had a total of three eggs hatch the last time I checked. They are feeding pretty heavy today and they seem to be feeding the three that have already hatched alhtough I am not sure about that. HE sure is bringing the food though.

I need to check on mine today Gary. My male is fairly skittish, and he like to do a big "fly in your face to intimidate you" kinda thing. I never get bombed by the birds in my yard, and I think it's because I am out there so much. This particular male though is skittish, and it really worries him for me to actually touch his box! He is fine as long as I don't touch it. :o) I may take my step stool and an umbrella out so that it's easier on him and me!! I will let you know. Mine should be hatched out by today if all is going well.~~Angie

I checked my Bluebird house today, and there are 2 hatchlings and 3 eggs inside.~~Angie

Bandjzmom, what a great idea. My Blues know me since I feed them all winter, and supply them with mealworms all year round, but are still quite protective of their box. Someone on this forum told me to wear a hat, which helps some. But they really dive-bomb me in earnest, so I love your idea about using an umbrella. I will try that if they get around to a second nesting.

Hey kendra, those big golf unbrellas really work well! Like I said, I don't normally have issues with any of my yard birds diving me, but sometimes you get a male or female that is extra skittish. When I checked the box today, along with my sister, both parent birds just sat in the tree above us and let us check. No diving, and no displays! WHEW!

Well I have 5 babies as of today. The last one hatched today or last night some time. When I cracked the box open they were ready to feed except for one and he was probably the last one to be born. Everything is going great. By the way I have my BB to where they will come within 5-10 to feed. In fact they sit in a certain spot when they are wanting some meal worms.