You should not be opening the door at this late date. You could accidentally cause them to leave the nest too early. They will leave when they are ready, usually around 17 or 18 days or longer. For lots of information about bluebirds go to http://www.sialis.org/

How sure are you about how old the babies are? Bluebird nest are normally not that dirty until the babies are ready to fledge around day 16-19. If it is that smelly are you sure there isn't a dead baby in there?? After the babies are 13 days old you aren't supposed to open the nestbox to prevent premature fledging. If you are sure the babies aren't more than 13 days old, put on a hat (to help with the divebombing parents) and check that nest out thoroughly, it really shouldn't smell. I have never had a smelly nest unless something was dead in there. Bluebirds generally have pretty clean nests. If you just aren't sure on the age of the babies I guess you should leave the nest alone and hope for the best. Last year I found two dead TRES babies after the other three fledged, it was gross in there! The first year I had Blues they divebombed like yours however I have never had divebombing ones since, now my Swallows are another story, they do touch my head when they divebomb me and they do it whenever I am outside even when I am not near their nestbox.

Donna

I can open the side of my box because there is a clear wall up so that you can see the babies and they can't fly out. The reason that it smells so bad is because there is so much bird poop in there. It is caked everywhere in that box. I have never had a bluebird box that looked like this one. All of them have been so clean and neat when they fledge. For some reason I guess the parents aren't taking the poop out when they feed them. When I looked last night it was even on the babies. If they don't hurry and fledge I am afraid they are going to die in there with all that poop. Yes I am sure about their age. I know when they were laid and when they hatched. I have it on my calendar. I hope that it will be any day now that they fledge. They sure look big enough to fly when I saw them last night.

Geezzz, I hope they head to the bird bath first thing! I have never had sloppy bb's. When they fledge, there is never any poop in there. The tree swallows on the other hand EEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!!

I agree bluebirdbabe, Tree Swallows have such disgusting nests when you clean them out. You almost should use soap and water and a scrub brush they are so bad. Last year I had the cleanest Bluebirds ever, the parents took away the poop sacs right up until they fledged. I swear I should have saved the nest it was so clean, however it was flattened.

Donna

Indigo....everybody with Blue Bird boxes has neighbors who think they are nuts!!!! I wonder if the babies have some sort of deficiency or something in their diet that the little poop sacks are not forming. Do you feed a ton of meal worms?

No I do not feed them mealworms. Someone told me that if you live in the south where there are alot of insects and berries that this would be enough. I see them taking them big worms and large bugs all the time. I just don't understand this. Do you think that maybe these are young parents and they really don't know what to do? I have never had a nest like this one. I am not looking forward to cleaning up after them!!! LOL.