Towards the end of the school year my dd made a bird house for extra credit in science. Since my dh wasn't in any hurry to hang the house up I sat it outside on our deck, my 10 yr old ds decided to set the house up on the railing of the deck, within three days two bluebirds decided to start building a nest inside!! Now we felt it was too late to move the house as someone decided to take up residence. The house was just sitting there and could be knocked over so my husband took three bungee cords and secured it to the railing. Well, before we knew it they laid a egg, then each day another one would appear till finally there were four eggs!! Then it was time for us to leave to go see my son graduate from boot camp, I wondering the whole time we were gone about the eggs, when we came back all four had hatched and the are getting pretty big, the parents feed them constantly and they are simply adorable!!! I don't know what to do because I am afraid that they are going to try and come out eventually and it is a long drop from the deck to the ground. See the house is sitting right at the very top of the steps, right where the railing starts to slant down for walking down the steps. I've thought about moving the house so that when they try and come out they will land on the deck. I really don't want anything to happend to these adorable little guys, what should I do? Does anyone have any experience with birds?!!

Help!!

By Kate on Friday, July 14, 2006 - 10:31 pm:

Well, since nests are usually up in trees which are higher up than your deck, I wouldn't do a thing. If the house was in a bad or unsafe spot for the birds, they wouldn't have settled there (obviously the birds didn't understand about it being in a position where it could get knocked over ). It must be just fine and I wouldn't worry about them. They'll do whatever comes naturally and it will be the right thing and they will be fine.

By Hol on Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 12:23 am:

I agree with Kate. I would let them finish raising their little family. Then, if they move out in the Fall, only THEN would I hang it elsewhere. Somehow, baby birds learn to fly from the tree tops.
Good for your DD, that she made such "desireable" real estate that tenants came right away!
And bless you for worrying about them.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 08:55 pm:

You can actually see inside your birdhouse? We know there were sparrows in our birdhouse, because we could hear them chirping! Then, eventually they fledged because it was quiet.

By Mom2three1968 on Saturday, July 15, 2006 - 11:56 pm:

oh yes, the house is right on my deck at the top of the steps, and from day one I stood at the top step and looked right inside the hole!!!

Hol,

I couldn't believe it how they moved right in, I just found a bluebird forum online yesterday and they are amazed that they moved in like they did, while there was really nothing special to entice them to move in, except for the wonderful accomodations of course!!!

Kelly

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 07:08 am:

I agree with the others - the birds will manage. The only thing I'd be worried about is cats or other predators getting at the house.

Your daughter must be so pleased. That is so neat!

And, next year, maybe put the house somewhere where it will be safe from predators - although that means you wouldn't get this great view.

By Bellajoe on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 08:44 am:

don't worry about it, let the birdie mom and birdie dad worry about their little ones.

By Mom2three1968 on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 11:11 am:

That is what I've decided to do for this batch. I've learned so far from the bluebird website that I've discovered that I need to mount the house on a pole, coat the pole with axle grease to keep the fire ants from climbing the pole which they will do and the ants will kill the babies, also coating the inside of the roof with vasiline to keep wasps from building nests, which are bad too. All sorts of things I've learned but what to do now that I've gotten bit by the bluebird lovebug so to speak!!


Ginny, yes Sammy is so proud that the birds chose her home to make a nest in and have their little family!!! We don't have a stray cat problem and our cats are kept inside...

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 02:26 pm:

Our gas grill is padlocked to the garage, right below the little birdhouse. Yesterday, I was trying to open the lock, so I could get the grill ready for cooking supper. I stood up and bumped the birdhouse, with my head. Two bees of some sort flew out, and kind of followed me. I ran away screaming and almost tripped over the dog, who got all excited, because I screamed. Now, I have a dilemma. Maybe the bees lived there last year, too. I don't know. I don't suppose we can spray any poison in the house, because that would probably kill the baby birds later on. I guess I'll just have to be careful not to jostle that house anymore this summmer and in fall, take a peek and see if we have to take a bee/wasp hive out of there.

By Mom2three1968 on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 09:12 pm:

Dawn,

When they leave they say spread some vaseline to the inside roof and they aren't supposed to be able to build their nests inside the bird house. Boy I would've ran away screaming too!!!

By Hol on Sunday, July 16, 2006 - 11:58 pm:

Kelly - You know what they say about location, location, location! They obviously knew a prime piece of real estate when they saw one.
How neat that you got to experience this.

I sure didn't know about the fire ants and the wasps. I thought that cats were the only threat.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, July 17, 2006 - 12:32 am:

I searched the web and it said to set out some beer and they will sample the beer and drown. We will try it. The bees worry the dog, though. She can hear them buzzing in there and she doesn't want to go near that part of the yard. Then I stuck my head a little closer and I could hear them, too! They really haven't bothered us and only flew out, because I jostled the birdhouse. DH has seen them, though, too, when he is punching in the code to open the garage door. I think we would feel better with them gone!