Prune Blueberry Bushes?

I have two bluebery bushes, one rabbiteye and one I call birdseye (smaller berries). Can anyone tell me if blueberry bushes are pruned? If so, when? I have had these five years and have never done anything to them. They are about six feet tall. They do provide a very good crop (with the mesh bird net protecting them).

I do grow rabbiteyes, but have never had occasion to prune them in some ten years. I have one cultivar that tends to spread latererally from the roots, so I do cut back or remove new plants starting about now. Just before I bed them down in pine straw for the winter.

I also have about a 6' blueberry bush that's about 6 years old. Never did much to it in the line of pruning with the exception of cutting out old, crossed or dead branches. Does very well every year with fruit...I get mine after the birds are done....When you do cut out these branches, new shoots will arise. With blueberries I have found if they ain't broke, don't fixem.

Guess I'll leave mine pretty much alone. And "riceke", have you thought of putting a mesh net over yours? It works pretty well. I picked up mine from Wal Mart and paid less than $10.00 each for them. I'll need a step ladder when I put them back on in the spring though. I have left them on other years, but they grew right through and wouldn't be protected next year.

Hot...I tried the netting but it eventually got tangled in the branches and had to rip off part of the stems that grew through it...and the birds were coming up from the bottom of the bush.
I had one bird that couldn't get out after he got in, thus the ripping of branches....no I give them their share and they save me a few berries. Thanks for the suggestion though.

riceke, I know what you mean about the mesh problems. I have the same problems. But I'd rather have the patience to free the birds (and the tortoise that gets under the net, too) and work the branches free than let them eat everything. Especially when I put out all that bird seed for them.