Chickadee Nesting Box

[AmyH]

Hello all,

I am interested in putting up a Chickadee nesting box, and I was wondering if anyone could give me any insight to this? Such as...the best location, anyway of attracting them to it, and how far would it need to be from a bluebird nesting box? I currently have Black-capped Chickadees coming to my bird feeder, so this is what has stoked my interest.

Thank you in advance!

[twins]

you can put them any where close to the ground on your porch tree fence make sure the hole is smaller so bigger birds can,t get in good luck

[taxidermy lady]

I have wrens that nest in the lean two and flower pots hanging on porch. I believe the chickadees is a smaller hole. Not real positive but 1 1/8". Good luck! Keep us posted on that if you get them!

[threelilkids]

You can use 4'' PVC pipe. I looked it up on line and made two, they have both been housing Chickadee's for two years now, they love them, I put the pipe next to my deck and love to watch the show from nest making to fledgling. It is great. They use to nest in the grandkids swing set, but the bluebirds didn't like that it was to close to their house.

[threelilkids]

Oh and the pipe is about 50' from the bluebirds, now all are happy.
Mary

[tim414]

The post talking about the PVC pipe works well around here from what I'm told. A friend of mine uses the PVC and he said it works well.

I'm gonna do that when it warms up a little.

You can look up chickadees on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

[Gobbler T]

I' like to see a picture of the 4"pvc house. Been thinking about doing this myself

[taxidermy lady]

Yeah Tony I would like to see a picture too

[JamesinIA]

here is a link to the Gilbertson bluebird pvc house

https://www.google.com/search?q=pitchur ... d=0CB8QsAQ

[taxidermy lady]

Thanks James, that is neat the way they paint them like a tree. I will be making a few of these. I still have a pair interested in my natural gourd, it isn't but about 8" diameter. But I guess it is big enough for a bluebird! Good luck this season!

[Bob Buskas]

Hi one important thing is to fill the nest box with saw dust or shavings the Chickadees like to remove it to build their own cavity. They are so much fun to have in your yard.

[Louise Chambers]

We do that for our woodpecker box, too, but use shavings rather than sawdust. I read that sawdust could hold moisture once it becomes damp, in an article about wood duck boxes. Which do you usually use, Bob - sawdust or wood shavings? Sawdust or shavings should not be from treated wood.

[Carlton]

In Maryland we had both blackcapped and Carolina chickadees. My chickadees seemed to easily enter a one inch round entrance hole the same as house wrens. The chickadees seemed to prefer a rustic looking house with some bark on the front. A hollowed out log, with a deep cavity, was a real fav of chickadees. Be sure to use a predator guard on the pole or use a 4 or greater pvc pipe around the steel pole. Enjoy! They are such wonderful little birds. Real joy.

[Caroline94535-ND]

I've hosted three families of Black-Capped chickadee-dee-dees here in northeast ND. They happily nest in "standard" Bluebird boxes (I have the Woodlink® brand) mounted on metal T-posts about 4'8" high. I'm short so I set the bird houses to where I can have to tiptoe to see in them.

I've never provided them anything except a sprinkle of Sevin dust to keep the mites away. They build wonderful nests of moss, grass, and hair. I do have clean suet cages nearby filled with nesting fluff, various types of dog hair, and the thick white hair from deer bellies.

The nestbox that is used the most is supposed to be my "Tree Swallow Protocol" box. It's 35-ft. from the PM pole, and 4-ft. from the neighbors' garage. The chickadees usually take it first, when their first clutch fledges, the Tree Swallows have arrived and take over. The Dees move to the backyard and raise more chicks.