Birdhouses for Chickadees and Wrens

I had some spare time and scrap lumber on my hands this weekend, so I thought it would be fun to build a couple birdhouses for the kids to paint. If we get these tucked into the espalier this fall, then maybe we can get some birds living back there in the spring, and have some fun with them. I didn't want to spend much cash or time on this, so I went with the simplest designs I could finds, and used materials on hand for the build. I have a total of $7.00 and a couple hours invested in this (thats $2.33 per bird house). I probably could have had it done faster if the wood had been the thickness that the plans called for, but some tinkering was necessary due to the difference in wood.

If these last one season, I'll be a happy guy.

Nest box #1 - the chickadee house. Buddy really liked this design, so who am I to argue, even though it doesn't match my vision... The plan can be found here

I had an old yard sale sign lying around, so it became the lumber. Yay - free lumber!

Glued and nailed using old rusty nails I inherited from SWMBO's Grandpa. Buddy helped to nail it together.

Nailed together and ready for Paint! Bottom not installed - it is removable to clean out the box in the spring.

I'm not sure where I'll hang it. But it does look cute. I wonder how it will look once buddy paints it. Will it get stripes? Polka dots? Of just Waalalalala-Blatherblather-Blab-Ssplunk  Which is the preferred style of 5 year olds everywhere.

Birdhouses 2 & 3 are the style I had in mind when we began. Plans can be found here.

Pieces were cut from a pine plank - it was sold as knotty pine shelving at home depot. If you use shelving boards to build a birdhouse be sure its not the laminated stuff - the glue may not hold up.

Assembled, and front door being installed. I used a 1-1/8" forstner bit in the drill press to open up the door.

Time for the perch. a 3/8" hole and 3/8" dowel. Rusty nails for accent.

I drilled and doweled for a door that can swing open for clean-out on this one, but I'm not happy with how it turned out. I may cut away the back of it and go for a redo. Or not. The birds won't care.

And there you have it - 3 birdhouses ready for paint. One for Buddy to paint, one for Cuppa, and One for Chuck or Mama, or me. 

Just for fun, reply with your bird houses and feeders, or some of the friends you have come visit in your yard. We are overrun with chipmunks and squirrels, but have also had ducks stop by for a swim in our pool, and have seen a few other surprise visitors in the city - luckily none of the coyotes or deer we had to worry about when we lived at the Mighty Tiny Chicken Ranch though!