DO NOT REMOVE THE NEST! You do not have to remove a nest to add a wren guard. The wren guard goes on the outside of the box, comes down over the roof. See my guard below. I use a thick cardboard, lots of people use cheezit boxes or cereal boxes. Not sure what you are talking about a plastic milk jug? You found that on silais??

Once you know they have accepted the wren guard you can add sides so you cannot see the hole from the side either. I did have BLues ones year that could not figure out a wren guard and I had to take it off but most of them figure it out.

Donna

You do not need to remove the nest to put up a Wren Guard. I made mine out of cardboard covered with duct tape I just tape it to the outside of the box. You should never remove a nest unless it's soaking wet or full of blowfly and a nest change needs to be done.

did you use duct tape to attach? COOL!!! will add one right now! I'll get the dimensions of where it needs to be.. BIG SIGH!

Yes, here is the quote from sialis..

"Try a modified Noel guard: Suggestion from Bernie Daniel: When a Chickadee or bluebird is established (i.e., a nest or eggs) build a "vanity front porch" on the box for them. Cut an old 2 quart milk carton in half. Cut a 1.5' hole in the bottom. Trim back the sides to about 4" in depth (now you have created a 4" bowl with a hole the bottom.) Center the hole in the bottom of the former milk carton over the nestbox hole and tack it onto the door. You can cut the bottom of the "porch" off so it is easier to attach and so that the Chickadee has access to the wooden door -- but keep the sides and top in place. (Basically this is a just a plastic "Noel guard" with no bottom). This creates a vestibule that prevents the wren for seeing the chickadee fly into the hole. Thus, the wren has less interest in what the chickadee is doing. Daniel has never lost a nest to wrens since using this method. "

on this page: http://www.sialis.org/wrens.htm about a third of the way down.

Here is a shot of the guard I had on our Dee nest last year. I added the sides after I knew they accepted it, thus all the duct tape on the cardboard, this one I screwed to the top of the nestbox with just one screw. Hope this helps....

Donna

Yes, duct tape, or a screw and duct tape, either way works. That noel guard seems like too much work, much easier with just this wren guard. Make sure the Blues accept it though and if you have strong winds without sides it could blow the cardboard toward the box and prevet them from going in. So even small sides taped on afterward works to stablize the front piece of cardboard. That is what I ended up doing to that guard in the first photo cause we had strong northerly winds and it pushed the front piece towards the house, I just added a small amount of cardboard at the top from the original piece to the house and taped it there, stopped the front part from moving in the wind. Good luck!

Donna

ok, I actually made two, one with small side stabilizers and one with full sides.. feel like I'm in grade school doing some project with all this tape and cardboard!

THANKS SO MUCH for your help and pictures!!!!!! I read and reread and didn't see a cardboard version of the guard..

I think I will scan in the dimensions of this contraption so I can easily make one again in the future. Luckily my sparrow trap house is the same design so I could pattern it there without disturbing momy... Like I said, my bluebirds have me wrapped around their pinky toes..

Just make sure you don't have any stickey parts of the tape showing where they could get stuck in it. I'm sure you already know this but Im also one of those crazy people trying to do the best we can for them! LOL

how long do I wait to let them get in there? She's already incubating.. it's warm here, like 75 degrees. Both male and female attempted to get in and didn't.. maybe move it out a bit, give them more room to fly in?

How far away from the hole is the cardboard, it needs to be at least 2 1/2 inches, you need to take a ruler out to make sure you have it at that distance. You could move it out a bit further if they are still having problems though.

Donna

Thanks, no sticky tape and it had 2 1/2" out from the hole. I moved it out and they still couldn't navigate it..

SHOULD I TRY AGAIN? Should everyone do this??

I am not an experienced Bluebirder like some here, but according to the sialis website, you need to remove the wren guard. Here is a quote from the wren page.
"DO NOT PUT A WREN GUARD UP AFTER EGG LAYING IS OVER unless you VERIFY that the parents will enter the box, especially with other species like Tree Swallows! If the parents refuse to go inside to incubate, brood or feed, the eggs or babies WILL ALL DIE! " I don't know where you are located, but if you're not in the south, wren shouldn't even be a problem with the first brood. Read the whole wren page on the sialis site and I think it should help.

Bumped up for koke and her wren in the bluebird box.

Donna