I think if she is already building a new nest I would leave the old nest be. How deep is the nestbox from the hole to the floor? Hopefully the new nest doesn't get too close to that hole. Also make sure your pole is baffled to keep away climbing predators.

It's been a while, but here is an update! Wrens did appear the day our chickadee nest was emptied, so we are guessing they were responsible. The mother chickadee spent one more night on her empty nest before abandoning it. We ended up putting duct tape over the hole so the wrens couldn't use it and boy did that make them mad! I've learned that we may have played a role in the chickadees demise. Three years ago chickadees nested in our yard, but the next year wrens did. We kept removing the sticks, but they promptly replaced them. The wrens are hard workers, I'll give them that. Finally we left the wrens alone and they completed a nest, etc. From what I've read, once you let wrens nest in your yard, they become very territorial of it and it is almost impossible for chickadees to have a successful nest there. Last year we put up two very low bluebird boxes and the wrens built dummy nests in them. Also we had put a few wood chips in our nest box. I think the reason chickadees like a box with wood chips is that it mimics an old woodpecker's nest. If woodpeckers successfully nested in a spot, there is probably a higher chance it will be successful for chickadees. So maybe we gave them a false sense of security. Well, we live and learn. Every once in a while now I will be outside and I'll hear two chickadees calling and they will fly close to me and flit all around and it makes me really happy. We now have flickers nesting in an old woodpecker hole in our birch tree. Starlings recently fledged from that hole, and there have been a few brawls, but I've got my fingers crossed. A few times I have gone out and banged pans to frighten the starlings away and it seems to work! Good luck with your nest boxes Donna! Thanks for the pep talk, it was nice to talk with someone who could relate! Annie

Usually I do have HOSPS and HOWRS in my yard. I closed up the bluebird house, since I could only trap so many HOSPS before it became too much. I have not seen or heard any HOWR this year, but they could still be around. I saw the chick leave yesterday afteroon, and I peeked inside. Now there were 2 eggs (instead of 1), covered with down. The other old egg was still jammed between the wall and nest. I've read info that says they usually don't renest in the same place after predator attack. But it's either them or another pair nesting in the old nest. Should I remove that old egg on the side? This is exciting and mysterious at the same time.

Often during nestchecks, momma dee will be on the eggs/hatchlings. When ours hatched I could see them under the momma but every time I checked to see if all hatched she would be in there. That is very common for Dees to stay on the nest during nestchecks. You wouln't have done any harm. Incubation is typically about 12-13 days for Dees and fledging about 16+ days after that. If you know when they hatch then you know when you can expect fledging. You don't want to check the box after day 10/11 from hatching to prevent premature fledging. Donna