nature notes

I don’t think that living in a covered run is necessarily a bad thing for chickens, if it’s large enough in relation to numbers. A roof keeps them dry and the bedding clean, no mud problems. The sides can be partially covered with clear Monotex tarp, which lets through light and protects the birds from rain blowing in from the sides and from the wind that they hate, whilst leaving half of the sides uncovered ensures full ventilation. If the run has some long perches at various heights, with views out over a garden, the chickens will fly up to them and may even choose to roost high up under the roof, as if in a tree, as mine do instead of being shut in a coop. They are safe from predators 24 hours a day and night, and also from diseases brought in by wild birds. Yes, I do have to provide green food every day for them, but this is much better than most commercial hens get, who have to live on pellets alone. Having the run of a lovely big meadow would obviously be what we all dream about for our chickens, but if you just have a suburban garden and enjoy looking after it, it’s going to cause conflict if the hens are let out to trash the flower beds and scratch stones on to the lawn to be splintered by the mower. And when we go on holiday it’s easy to leave them in the care of a local teenager, as potential problems are very few compared with hens that need letting out in the morning, shutting up at night, and are at more risk being outside. Finally, of course, they are safer from bird flu, and any new restrictions don’t change or upset their normal way of living.
 
I found that a monotex tarp full of rainwater nearly collapsed my run in balmy Kent. I suspect that covering your chicken run in the exposed environments of the Scottish Islands is a whole different kettle of fish!
 
You do need a rigid roof, mine is made of clear corrugated plastic. Yes, before we fitted this, I too found out the hard way that tarps are are very good at collecting rainwater! Now I just use clear tarps to shield the sides of the run from prevailing winds. It’s fixed to the mesh outside every few ins with cable ties, so the winds blow it flat against the mesh.
 
When we moved in, a hen house and run were in situ, with it covered in badly sagging tarp. We replaced that with a rigid roof pronto. Then added an adjoining run and coop with a door between for new additions. So come lockdowns ours have had two nice runs to roam in with tarp at the exposed side, and they love jumping on top of the perches, the small hen house roof to watch the world go by, and snigger at the human getting wet coming down to give them greens. If the weather is truly awful, they can always cosy up in the big walk in coop, totally sheltered. Especially when the beast from the east struck.
Storm Eunice meant a lot of sitting watching what was blowing about, they were totally unfazed by it all.
 
Our house sits square to the compass points, so the front garden where the Eglu is has the house at the south to protect it from the prevailing SW winds and the other three sides have quite dense flowering shrubs backed by solid walls. The girls love these because they can always find shelter regardless of the wind direction (or they can just go in the Eglu).
 
It's that time of year.
First Osprey back at nest yesterday, Laddie of Loch of the Lowes.

We had Blackcaps singing in the garden this morning and along the lane. Lot's of Chiffchaff also
 
More Blackcap and Chiffchaffs today. Blackbirds turning up the volume as well. Looking forward to the first Willow Warbler. Seen Sand Martins as well

Maya, the Rutland Osprey returned today, also clocking in was one of her children.
 
Been seeing quite a bit of Kingfisher activity around the lake, and now they have dug a burrow in the bank, just pray we don't get a horrendous downpour which floods the chamber, as it is not that high up. We are looking forward to watching all the activity
 
bigyetiman said:
Been seeing quite a bit of Kingfisher activity around the lake, and now they have dug a burrow in the bank, just pray we don't get a horrendous downpour which floods the chamber, as it is not that high up. We are looking forward to watching all the activity
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That’s colour for you. Still locked in winter here. A few stonechats were seen on the big island two days ago but that’s about it.
 
Kingfishers are so special aren't they, life affirming.

I watched a cloud of siskin the other day congregate on a tree, that felt special too, I've not noticed them for a while. There is loads of birdsong everywhere too.
 
Had a flock of about 117 Siskin in local woods yesterday, a build up of local wintering birds feeding up before heading north, they are lovely as they feed and chatter. 3 Lesser spotted Woodpecker as well.
The Muscovy duck has set himself up as some sort of Kingfisher guardian, and patrols near them. Mind you they have a Canada Goose nest next door on the bank. Hope Kingfisher's don't mind noisy neighbour's

OH is dancing around with delight as Mrs G (osprey) has returned yet again to Glaslyn today, her 19th year I believe
 
Just spent ages typing on my phone about the Marsh harrier & red kite that I saw here yesterday & my message disappeared. The bug is back :-((
 
A Moorhen has found an innovative place to nest, on the bridge to the island, next to the feed bin, in her defence she won't get flooded out up there, but she will have to put up with Indy the Muscovy duck walking past at night, he decided long ago why swim across to the island at night when a human will open the gate at either end of bridge and let you pass that way.

She laid a fifth egg in the night, so far she stands on the bridge and just hops off when you approach and hops back when you go
 

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She could do with a little screen and a mini umbrella.

Probably no worse than a windy reed bed, especially as the reeds aren't re growing yet. Fingers crossed for her
 
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