Bog Myrtle & Peat

Despite miserable wind and rain over the past few days, spring has formally arrived. I saw four swallows on Monday for the first time, and have seen others every day since. The partridges are getting into a rhythm of laying, although one pair still hasn’t started yet. We’re up to ten eggs so far, and I collect more every evening.

Given that the partridges started laying before I was ready for them, I have had to speed up my construction plans so that I can be ready with a broody hen as soon as possible. The broodie box which I have been tinkering away with since December has had to take shape quite suddenly over the past twenty four hours. My joinery skills are pretty weak at the best of times, so while the finished box looks the part, it is pretty ropey. A good example is the door in the centre which is an inch and three quarters narrower than the doors on either side because I totally failed to factor in some simple measurements which a six year old could have managed.

At least it’s waterproof. Rather than try and waterproof timber with felt or feed bags, I bought a sheet of plastic “stokboard” made by a local company from recycled silage bags. The “stokboard” is quite easy to work with, and it has the advantage of tying the whole frame together under a firm waterproof canopy.

I now have another broodie box to make, as well as an entire range of coops, runs and pen sections to make – quite a daunting prospect, but comforting to think that (all being well) I won’t have to make them all over again next year.