Birds nest?Do you get rid of them?

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TequilaMist

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Just as title really.
Couple of swallows have nested right above door enterance to mares stable.Don't bother anyone other than poo on horses head/body and pile of bird poo just inside stable door.
TBH they were there last year and reared 6 chicks(2 seperate lots) and didn't have the heart to get rid of nest afterwards.
On a plus side they wizzed around barn eating midges/flies
 
make a soup
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We have swallows in our stable area, its lovely to see the little chicks, is it upsetting your horse if not why move it
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Nah not upsetting horse.TBH doesn't upset me either just have to sweep up the little poos left and rugs etc wash.
I find them cute at feeding times,remind me of those kids toys when you pressed button and a mouth would open and a note came out as young sort of perched on edge of nest next to each other opening and shutting mouths.
Others in barn may not be as forgiving of their poos tho.
Just wondered if there was a reason I should get rid of nest
 
Please don't. They've flown all the way from Africa to raise their brood with you!

Used to have them in my first pony's stable and they would poo all over his back. But I felt privileged to have them there - evern if he didn't.
 
We have swallows, house martins and sparrows all nesting in our stables. To be honest I like them around and apart from the piles of poo beneath the nests they aren't a problem. All of our horses are out 24/7 anyway and only come in to be tacked up etc so I don't think a lot of people notice.
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We have them too and no you should just leave them alone. Farmers aren't allowed to cut their hedges this time of year either because of the nesting birds. Fine the poo is a bit of a nuisance but it washes off.
 
Oh will def leave them then
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Actually thats good to know so if someone moans(and they have)will just tell them that.
As said they don't bother me was just beginning to think I may too slobbish about it.Mate has OCD about cleaning so sometimes wonder if I go too much the other way!!
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You are not allowed to move a swallows nest while birds are using it.
 
Please don't move the nest
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In the past we have nailed a small board under the nest to make a shelf for the poo
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- would that work in this nest location?
 
Agreed! Please don't move the nest
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We have swallows that come back every year. I love to see them as although "one swallow does not a sumer make"
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It means that summer is on it's way.

The babies are lovely,and very cute,and mum and dad work so hard to feed them, constantly in and out!!!
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When I stop for a cuppa they make me feel guilty as they are always on the go!!!!
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Watch your buckets in the stable though! I had one baby fall in!!!
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I had one in my stable last year and my rugs got totally splattered in bird poo, so after they had all flown I took it down. I feel really mean now - didn't know they came back to the same nest and certainly didn't know it was illegal.
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We get them every year and they have come back a few weeks ago one of the stables has 3 nest's.It was funny last year as the baby birds used my young horses back to land on when they where learing to fly.( i was quite suprised and this horse is usually the one who gets into all sorts of trouble. He has not attempted to destroy the nest or not worried about them on his back). We also have a robin's nesting in one of the other nests and a blackbird in the haybarn.
 
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I had one in my stable last year and my rugs got totally splattered in bird poo, so after they had all flown I took it down. I feel really mean now - didn't know they came back to the same nest and certainly didn't know it was illegal.
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That's not a problem - it is only illegal to disturb nesting birds before the young have fledged. It is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1891 as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 to intentionally or recklessly disturb any nesting bird - and for the purposes of the act a 'nest' counts as a single twig placed by the birds as part of the nest building process. Once the young have fledged you can do away with the nests - but do be very certain that they are not raising a second brood. There is a maximum penalty of £5000 and/or six months in jail - for other protected species they can work on a 'per animal' basis so I would hazard a guess it could be on a per bird/egg basis in this case.

If you'd rather they nested elsewhere, you can buy specialist swallow/housemartin/swift nest boxes which if you fix up on the roof then make the area they nest unusable, there is a good chance they will use them instead. I've certainly taken down an old light fitting in my stable before now to encourage them elsewhere!
 
QR It's against the law to disturb before they have left the nest.


I've been hit on the head by a swallow flying out of a stable before now - I felt a thump and saw blue!
They used to nest in the stable I kept my GSD in because that was the only shed in our yard where the cats wouldn't dare go.
 
I have a swallow's nest in my tea room, I love watching the parents swooping in to feed the young.... I love the way they feed each chick in turn!
 
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