Swallows….

WannabeMum

WannabeMum

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Here’s a weird one…

My thoroughbred was perfectly happy and then in March/April suddenly started what we thought was head shaking. Lots of snorting, chucking his head round, nose dunking in his water and generally feeling very sorry for himself. It was heart breaking to watch.

We did ALL the vet checks. Nothing wrong physically.

I decided to move yards as it was felt it was environmental. He stopped almost straight away and he went back to himself after just 6 days! Complete reversal.

2 months later and he’s suddenly started again!! I’m devastated:-((

Here’s the thing. I think it’s swallow related. Hear me out. There were none at his yard. In fact next to no birds - three big yard cats. I needed him on part livery so moved him. This time loads of swallows. In the barn, in the courtyard stables. We moved him around and no change.

So we moved again. This time no nests in his stable or outside. They are there, but not in his. Suddenly I spotted one the other day in his stable. Now other people have spotted them in there and he’s back to snorting, dunking and tossing his head around. Doesn’t do it in the field - never has done.

Does anyone else have a horse that’s super sensitive to swallows, or is it just me?? I’m going to put up some deterrent tape and spinning discs in the hope it keeps them out and he goes back to being himself!
 
WannabeMum said:
Does anyone else have a horse that’s super sensitive to swallows, or is it just me?? I’m going to put up some deterrent tape and spinning discs in the hope it keeps them out and he goes back to being himself!
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I have had endless swallows that have lived with endless horses for about the past 40 years and never had a problem.
However if a swallow is flying in or through your stable it is probably going to service a nest of young. That means if you put discs, tape or anything else to keep them out you are basically condemning those young birds to die as they won't get fed. It you put tape then the adults doing the feeding may well get tangled up in it and hang there basically until they die. The chicks will also of course die from lack of food.

Within the next couple of weeks the young in the nest will be flying and very possibly soon after will have left. Swallows are migrating early this year, it seems Autumn is going to be early.
 
As Paddy555 said, the parent swallows will have a nest in the stable and will be looking after their young. They are amazing parents and will dive bomb cats to protect their young.
If you stand round the corner as they swoop in and out of the stable you should be able to hear the young chirping to be fed, it’s a beautiful noise.
I left my two horses out all night when the nest wall gave way and two fell out so the horses wouldn’t accidentally stand on one if it fell again. (I returned the chicks to the nest and the parents continued to feed them and they fledged successfully).
I’m nearly 60 and scared of heights but I was determined to give those delightful birds a chance. So I grabbed the ladder and put my brave pants on and climbed up to the nest, chick in hand.

Please don’t do anything to harm them they will be gone soon away to Africa ❤️ here they are in their nest ❤️
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If you can't deter the swallows, would some kind of fly mask/goggles/visor help your poor horse?

The other thing is it could be the noise they make - either the highpitched chirps or the whirring of the wings- maybe earplugs would give him some relief? Anything would be worth a try if he is so distressed.

Once any nestlings have fledged, I would definitely be trying some netting/tape etc to try to persude them to nest elsewhere next time.
 
Cragrat said:
If you can't deter the swallows, would some kind of fly mask/goggles/visor help your poor horse?

The other thing is it could be the noise they make - either the highpitched chirps or the whirring of the wings- maybe earplugs would give him some relief? Anything would be worth a try if he is so distressed.

Once any nestlings have fledged, I would definitely be trying some netting/tape etc to try to persude them to nest elsewhere next time.
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One thing, netting….Two years ago I put netting over my gooseberry bush…went to check fruit a few days later and was horrified to find two dead blue tits who had become caught up in netting….all netting went straight onto the bonfire…
I would rather have less gooseberries than less birds…
 
It could be the swallows/birds that are up setting him, either the noise or swooping in and out of the stable.

It may be worth talking to the vet about an eysight check (if not already done) incase he cant see them clearly and its the sensation of motion he can't see thats worrying him.

As others have said they'll be migrating soon so could he live out till they leave? And then try to deter them from returning to his stable next year.
 
My two nests of swallows in my stable have just fledged their second batch and have left for far off lands. There is one nest in the next stable that seems like they will be ready to leave in a day or two.
28 chicks altogether from 2 sets in each nest.
Goodbye. I'll miss you, but I won't miss the poo bombs on the pony.
 
Gloi said:
My two nests of swallows in my stable have just fledged their second batch and have left for far off lands. There is one nest in the next stable that seems like they will be ready to leave in a day or two.
28 chicks altogether from 2 sets in each nest.
Goodbye. I'll miss you, but I won't miss the poo bombs on the pony.
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That’s a good haul of magical swallows 🤩 I Agee about the poo bombs 🤣
 
Plattersby said:
PS if you find a fallen baby swallow and want to help it, look on facebook for local rehab groups, much more productive than trying the rspca or rspb in my humble experience.
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I tried and I did struggle to find anywhere. In the end I finally found someone at swift rescue who gave me some info as to what to do and what to feed them.. She couldn't take them but had the number of someone who took in swallows. Lovely I thought, just a car ride away. Swallow lady was struggling with numbers so I had weekly instruction on the phone and learnt baby swallow rearing.
It was when I was told I had to buy an animal tent I started to struggle. I had never heard of one. You keep small pets in it in the house.
Thanks to Amaon my education increased. Then they had to learn to fly. . So we had the most fabulous week of playing at flying school. The cutting the heads , legs and wings off their dinners was not such fun.



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paddy555 said:
I tried and I did struggle to find anywhere. In the end I finally found someone at swift rescue who gave me some info as to what to do and what to feed them.. She couldn't take them but had the number of someone who took in swallows. Lovely I thought, just a car ride away. Swallow lady was struggling with numbers so I had weekly instruction on the phone and learnt baby swallow rearing.
It was when I was told I had to buy an animal tent I started to struggle. I had never heard of one. You keep small pets in it in the house.
Thanks to Amaon my education increased. Then they had to learn to fly. . So we had the most fabulous week of playing at flying school. The cutting the heads , legs and wings off their dinners was not such fun.



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A true labour of love 🥰 and what a great adventure 🤩 apart from the dietary obligations 🤮 well done 🤩
 
paddy555 said:
I tried and I did struggle to find anywhere. In the end I finally found someone at swift rescue who gave me some info as to what to do and what to feed them.. She couldn't take them but had the number of someone who took in swallows. Lovely I thought, just a car ride away. Swallow lady was struggling with numbers so I had weekly instruction on the phone and learnt baby swallow rearing.
It was when I was told I had to buy an animal tent I started to struggle. I had never heard of one. You keep small pets in it in the house.
Thanks to Amaon my education increased. Then they had to learn to fly. . So we had the most fabulous week of playing at flying school. The cutting the heads , legs and wings off their dinners was not such fun.



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You are to be congratulated Paddy, and just think of them flying to Africa, and then next year saying to themselves, off we go to our lovely adopted mum..,,
 
Marshpiper said:
You are to be congratulated Paddy, and just think of them flying to Africa, and then next year saying to themselves, off we go to our lovely adopted mum..,,
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we send a lot of young swallows back from here each year well over 100 and a fair few do come back. However these youngsters hated me. I learnt a lot about swallow behaviour and both the hand reared ones and swallow reared ones are the same.. They are sweet goofy babies and for 2 weeks and 5 days they totally adored me. We have about 15 nests in a small indoor stable area so that lot all know me very well. With the hand reared ones I was wondering how to separate the idea they were my pets with the fact they were wild birds especially in their eyes. Didn't have to. 2 weeks and 4 days they were stuffing themselves silly and I was "mum" very much loved. Day 5 their attitude totally changed overnight. It was now we don't want feeding, don't like you, we are wild birds and shouldn't be kept in a pen. Waved them bye bye.
The nest reared ones when they start flying are the same. I meet them face to face sitting on anything in the tack room/feed area. (usually pooing I have to say) day 2 of flying they are sitting in a row chattering away to me and day 3 I am completely dismissed and they are wild birds.

Totally fascinating insight into their behaviour.
 
paddy555 said:
I tried and I did struggle to find anywhere. In the end I finally found someone at swift rescue who gave me some info as to what to do and what to feed them.. She couldn't take them but had the number of someone who took in swallows. Lovely I thought, just a car ride away. Swallow lady was struggling with numbers so I had weekly instruction on the phone and learnt baby swallow rearing.
It was when I was told I had to buy an animal tent I started to struggle. I had never heard of one. You keep small pets in it in the house.
Thanks to Amaon my education increased. Then they had to learn to fly. . So we had the most fabulous week of playing at flying school. The cutting the heads , legs and wings off their dinners was not such fun.



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You’re a rehabber now 😻
 
Bird nests are protected by law and must be left alone https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wild-birds-protection-surveys-and-licences. You can deter them from nesting (please don't use anything they could get caught up in) but once they start building a nest you need a licence to do anything.
All biodiversity is declining so everything needs our help right now. Known it's a pain but even one brood might make the difference
 
:(Went to the yard this evening and was thinking it was a bit quiet. The last two chicks had died. They were pretty perky yesterday, but the parents aren't the most diligent and I think they might not have been feeding them enough. They abandoned last years second batch too.:(

The other pair, who are very good parents, have successfully raised nine.
 
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