The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Fruit => Topic started by: Anke on September 03, 2014, 10:01:25 am
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They have worked out that they can "harvest" my not-quite-ripe apples for me, and then peck them on the ground. In the process they have broken quite a few branches on the newer trees, and I am livid! Not only do I now have to take off almost all apples(and yes not ripe yet), but they have also destroyed the framework of a couple of trees by breaking off main branches.... and it's the same family of 5 that lives in next-door's (unused)chimney and has been trying to build in our chimney too...
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Are you sure they're not Jackdaws Anke? Nesting in a chimney sounds far more Jackdawish than Crowish, as does remaining in a family group. Keep a secure mesh over your chimneys - when they do build in a chimney they use a vast amount of twigs etc to build the level up.
I feel for you with losing your apples :apple: and the damage to your young trees :tree: :rant: With us it's blackbirds pecking the holes, and one particular ancient sheep breaking the branches >:(
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No they are black all over... but maybe there is a lot of ash in that chimney.... so they are in disguise?
This family has pestered us all year - stealing chicken food, just marching round the garden, and unfortunately neighbours either side still have bird food out all year -incl bread (as I find bits dropped into our field)...
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My crows seem to have disappeared having devastated various things earlier in the year but something has done the same to my baby apple trees. Spend hours getting the formative pruning just right and some have been completely devastated (including one on which the leader has broken off above the first branch. grrrr). I wondered whether it was the turkeys because they've developed a love of apples but some of them are in areas they don't venture into (they don't dare cross into goose territory). Same - I've stripped off all the apples and most of the pears. Really annoying.