M. Amsler—Breeding Results at Delmonden Manor 41


every direction before receiving their full liberty, whereas with the

usual run-out they have no idea what the world is like at the back of

the coop and may quite easily lose themselves if they have a sudden

fright when first liberated. The chicks are of course shut in with the

hen each evening and let out as early as possible in the morning when

they get their first feed—then is also the time to count them in order

to check any possible losses.


It would be imagined that the broods are quite safe when shut in

at night, but this summer I lost two Elliot’s out of four during the

night, the culprit being a weasel which had found its way into the coop

through a mole run which happened to run that way.


A dead Sparrow, well plastered with poison, was pushed down the

run and as it had disappeared on the following day I can only presume

that that weasel had gone where all bad weasels should go.


Sparrow Hawks, of course, are a danger and also the Kestrel, which

so many people tell us feeds entirely on mice, moles, and beetles.


A Pheasant breeder of very great experience tells me that a Sparrow

Hawk will come regularly morning and evening, taking a poult each

time until the whole brood is exterminated, but that a Kestrel will

return every forty to sixty minutes providing the chicks are small

enough to be carried away, and I can personally vouch for the statement

that this pretty little Hawk does take Pheasants quite readily.


Not everyone knows that any Hawk can be kept away quite easily

providing the breeding ground is not too large. The procedure is much

like that employed to keep Sparrows off lawn seed, but in this case

one uses black thread instead of cotton, and this is stretched across

the ground at intervals well above one’s head ; if any Hawk touches

one of these threads he will never return.


I am at the moment wiring in about an acre of grassland which

will be cat, stoat, and rat proof, and I hope by means of these threads

to make it also safe from anything which the heavens may send us, for

I have no doubt that Owls, Kooks, and Crows would be equally well

discouraged. I trust that the above notes will only be taken as advice

to other beginners like myself, and I have little doubt that they will

cause a supercilious smile in some of the many experienced breeders

who are members of our Society. My excuse must be that I so well



