In article 3ed7d621$0$13010$afc38c87@vipnews, Christina Websell
writes

David Hartley wrote in message
. ..
In article , Oz
writes
However, there's another trough on the other side of the
barn which is equally dangerous but I can't cover as it's used by the
cattle in the adjacent field. Has anyone any suggestions on how to make
it safe for owls?

Make some steps in the trough at one end, using housebricks.

I haven't seen a live one in water, but I suspect a fledgling owl can't
swim at all, and so would be unlikely to find an exit ramp unless it
happened to land right by it. Still, I'll try something like this unless
I can think of something better.


--
David Hartley

"David Hartley" wrote
However, there's another trough on the other side of the
barn which is equally dangerous but I can't cover as it's used by the
cattle in the adjacent field. Has anyone any suggestions on how to make
it safe for owls?

Make some steps in the trough at one end, using housebricks.

I haven't seen a live one in water, but I suspect a fledgling owl can't
swim at all, and so would be unlikely to find an exit ramp unless it
happened to land right by it. Still, I'll try something like this unless
I can think of something better.
how about fitting a mesh to the bath about 4 inches below the surface
- the stock can drink
but the owls could walk off
yes they would be wet
but htey have a fighting chance
Well made and well fitted it would be a lift out and push in fit

--
Jill Bowis

http://www.poultryscotland.co.uk http://www.henhouses.co.uk
http://www.domesticducks.co.uk http://www.poultry-books.co.uk
http://www.kintaline.co.uk/cottage


--
David Hartley

Not disagreeing with the comments made, but you have to admit that this is a
really impressive subject title.
In years to come, someones google search will be much enlivened by it
Jim Webster

Jill writes

how about fitting a mesh to the bath about 4 inches below the surface
- the stock can drink

200 cows drinking will drop a 2000h trough by 18" in pretty short order.

but the owls could walk off
yes they would be wet
but htey have a fighting chance

They would survive no bother.
Just a birdbath.

--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.
Note: soon (maybe already) only posts via despammed.com will be accepted.

In article , Jill
writes
how about fitting a mesh to the bath about 4 inches below the surface
- the stock can drink
but the owls could walk off
yes they would be wet
but htey have a fighting chance
Well made and well fitted it would be a lift out and push in fit

The water pressure isn't high enough for this. The cattle nearly empty
the tank at times. However what should work would be a mesh fitted with
floats so that it's always a couple of inches below the surface.

--
David Hartley

David Hartley wrote in message
...
In article 3ed7d621$0$13010$afc38c87@vipnews, Christina Websell
writes

David Hartley wrote in message
. ..
In article , Oz
writes
However, there's another trough on the other side of the
barn which is equally dangerous but I can't cover as it's used by the
cattle in the adjacent field. Has anyone any suggestions on how to make
it safe for owls?

Make some steps in the trough at one end, using housebricks.

I haven't seen a live one in water, but I suspect a fledgling owl can't
swim at all, and so would be unlikely to find an exit ramp unless it
happened to land right by it. Still, I'll try something like this unless
I can think of something better.


I think you will find that if a fledgling falls into deep water, it will not
sink straight down and drown immediately, it will flounder about. In a
small area such as a trough, it is almost certain to find the ramp and
scramble out. I have various troughs and drinkers about my place too, and
had unfortunately had some baby bird fatalities until I put ramps in such as
these. I have not had any drownings since.
I hope it works for you. Btw, if you do have a better idea, please share
it!

Tina

David Hartley writes

The water pressure isn't high enough for this. The cattle nearly empty the tank
at times. However what should work would be a mesh fitted with floats so that
it's always a couple of inches below the surface.

We put some old pallets to float in the trough. The bird should be able
to get onto them.

Thinx: probably time we put some more in. I expect the old ones have
become waterlogged and sunk.

--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.
Note: soon (maybe already) only posts via despammed.com will be accepted.

"Oz" wrote in message
...
David Hartley writes

The water pressure isn't high enough for this. The cattle nearly empty
the tank
at times. However what should work would be a mesh fitted with floats so
that
it's always a couple of inches below the surface.

We put some old pallets to float in the trough. The bird should be able
to get onto them.

Thinx: probably time we put some more in. I expect the old ones have
become waterlogged and sunk.


And all the preservatives will have leached out, too :-)

"Christina Websell" wrote in message
news:3eda82d3$0$13728$afc38c87@vipnews...

David Hartley wrote in message
...
In article 3ed7d621$0$13010$afc38c87@vipnews, Christina Websell
writes

David Hartley wrote in message
. ..
In article , Oz
writes
However, there's another trough on the other side of the
barn which is equally dangerous but I can't cover as it's used by
the
cattle in the adjacent field. Has anyone any suggestions on how to
make
it safe for owls?

Make some steps in the trough at one end, using housebricks.

I haven't seen a live one in water, but I suspect a fledgling owl can't
swim at all, and so would be unlikely to find an exit ramp unless it
happened to land right by it. Still, I'll try something like this
unless
I can think of something better.


I think you will find that if a fledgling falls into deep water, it will
not
sink straight down and drown immediately, it will flounder about. In a
small area such as a trough, it is almost certain to find the ramp and
scramble out. I have various troughs and drinkers about my place too, and
had unfortunately had some baby bird fatalities until I put ramps in such
as
these. I have not had any drownings since.
I hope it works for you. Btw, if you do have a better idea, please share
it!


Has anyone found a fledgling drowned in a trough? I thought the reason
owls die in troughs and other very still water is that the attack their
reflection. Indeed one died here (an adult tawny) over the weekend
apparently after a collision with a window - probably for the same reason.

Michael Saunby

BAC writes
"Oz" wrote in message

Thinx: probably time we put some more in. I expect the old ones have
become waterlogged and sunk.


And all the preservatives will have leached out, too :-)

Judging by the rate of rot, I doubt these pallets ever saw preservative
in their lives.

--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.
Note: soon (maybe already) only posts via despammed.com will be accepted.

Michael Saunby writes

Has anyone found a fledgling drowned in a trough?

Please keep up.

One here, one next door farm.

--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.
Note: soon (maybe already) only posts via despammed.com will be accepted.

"Oz" wrote in message
...
BAC writes
"Oz" wrote in message

Thinx: probably time we put some more in. I expect the old ones have
become waterlogged and sunk.


And all the preservatives will have leached out, too :-)

Judging by the rate of rot, I doubt these pallets ever saw preservative
in their lives.


my suspicion is that the vast majority don't. If you ever need to use pallet
timber for anything other than burning, soak in creasote first

Jim Webster

--
Oz
This post is worth absolutely nothing and is probably fallacious.
Note: soon (maybe already) only posts via despammed.com will be accepted.

In article , Michael Saunby
writes
Has anyone found a fledgling drowned in a trough? I thought the reason
owls die in troughs and other very still water is that the attack their
reflection. Indeed one died here (an adult tawny) over the weekend
apparently after a collision with a window - probably for the same
reason.

Two little owls last year. The trough was in the yard and had not been
used since the cattle went out so the water was pretty green. They
wouldn't have been able to see a reflection, more likely they thought it
was solid.
--
David Hartley

In article , Oz
wrote:
Jill writes

how about fitting a mesh to the bath about 4 inches below the surface
- the stock can drink

200 cows drinking will drop a 2000h trough by 18" in pretty short order.

How about a floating semi-rigid mesh. Stock push it down to drink and it
bobs up afterwards?

It would only need to support a couple of ounces.

Cheerio,

--


http://www.farm-direct.co.uk/