Keeping scrub hens out of the garden

As you know a while back I decided to remove the remaining grass and create a new garden bed and path.  I didnt want it to stand out as separate , but the path was to provide access, so I mulched it the same as the garden bed.  Right now it is spring and the scrub hens are looking for places to lay their eggs.  They dont sit on their eggs - they gather together a huge pile of leaves and then the eggs are laid in the warm composting mulch.  Somehow a silly scrub hen thinks she can gather together enough loose mulch in my garden to build her nest.  I hung a very colourful kite above this area to warn her away.
Once this lavender takes off and forms a little hedge and the hippeastrum behind put out their georgous flowers, there will be a defined edge to this new path.


 Update:  Hubby found her digging right underneath the kite!  I think once they get used to something it becomes part of the garden as it did seem to be working for a  while.

Comments

  1. RoslynMon Sep 29, 09:34:00 AM

    I'm not sure if there's anything that will scare them off if they're determined. Missy chases them and barks and they just wander off and come straight back - but then she's not a very scary dog. Luckily they find plenty of leaves in our rainforest area so leave the vegie patch alone - so far.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieWed Oct 01, 12:53:00 PM

      Missy, she has discovered the neighbours compost heap so seems to have settled there for now.

      Delete
  2. JoyfulMon Sep 29, 10:27:00 AM

    I like what you've done with this patch of garden. It will be interesting to see it once the lavender gets big.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieWed Oct 01, 12:54:00 PM

      Joyful,
      Yes right now you cant even see the tiny plants, but I will be planting more. I am never sure how lavender will do in this climate.

      Delete
  3. MLM247Mon Sep 29, 11:40:00 AM

    Good luck with the scrub fowl.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AlisonTue Sep 30, 01:12:00 AM

    I can understand your frustration with trying to scare off the wildlife. I have raccoons here, and I've finally come to the conclusion that I'm just going to have to live with them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieWed Oct 01, 12:56:00 PM

      Alison,
      I didnt like what the racoons did to your lovely cushions in your lounging area. If they behaved themselves it would be ok to share.....

      Delete
  5. AnonymousTue Sep 30, 08:15:00 AM

    Fingers crossed it works!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. africanaussieWed Oct 01, 12:56:00 PM

      Frog, I think our persistence might be paying off, or else the neighbours yard looks more enticing for now.

      Delete
  6. AnonymousWed Oct 01, 08:52:00 AM

    I hope your scrub hen doesn't like the decoration you provided her :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. e / dig in hobartMon Oct 06, 12:25:00 PM

    wonderful! scrub hens are (thankfully) somethign i do not have to contend with in my suburban Hobart garden.
    however i agree with you on that 'once they get used to something' mentality. the blackbirds are so used to me in my garden that we work side by side. actually, i'm sure they think it is their garden :-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. VirginiaCFri Oct 31, 10:56:00 PM

    The bird on the kite probably looked like a distant cousin, so she was quite happy to stick around.

    ReplyDelete

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