Bodilly Mill.

The Bodilly Mill Guineas

Recycling

When you keep any kind of free roaming birds it is always difficult to keep a balance of how to allow them to do there thing without impinging in a bad way upon your neighbours. I am lucky my neighbours know that the large number of Pheasant, Partridges and wild birds doing well in the valley are down in part to the management we apply to our shoot and the amount of predator control and additional feeding we do.

Before you worry we do not shoot the guineas!

Green plastic kerosene /domestic oil tank recycling...... Important Advice------THINK BEFORE YOU CUT

Over the last few years through conversations with other bird rearer's and people who have wood burners and open fires, I hit upon the idea of re-using the large green plastic kerosene oil tanks for different purposes. With this in mind I have some recycling tips to all shoots and all folks our there that like a freebie. These tanks are normally green so blend in well with the country side and the odd over grown corner of your garden.

Converting an 'Unbunded dumpy low level oil tank' into wild bird feeding station and shelter(about 1800 litres).

These are being replaced by everyone who is doing official work on their homes in the U.K. that affects the domestic oil supply. Simply because new regulations state that all kerosene oil tanks must be 'bunded' (double skinned) as part of the building regulations. What you do, is chop the bottom off at about 18-20 inches, Clean out the inside with zwarfega or any proprietry hand cleaner and bonfire the tissues. Then cut doors into the four sides. Leaving a sill across what will become the bottom to add strength to the opening.

Use the remaining top side of the tank as a bird shelter cutting doors in the same way (see above). Anyone that knows what prolonged exposure to the weather does to feathers will agree that birds need good shelter. .Getting the idea? More importantly, most oil firms charge a recycling fee to take the old tank away to the customer of about £25. What if you offered to take and recycle it for less? Oh yes a bit of money in the shoot/ wild bird food pot!

This tip will also be of great interest to shoots......and shooting syndicates up and down the country.

The round drum tall tanks about the same size. Convert the top and bottom in the same way as the dumpy tanks cutting at about 18-20 inches but make sure you leave a good sized sill of about 2 inches when you cut the doors. With round tanks I cut 5-6 arched doors around the sides. This is because you may wish to drill a 50cm hole centrally in the base or top and then sit a full 50kg corn drum with a spring feeder on it and through it. Not only do the game birds now have a shelter but they also have a feeder as well. Before you ask arched door cuttings are stronger than square.

Use the remaining central cut ring of plastic tank for a floor standing garden or shed brooder pen for Partridge or Pheasant raising (its round so there's no corners to allow bird cramping up and loss due to suffocation) those that suffer the Pheasant mortality rate due to cramping will know what I mean..

A good tip for the very large industrial size tanks for people who need to store wood logs or other items in the dry. 2500lt plus round tanks are good for this. Cut a door in the side, add a couple of hinges and place a rubber or plastic sill around the door to act as a rain seal or place on the inside round the inner part of the door hole add a locking mechanism to enable the door to shut. I use mine alongside my own oil tank it just looks like I have two but one is a wood store.

If a really big square tank.......do the same and turn into a garden tool shed or garden lawnmower store...grow plants clematis etc, up it to hide it. does the same thing as a £200 tool store you might buy from a retailer.

A good tip for pig/sheep owners. A large Dumpy tank makes a great Pig/ sheep open ended shelter if you clean it and steam clean it thoroughly. Also save £100 here and get some money in you pocket.

Send me an email and I shall return fuller instructions if you need them bodillymill@live.com