Alpaca wool for birds nests

Hello all. I had a Christmas present of a metal frame in the shape of a heart stuffed with alpaca wool designed to be hung in the garden for birds to use in their nests. Wondering if any other forum members had experience with these?

 

Never had anything like that @Debs64 but I collect the seedheads from early clematis for them and often - my daughters' hair when they cut it...

 

I use those 'fat ball' feeders and stuff them with my dogs fur when I brush him.

 

Anything like that will work - avoding synthetics of course. All good recycling...

 

That sounds like a lovely present @Debs64 the perfect lining for a nest. At this time of year when I empty the dogs brush I hang the fur in an old peanut block feeder so the birds can use it. I used to put the hair from my hairbrush out as well but I read this can get tangled around little nestlings as it’s longer and not fluffy, so I quickly stopped doing that.

 

I chop the hair up @CatDouch - I should have said that.

 

Ahhh good idea @fairygirl why didn’t I think of that!!

 

'Lol' @CatDouch

 

I put some sheep’s wool out last year but I don’t think it was really used. This year I’ve made a hanging ‘bunch’ with small twigs, spent/dry forest grass leaves, and some sheep’s wool. Worth a try.

 

I sometimes bring back sheep's wool if I've been out on a hill, but I don't think it ever gets used.
Strange when you think about it though.
I sometimes add any little soft feathers form the birds that I find too. I made a couple of ornamental 'things' last year whch hang on the fence. Sawn pieces of pruned branches, all slotted in, or fixed, and the little gaps get all sorts of bits and pieces put in them. It should be ideal for insects etc for the birds to investigate.

 

I am not sure about Alpaca wool but I know not to use sheep wool as they may have gone through a dip and the insecticide can stay in the wool which can have a harmful effect on birds.
I am also not sure about flea powder or spray on cats and dogs.

 

Do they still dip sheep, I thought that had been banned?

There is enough rubbish laying around in my garden regarding small twigs etc, and mud, the blackbirds are collecting mud at the moment and digging all the moss out of the gutters.

 

I doubt the sheep I collect from get dipped - only the iodine stuff to keep their feet right.
It's usually been lying around on wet hillsides for a fair old while too. I tried it round a couple of plants to deter slugs.
It didn't ...
what a surprise!

 

I had forgotten about dips being banned .
The Magpies and Blackbirds have been pulling the fibre off of the Trachys.

 

The sheep around were dipped last year but not sure what with