Pea sticks

I planted peas a couple of weeks ago and they are now beginning to grow. However, having seen half a pea crop disappear last year before anything even started to grow, this time I was a bit more canny about it and ensured the bed was covered in hawthorn branches and sticks. They keep off both the hens and the wild birds. Once the peas have fully sprouted and grown, they will be able to grow around the branches as support. It looks a bit unwieldly but it does seem to be working.