Feeding the Birds

SnowyOwl_2

The birds near me practically queue up for the food I put out for them - nothing fancy, just chuck a couple of jug fulls of seed for them, plus some fruit and what have you. I tried making fat balls with some lard but it stank so much I almost threw up. It takes the little birds a while to twig that there is a regular suppply of food - when I first started food lasted ages, now I have to replenish every day. Am really worried about when I go away over New Year, little tweetie pies are going to be hungry...

troll35

I regularly make fat balls for the birds using lard and bird seed in empty yoghurt pots. I used to hang them up but they always left them. So now I leave them on the bird table (not in the pot) and they are eaten very quickly. We get loads of different birds

Lara

I buy my seed (husk free) etc from Haith's and the birds love it all! At the moment though they don't seem to want any peanuts . It took ages before they would come and eat the food but now they're here all year round as although I drop the seed giving in the summer I always have peanuts out. Would love to put seed on the ground etc but sadly I have one dog who likes to eat anything and everything :mad: !!

I'd say persevere with the food you put out, possibly put it in the shed overnight if they are a little too cautious but I'm sure they'll soon be gobbling it all down! :xmassmile :xmastree: :xmassign:

Ken68

I make fat balls from porridge oats (soaked overnight) and melted lard (not veg lard), put them in the freezer to keep the shape.Oats from Lidl 25pence per 500g tho perhaps cheaper from Tesco.Too many starlings , perhaps need a low roof over the seed table to give the little 'uns a chance.

superscotsman

The bird experts tell me not to leave any food out for them unless there is a blanket of snow. Leaving food on the bird table discourages them from going out and finding wild food. If you want to leave something out for them, leave water.

tanith

I had been putting out all sorts of seeds and nuts for my birdies but the dang squirrels gobble the lot in 5 minutes flat ......... seems the squirrels don't like bread but the birds do so I tend to stick to stale bread and buns now they love currant buns .......... the robin always comes when everyone else has finished and he cleans up all the tiny crumbs very efficiently.

Also remember fresh water when its icy , they need water too... :xmastree:

:xmassign:

thriftlady_2

superscotsman wrote:

The bird experts tell me not to leave any food out for them unless there is a blanket of snow.

I've heard this too,so why is the RSPB's catalogue full of bird tables,feeders and bags of seed?

SnowyOwl_2

superscotsman wrote:

The bird experts tell me not to leave any food out for them unless there is a blanket of snow. Leaving food on the bird table discourages them from going out and finding wild food. If you want to leave something out for them, leave water.

I feel happier leaving something out for them...then they know where there is a source of food when there is snow. I don't have children, but if I did I'd make sure they fed the birds and ensure they know which species is which and that some of them are endangered thanks to mankind.

elvis_bloggs

I always leave water out in the garden for the birds when we have a long dry spell, well, it makes me feel good.

squiggles

as ive no garden,just a yard and the birds never come near my hanging thing,lots of cats in the area.Ive thrown crusts and things out the back of me and ive found its still there a couple days later,maybe because its a local path used by dog walkers.