Feed the birds £20 a bag?

SallyG

For years I've fed the birds in our garden on peanuts but lately times is ard and I wondered if there was a cheaper way to give em a good quality safe feed ... any suggestions gratefully received.

pinkcandyflossprincess

I buy our petbird food from here which is good quality (and cheapest as free delivery)
they do codes and offers as well so usually works out well for me.
they have some wild bird food too
for example
http://www.medicanimal.com/product/~superior-wildbird-feed/~product_id=B5405/~category_id=MACTGR-WILD_BIRDS

thats a 20kg sack

Im not sure how large a bag you have been buying before?

SpendlessKaren

I buy mine in Pets At Home, it is around £15

SallyG

Thanks .....I've always bought in bulk from Haiths - I don't like to buy too much at once in case the peanuts develop that mould that harms birds and I don't know how to store peanuts to prevent it
..... I know RSPB say don't feed fat from cooked meat but I wondered if suet from the local butcher would be safe - I've no idea what it would cost though.
I've noticed wilkinsons do fairly cheap sunflower seed but a bag doesnt last two minutes - roll on some sunshine........

Leif

I buy 25kg sacks of sunflower seeds from the local garden centre, I think I pay ~£25 which is excellent. Shop around, there is a huge spread in prices. I find bird prefer sunflower seeds. I also bought some fat balls, and I have tried some peanuts, some birds have had a nibble, so hopefully they will be eaten.

A word of caution: take care when storing a large sack of seeds. I bought a large sack for my mother, and after she died I went into the garage to clear up, and the entire sack was husks. Greedy mice had had a field day. I store mine in a metal dustbin, and I have seen a few indications of mice, but the sack seems okay. There are a few husks at the top, which causes some concern.

lostinrates

We buy in bulk when we see an offer. We don't buy peanuts, just seed mixes, and meal worms when there is a really, really good offer. We did but a few small bags of peanuts but the woodpecker and tits, who we thought would especially enjoy them, ignored them. Seeds are by far the most popular thing we put out, then fat/seed balls. We have a ropes ape tree and we leave all the fruit for the birds, and that is popular particularly with starlings.

wellused

20p it doesn't seem that long ago that Mary Poppins got it for tuppence.;)

amcl

Poundland sells an 800g National Trust bird seed mix
http://www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/a-z/national-trust-all-seasons-nutritious-mix/
It's not as quite good value as the large 20kg bags but it is handy if you don't have room to store such a large bag.

Leif

I put out a fat ball yesterday, and I can't believe how popular it is. I've even seen black birds fighting over it, and they ignore the seed feeders. I guess it cannot be cheap to continue with fat balls, but I think I will continue buying them, as I enjoy watching the birds.

I wonder what effect feeding has on cherry trees and soft fruit bushes i.e. does it reduce or increase losses from birds?

peter_the_piper

Leif wrote: »

I put out a fat ball yesterday, and I can't believe how popular it is. I've even seen black birds fighting over it, and they ignore the seed feeders. I guess it cannot be cheap to continue with fat balls, but I think I will continue buying them, as I enjoy watching the birds.

I wonder what effect feeding has on cherry trees and soft fruit bushes i.e. does it reduce or increase losses from birds?

It pays to put a feeder near your roses in the summer, birds like a nibble on greenfly before they go for the main course of peanut.

laurel7172

£20(ish) a BIG bag, with free next day delivery:

http://www.vinehousefarm.co.uk/our-shop

Do keep it in a dustbin, though...I've found a plastic one sufficient, though I wouldn't be surprised to find a hole in it one day...