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Sunflower Hearts - Skins (1 Viewer)

Paul1853

Active member
I use Sunflower Hearts to keep the mess down that the birds make. The bigest feeders I have are the Goldfinches but they leave what appears to be a clear type skin that has come from the Sunflower Hearts. Does this happen to all Sunflower Hearts or should this have been removed with the outer shell? It makes a lot of mess and it is quite obvious that the birds are not able to digest this skin.
Paul
 
Paul1853 said:
I use Sunflower Hearts to keep the mess down that the birds make. The bigest feeders I have are the Goldfinches but they leave what appears to be a clear type skin that has come from the Sunflower Hearts. Does this happen to all Sunflower Hearts or should this have been removed with the outer shell? It makes a lot of mess and it is quite obvious that the birds are not able to digest this skin.
Paul

I use sunflower hearts also. I fix a tray underneath the feeder to save any mess and it is often covered with these skins. Main birds eating the hearts are Greenfinches and Goldfinches.

Dave
 
d.steeley said:
I use sunflower hearts also. I fix a tray underneath the feeder to save any mess and it is often covered with these skins. Main birds eating the hearts are Greenfinches and Goldfinches.

Dave

Hello Dave.
Yes I also fix a plastic plate under my bird feeders which catches these skins OK. But I am sure when I first started using Sunflower hearts that I did not get this problem with these skins, in fact once the hanger was empty the birds would then eat up any "mess" left on the plate, but obviously they can not eat these skins. Just wondered if there were different qualities with these hearts, should the skins have been removed with the outer shell?
Paul
 
Paul1853 said:
Hello Dave.
Yes I also fix a plastic plate under my bird feeders which catches these skins OK. But I am sure when I first started using Sunflower hearts that I did not get this problem with these skins, in fact once the hanger was empty the birds would then eat up any "mess" left on the plate, but obviously they can not eat these skins. Just wondered if there were different qualities with these hearts, should the skins have been removed with the outer shell?
Paul

I have used sunflower hearts from several different suppliers and in different sized quantities (Icurrently buy 25kg sacks) and seem to remember the skins always being there. I'm sure I said to my wife when we first used them that they were supposed to be 'no mess' birdfood.

Dave
 
CJ wildbird food

Paul1853 said:
I use Sunflower Hearts to keep the mess down that the birds make. The bigest feeders I have are the Goldfinches but they leave what appears to be a clear type skin that has come from the Sunflower Hearts. Does this happen to all Sunflower Hearts or should this have been removed with the outer shell? It makes a lot of mess and it is quite obvious that the birds are not able to digest this skin.
Paul

Paul

Have you tried CJ wildbird food High Energy No Mess its very popular in our garden. The Finches Tits and even the Robin take it readily, and anything that is discarded is eaten by the Pigeons and Doves when it falls to the ground.

I have noticed that Green Finches especialy are very selective and seem to throw 30 percent away.

I have attached a link to CJ in case you need it.

CJ Wildbird Food
 
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