Nyjer/Niger Seed and waste (3 Viewers)

[snowyowl]

My Niger seed actually germinated INSIDE the feeder. I don't bother buying Niger seed now as the birds in my garden never really took to it.

That's really strange. All of the finch species that come here go for niger in a very big way, so do the sparrows and doves.
I think that people worry too much about seed being spilled. Yes the snow is black below my niger feeders but so what. The hulls etc will either compost down or blow away come Spring.
Most of what's there are hulls and the actual seed that falls there brings in juncos and various other sparrows as well as giving the finches a second chance at the seed. I just went and looked out and there are a bunch of A. Goldfinches, a Song Sparrow, a DE Junco and a Mourning dove, all sifting through the spilled seed.
I'm not too sure about socks. I've heard stories of birds getting hung up in them. Niger is expensive but worth it to me. I bought 50lbs in the Fall and and just had to buy another 25lbs (spending about $100 C so far this year on niger).
I run 9 feeders, down from 12 a few weeks ago. I don't use sunflower hearts because they are too expensive and the Blue Jays would carry them off to hide just as they do with the BO Sunflower seed.

 

[Katy Penland]

Presumably Niger only became Nyger or Nyjer after the PC crowd poked its beak in and manufactured a perceived problem where one did not exist.

I'm sure you're right, although if you look at the above site the US government uses the "niger" spelling. Guess they haven't had a lawsuit yet

Niger seed is imported to the US from, among other countries, Nigeria. No PC or legal implications in that.

 

[Beth05]

I recently bought a Nyjer feeder to see if I could attract some Goldfinches into the garden. Virtually an instant success - had up to 15 at any one time within a week, they were literally queuing up waiting their turn. So I bought another feeder and in fact a third as well. This has continued to attract ever more Goldfinches, growing numbers of Greenfinches and last weekend a lone Siskin (first for the garden).
Cutting to the chase - I have noticed that the finches seem to grab a beak full of the seed each time, dropping the majority of it on the floor. I'm a little concerned that my garden will soon be covered in thistle seedlings but having got through several kilos of seed, looking for a way to slowdown how quickly I was getting through the seed especially as it seemed they were probably wasting up to 75pct of it. I thought it was asking a bit much to expect them to tidy up their eating habits so I bought the seed trays that attach to the bottom of the tube with the intention of collecting the waste and filling the tubes back up. Trouble is I hadn't counted on the finches' own natural waste in the form of their droppings which is also collected by these trays. I now have a big container full of uneaten but dropping soiled Nyjer which I obviously can't re-use.
Has anyone got any bright ideas? Also am I correct in thinking that I will soon be treated to thistle seedlings popping up everywhere?

I live in Illinois and the Nyger seed I buy does not germinate. I just have a big hill of black hulls under the feeders. I usually put mulch under my regular feeders and then rake up the seed with the mulch. It works very well. I wonder if this would work okay under the Nyger feeders. I'm gonna try it.

 

[Lady19thC]

Nyger seed should not germinate because it is baked at high temperatures before being sold. I have two thistle feeders (tube) and lots on the ground, but the nyger has never germinated. Besides a weekly raking, which should be done no matter what you are feeding, my mourning doves and song sparrows eat any thistle that falls to the ground, as do juncos and some other migrating native sparrows. Some gets wasted, no doubt, but having 2 dozen goldfinches, that are such a delight to watch and listen to, are well worth it, in my opinion.

 

[rogerscoth]

My first attempt at using Niger seed was a complete disaster. The feeder (a square one with a gravity fed tray inside) would sway at the slightest breath of wind, allowing the seed to blow away before the birds could take some from the feeder.
I then bought a round type (with small feeding holes) that I fixed to a concrete post using a wooden mount, and this proved quite successful. See pictures below:-
Roger

 

[smudgepot]

I like feeding niger seed. I like to use the socks because the birds can position them selves however they want and pull out seeds from anywhere, not just a little slit. Plus they are easy and cheap.

I've seen a picture of a goldfinch hung up on a sock that was posted here on the forum. Its leg was caught on the thread from the surged egde of fabric. I have mine turned so the surged edge is on the inside. I think as long as you keep an eye on it to make sure there are no loose strings or knots, the birds will be okay.

As far as the one seed at a time, the birds in my yard are pigs. This guy got a whole mouthful!

 

[Suzy]

Ok, so I am showing my ignorance here,but can someone please explain to me exactly what niger seed is? what does it look like etc? I am afraid the only bird seed that I am familier with is sunflower and the mixed wild bird seed that i get from the pet shop.

Sue

 

[bristolbirder]

Ok, so I am showing my ignorance here,but can someone please explain to me exactly what niger seed is? what does it look like etc? I am afraid the only bird seed that I am familier with is sunflower and the mixed wild bird seed that i get from the pet shop.

Sue

Hi Sue

Take a look at this site and all your questions will be answered!

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/dev/shop/products_details.php?cID=17&sub=20&pID=294

Steve

 

[Saphire]

I wondered about that as well so it is Thistle seed with a different name. Hope I am correct

 

[smudgepot]

I wondered about that as well so it is Thistle seed with a different name. Hope I am correct

You got it, Christine! Do you think you will try it out?

 

[Saphire]

Sara

Yes I have bought some thistle seed but didn't realise it was niger seed with a different name, or as they say over here Nyjer seed. I just have to encourage more birds to take it. Only the goldfinch have tried it out.

 

[smudgepot]

I just have to encourage more birds to take it. Only the goldfinch have tried it out.

It is mostly goldfinches that eat the thistle/niger seed that I put out. Occasionally a house finch will eat it.
I'm happy to put it out just for the goldfinches, there are so cute. The yard would be lonely without them. They also let me get fairly close to take pictures. They are not as afraid of me as the other birds are. They also don't seem interested in the other seed like the black oil sunflower. Do your goldfinches like other seeds too? It looks like in your avatar a goldfinch is eating peanuts. I know your goldfinches are different than the ones we have over on this continent. My avatar is a goldfinch too.

 

[Saphire]

It is mostly goldfinches that eat the thistle/niger seed that I put out. Occasionally a house finch will eat it.
I'm happy to put it out just for the goldfinches, there are so cute. The yard would be lonely without them. They also let me get fairly close to take pictures. They are not as afraid of me as the other birds are. They also don't seem interested in the other seed like the black oil sunflower. Do your goldfinches like other seeds too? I know your goldfinches are different than the ones we have over on this continent.

My Goldfinches also eat the peanuts and the black sunflower. Mine are quite shy, I have to hide behind the curtain otherwise they are off.

 

[ianharmer]

I recently bought a Nyjer feeder to see if I could attract some Goldfinches into the garden. Virtually an instant success - had up to 15 at any one time within a week, they were literally queuing up waiting their turn. So I bought another feeder and in fact a third as well. This has continued to attract ever more Goldfinches, growing numbers of Greenfinches and last weekend a lone Siskin (first for the garden).
Cutting to the chase - I have noticed that the finches seem to grab a beak full of the seed each time, dropping the majority of it on the floor. I'm a little concerned that my garden will soon be covered in thistle seedlings but having got through several kilos of seed, looking for a way to slowdown how quickly I was getting through the seed especially as it seemed they were probably wasting up to 75pct of it. I thought it was asking a bit much to expect them to tidy up their eating habits so I bought the seed trays that attach to the bottom of the tube with the intention of collecting the waste and filling the tubes back up. Trouble is I hadn't counted on the finches' own natural waste in the form of their droppings which is also collected by these trays. I now have a big container full of uneaten but dropping soiled Nyjer which I obviously can't re-use.
Has anyone got any bright ideas? Also am I correct in thinking that I will soon be treated to thistle seedlings popping up everywhere?

I realize this is a response to an ancient thread but the questions raised here are still current. After weeks of research, I tracked down a relatively waste-free sack (or sock) feeder and was so impressed with it and my yard birds' response to it that I set up an online business to make it more readily available. Check out www.yardsong.com if you're interested.

 

[Curtis Croulet]

Cutting to the chase - I have noticed that the finches seem to grab a beak full of the seed each time, dropping the majority of it on the floor. I'm a little concerned that my garden will soon be covered in thistle seedlings

The nyger seed imported into the USA is supposedly treated with heat to prevent the seeds from sprouting. I've never seen nyger seeds sprout, and I've gone through a lot of the stuff, but black-oil sunflower seed sprouts readily. Some of our sparrows (yeah, don't tell me, I know New World "sparrows" are really buntings) habitually scratch through leaf litter to look for food, and when they're in a seed tray they kick a lot of the seed out of the tray and onto the ground. It's a hop-and-kick motion. Worse, though, are the Mourning Doves, which alight in a tray and immediately start throwing seed out with violent twitches of their heads. I don't think Mourning Doves can crack the seed shells. Rather, I suspect they're looking for bits left by the finches. Mourning Doves can also pack away nyger, which I think they later grind up in their crops.