Recommend me some food please (1 Viewer)

We have a feeder set up and I was looking at bird seed online at places such as amazon etc and the reviews are mixed most saying contain too much wheat etc

We have sparrows and starlings, right now we are buying suet blocks at £2 each from homebase and mixed seed from pets at home, but its not very cost effective. The suet blocks and the seed feeder the birds are finishing in 24hr as we have a few familys of starrlings that are regulars. The only thing that gets left is the peanut feeder which the sparrows go to when there is nothing else, and nobody has even touched the nyjer feeder. We give them live mealworms every so often as treats.

Im after the following

- 10-20kg of good mixed seed
- 10 or more good quality suet blocks
- Suet balls
- A suet ball feeder

Could any of you recommend me some seed especially that you buy and doesnt have too much of the stuff the birds dont eat etc. And does nto cost a fortune. Same with the blocks and balls.

Thanks

Vine house farm are online. They are local to me so I have no idea if they deliver as far as Scotland.

I buy the RSPB "no mess" feeder seed, typically when it's 20% off. I store my seed up to 25kg in a plastic dust bin. I never buy less than 12.75 kg at a time.
I buy suet balls (large tub) and suet pellets (large box) from Wilkinsons

Cheapest garden bird food I've found in the UK is from "Home Bargains": mixed seed, sunflower hearts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, suet pellets, suet balls, suet blocks and dried meal worms. It's significantly cheaper than from other stores and the birds wolf it down.

(From memory, suet balls are about £4.99 for 50, three square suet blocks are £1.49, mealworms 99p for 200gms, sunflower hearts £1.49 for 1kg)

I've found smashing up whole peanuts before adding them to the feeder makes them more accessible and improves turnover. Prior to that, whole peanuts were being generally ignored.

As you can see, I'm in Canada but I've come to rely on black oil sunflower seeds, nyger seed, and seeded suet blocks almost exclusively. The mixed seeds sold here are seemingly mostly not palatable to birds, especially when compared to black sunflower seeds. Most of the mixed seed ends up rotting on the ground as the birds sort through it getting the things they like.

Ruff said:

As you can see, I'm in Canada but I've come to rely on black oil sunflower seeds, nyger seed, and seeded suet blocks almost exclusively. The mixed seeds sold here are seemingly mostly not palatable to birds, especially when compared to black sunflower seeds. Most of the mixed seed ends up rotting on the ground as the birds sort through it getting the things they like.

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I live in the Puget Sound area of Washington State and I have yet to see any bird eat the millet they put in store bought seed mixes. They spit it out or purposely toss it over the side when searching through my hanging feeder. Complete waste of money.

National Trust Wild Bird Food is great quality and surprisingly reasonably priced compared to say RSPB/WWT. Their feeder mix is £17.95/12.75kgs, buy two bags and you get free delivery. Sunflower Hearts £19.95/12.75 kgs and suet blocks £5 for four 320g blocks (so £1.25 each). You can buy online here

I buy my food here in 25kg at a time, very good prices and free delivery.
Berry Suet Pelletts here http://www.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/berry-suet-pellets.html
Sunflower Hearts here http://www.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/bird-straight-foods/premium-sunflower-hearts.html
Fat balls here http://www.gardenwildlifedirect.co.uk/bird-suet-foods/fat-balls.html

derik999 said:

I live in the Puget Sound area of Washington State and I have yet to see any bird eat the millet they put in store bought seed mixes. They spit it out or purposely toss it over the side when searching through my hanging feeder. Complete waste of money.

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That's been my observation too.

Inspired by the Kurosawa film 'Seven Samurai,' I once taste-tested millet porridge and I can appreciate the birds' judgement. It is horrid.

In regards to quality and value for money i buy in bulk of Amazon my sunflower hearts are bought from Croston corn mill at £ 20 per 20 kg the quality is very good with free delivery.
The main mixed seed i get is of a wheat free brand of Amazon extra select variety 12.75 kg for around £10/12 each again with free delivery.
I have done away with buying suet blocks and balls as me and my grandson now make our own how we make them is not only very easy and fun but to make up a batch you literally save ten's of pounds.
The recipe we use is 2 blocks of lard melted to warm add to this around double the amount of dry ingredients made up from rich tea biscuits crushed, porridge oats ceral,sultanas diced, mixed wild bird seed and any other bird friendly kitchen scraps. This mix is mixed and left to soak up the fat until this mix binds together you may have to add more lard or dry items to get there once you are happy with the mix get several yogart pots or plastic drink cups and add the mix and leave to set. The making of blocks is the same but instead of cups use 4 or 5 plant pot stands these when set fit into the suet cages perfectly.
This bird food is not only good fun to make but will save you money but over time and with experimenting with ingredients you will be suprised by what you can attract to your garden regularly. I now have 4 species of Finches and3 species of tit feeding of this mix daily.

My procurement manager sources from www.vinehousefarm.co.uk and buys various feeds that are delivered, next working day free.

The top banner on the website says 'free next day delivery'.

She is pleased with the service.

Dawn Chorus Robin and Songbird Hi Energy Mix[£1.99 for 2Kg from Boyes].-it is being consumed at a rate of knots.