Anyone here having luck with safflower seed? (3 Viewers)

[Engineeringtech]

What's up with safflower seed? I bought a couple large bags a few weeks ago, hoping they would reduce my starling and grackle infestation and deter the squirrels from destroying my hopper feeder. But nothing seems to eat the seed in the feeder, except the squirrels and a couple cardinals that visit late in the evening. My chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, rose breasted grosbeaks, house finches, and red bellied woodpeckers don't appear to be interested. The starlings kick the seed out of the feeder looking for something they want. (which they don't find) The chipmunks, squirrels and doves appear to eat all of the safflower seed that falls on the ground.

Do I have some bad seed?

 

[emc]

How about leaving the safflower seed for the squirrels an put sunflower seeds for the birds, maybe that will keep the squirrels from raiding the birdfeeder?

 

[Engineeringtech]

How about leaving the safflower seed for the squirrels an put sunflower seeds for the birds, maybe that will keep the squirrels from raiding the birdfeeder?

The squirrels like the sunflower seed even more.

 

[Brittly27]

What's up with safflower seed? I bought a couple large bags a few weeks ago, hoping they would reduce my starling and grackle infestation and deter the squirrels from destroying my hopper feeder. But nothing seems to eat the seed in the feeder, except the squirrels and a couple cardinals that visit late in the evening. My chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, rose breasted grosbeaks, house finches, and red bellied woodpeckers don't appear to be interested. The starlings kick the seed out of the feeder looking for something they want. (which they don't find) The chipmunks, squirrels and doves appear to eat all of the safflower seed that falls on the ground.

Do I have some bad seed?

I did the same! It did deter the starlings and grackles..but also most of my other birds. The house finches and mourning doves enjoy it and the cardinals pick at it, but I’ve read it can take some birds a bit to get used to it, so hopefully that will be the case!

 

[Engineeringtech]

Unfortunately the grackles and squirrels seem to have developed a taste for it. Not the starlings.

 

[Brittly27]

Unfortunately the grackles and squirrels seem to have developed a taste for it. Not the starlings.

That’s unfortunate! I had to switch to feeders that were very difficult for them to use, but they also effected how I fed the blue jays and cardinals.. that’s why I switched to safflower and in shell peanuts for the larger feeders.. they hung around for a while and still check in from time to time, but I think they got tired of having to work so hard to get a nibble LOL! I really hope you find a way! I’ve seen some really neat things they make, but it’s definitely going to come with a hefty price tag!

 

[Engineeringtech]

My original intent in buying peanuts in the shell was to reward my well behaved bluejays. But the squirrels, chipmunks, and grackles were getting it all. The deck and yard was also a mess, so I bought a 25lb bag of "peanut pickouts". The critters (including the jays) don't like them! They want the shells!

 

[Brittly27]

My original intent in buying peanuts in the shell was to reward my well behaved bluejays. But the squirrels, chipmunks, and grackles were getting it all. The deck and yard was also a mess, so I bought a 25lb bag of "peanut pickouts". The critters (including the jays) don't like them! They want the shells!

My birds (and squirrels) seem to prefer them too! I bought some of the shakes for a peanut feeder and the smaller birds use that, but the jays definitely prefer the in-shell!! Unfortunately, so do the ever present grackles 🙄 If I can put them out for the jays early in the morning, the grackles usually miss them though!

 

[Engineeringtech]

Thanks. "Early in the morning..." I will try that. But not sure how long I can keep dishing out the whole peanuts.. Almost 7 lbs. / week, plus the bird feed. Can't afford it. The squirrels and chipmunks get most of the peanuts. I confess, I can't resist the chipmunks when they run up to me when I go out on the deck to fill the feeders.

What are you referring to when you say "shakes for a peanut feeder"?

 

[emc]

The squirrels like the sunflower seed even more.

I was afraid of that,lol

 

[DGSmith]

I guess I'm lucky, the cardinals and red finches (or maybe they are small cardinals), love the safflower seed. The squirrels don't like it. The grackles try it and I see them actually spitting it out.

 

[Scousegirl]

My original intent in buying peanuts in the shell was to reward my well behaved bluejays. But the squirrels, chipmunks, and grackles were getting it all. The deck and yard was also a mess, so I bought a 25lb bag of "peanut pickouts". The critters (including the jays) don't like them! They want the shells!

I put out two full cups ofpeanuts in shells once in am and then for supper for the blue jays nothing the rest of the day. They always come quickly and eat them. That way I don’t have to worry about grackles

 

[Scousegirl]

I guess I'm lucky, the cardinals and red finches (or maybe they are small cardinals), love the safflower seed. The squirrels don't like it. The grackles try it and I see them actually spitting it out.

Ditto here

 

[Euan Buchan]

In my garden the birds love sunflower heart seeds. I have put regular seeds out and I’ve not seen a single bird so I know what seeds to carry on feeding them with.

 

[MrTerry]

What's up with safflower seed? I bought a couple large bags a few weeks ago, hoping they would reduce my starling and grackle infestation and deter the squirrels from destroying my hopper feeder. But nothing seems to eat the seed in the feeder, except the squirrels and a couple cardinals that visit late in the evening. My chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, rose breasted grosbeaks, house finches, and red bellied woodpeckers don't appear to be interested. The starlings kick the seed out of the feeder looking for something they want. (which they don't find) The chipmunks, squirrels and doves appear to eat all of the safflower seed that falls on the ground.

Do I have some bad seed?

I'm having the same problem. GMO? My squirrels won't eat either

 

[Scousegirl]

What's up with safflower seed? I bought a couple large bags a few weeks ago, hoping they would reduce my starling and grackle infestation and deter the squirrels from destroying my hopper feeder. But nothing seems to eat the seed in the feeder, except the squirrels and a couple cardinals that visit late in the evening. My chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, rose breasted grosbeaks, house finches, and red bellied woodpeckers don't appear to be interested. The starlings kick the seed out of the feeder looking for something they want. (which they don't find) The chipmunks, squirrels and doves appear to eat all of the safflower seed that falls on the ground.

Do I have some bad seed?

I began using Safflower seed because Cardinals love it. Bur unfortunately I ended up with hoards of Doves because they love it too. Besides that problem I have hoards of starlings and house sparrows controlling the other feeders and eating tons of food daily. It's a huge battle. Even the feeders with guards aren't deterring them. I watch the poor Cardinals try to get a bite without succsess. Cardinals are very causious and timid. They'd rather leave hungry than put up a fight. very sad.

 

[flamingos]

Interesting. Here pine siskins, goldfinches and house finches all swarm the safflower. I had to start feeding something else because I had birds with pox and salmonella symptoms showing up in huge flocks of house finches and siskins so I switched to peanuts to just feed sparrows, juncos and chickadees for now. But safflower is quite popular.

 

[Engineeringtech]

I began using Safflower seed because Cardinals love it. Bur unfortunately I ended up with hoards of Doves because they love it too. Besides that problem I have hoards of starlings and house sparrows controlling the other feeders and eating tons of food daily. It's a huge battle. Even the feeders with guards aren't deterring them. I watch the poor Cardinals try to get a bite without succsess. Cardinals are very causious and timid. They'd rather leave hungry than put up a fight. very sad.

I like doves. Have had as many as 21 on my back deck. Broke my heart when one dove lost it's mate to a Cooper's hawk. She sits out there all day, missing him. They mate for life apparently.

 

[Engineeringtech]

Interesting. Here pine siskins, goldfinches and house finches all swarm the safflower. I had to start feeding something else because I had birds with pox and salmonella symptoms showing up in huge flocks of house finches and siskins so I switched to peanuts to just feed sparrows, juncos and chickadees for now. But safflower is quite popular.

What are the symptoms of pox and salmonella? So the fix is to stop feeding them? For how long?

 

[flamingos]

Pox is obvious growths on the face and feet, common in house finches. Salmonella is a bit harder to spot but it's common in pine siskins and birds will sit still and puffed up, seed will stick to their beaks and they may wipe them on branches, and if they're very sick they show little fear of humans. The recommendation is to take feeders down for 2 weeks and clean them with 10% bleach water, then rinse well before putting them back up. It's also recommended to avoid tray feeders so the birds can't cluster and defecate in the seed.

I had a house finch with obvious pox land on my peanut feeder today so I went out and wiped the perch down with bleach water and chucked all the nuts in the tray. It's a hopper style camera feeder so I'm able to watch for that, and the finches don't care for peanuts so I'm not sure what he was doing there honestly! He took off after a few minutes so hopefully he won't come back, but if he does I'll take that down too. I'm still feeding suet as well since finches have zero interest in it. The house finches and pine siskins are the most notorious spreaders of these diseases and sparrows, warblers, chickadees etc are less likely to spread disease because they don't cluster or travel in huge flocks, so I'm just trying to target those less problematic species for now.