Long time feeder. I have suet for creepers and woodpecker, black oil for perchers, and platform for everyone else including squirrel s. I put out a couple tuna cans of hulled sunflower seeds into the platform daily and it gets gobbled up. Six months ago I paid $79 for 50 lbs of hulled sunflower. Today I went to reorder and price is now$129. Is there an alternative?
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I cant afford quality feed any more (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jlpicard
- Start date
I realise this is an old thread, but I noticed the title, and it struck home with me. I know how you feel.
I have been feeding a low to medium quality black oil sunflower seed in two of my feeders and Safflower Seed, both by Wagners, in one of my feeders. My songbirds love both, and they go through a 25 lb bag of the sunflower seed in a little over a month---I replenish the feeders daily.
The price of the 25 lb. bag of sunflower seed is now well over $40 a bag, and whilst that may not seem expensive to a lot of people, I am a retired senior, and my budget is not as flexible as it was years ago. I have not found a better alternative to the Wagners, though. I used to feed an higher quality seed from the Wild Bird Store until it closed down a few years ago, but I could no longer afford to feed it at the rate my birds eat anyway. Until/unless the price drops on the seed, I am going to have to feed them less each day than I normally would do. You might try the Wagners, but be prepared for the clean up as the Wagner's seed is not hulled, and the hulls go everywhere.
I have been feeding a low to medium quality black oil sunflower seed in two of my feeders and Safflower Seed, both by Wagners, in one of my feeders. My songbirds love both, and they go through a 25 lb bag of the sunflower seed in a little over a month---I replenish the feeders daily.
The price of the 25 lb. bag of sunflower seed is now well over $40 a bag, and whilst that may not seem expensive to a lot of people, I am a retired senior, and my budget is not as flexible as it was years ago. I have not found a better alternative to the Wagners, though. I used to feed an higher quality seed from the Wild Bird Store until it closed down a few years ago, but I could no longer afford to feed it at the rate my birds eat anyway. Until/unless the price drops on the seed, I am going to have to feed them less each day than I normally would do. You might try the Wagners, but be prepared for the clean up as the Wagner's seed is not hulled, and the hulls go everywhere.
Engineeringtech
Member
I'm on social security too, and spending close to $140 a month on black oil sunflower seed, peanut pickouts, safflower, and peanuts in the shell. The latter are for my very polite bluejays. However, the squirrels and chipmunks take most of them off the railing before the bluejays can get to them. I put out several pounds of bird seed a day in open feeders, with most of it gobbled up by grackles or mourning doves. Open feeders because the squirrels have destroyed the hopper feeders by chewing the wood. I have to clean the deck and railing and feeders every morning. Sick of the pee and poop.The chipmunks are cute and come rushing to my feet for a peanut if I'm out there. But they are eating me out of house and home.
I was going to try to economize by giving the squirrels their own tray feeder and stocking it with one of those "squirrel snak" blocks made of corn, nuts, and gelatin. They are cheaper than peanuts. But when it rains the perforated metal tray gets sticky. I can't put a rain cap over the tray feeder, because then the squirrels and bigger birds can't get in it. Anyone got any suggestions on how to deliver the "squirrel snak" blocks? If I were to leave the blocks on the railing, the squirrels would drag them off the rail, or it would attract raccoons.
I was going to try to economize by giving the squirrels their own tray feeder and stocking it with one of those "squirrel snak" blocks made of corn, nuts, and gelatin. They are cheaper than peanuts. But when it rains the perforated metal tray gets sticky. I can't put a rain cap over the tray feeder, because then the squirrels and bigger birds can't get in it. Anyone got any suggestions on how to deliver the "squirrel snak" blocks? If I were to leave the blocks on the railing, the squirrels would drag them off the rail, or it would attract raccoons.
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Your social security must be a lot more generous than mine!
Well, my best advice is to buy some of the Squirrel Buster feeders. I have several of them. The squirrels recognise them from other yards, I guess, because they do not even try to get the seed from the Squirrel Buster feeders. The feeders are reasonably priced for the quality, the superb customer service, and the lifetime warranty on all parts. What you will save in the cost of seed will more than make up for the cost of the feeders.
Unfortunately, cleaning up bird poop on a deck or railing, on the feeders hung in trees, in the bird baths, etc., is part of the price we pay to enjoy seeing them and listening to their songs. I do not enjoy cleaning up behind them, but once again, it is a small price to pay for the joy they bring to my heart every time I see them in the yard and around the house. If cleaning up behind them is more than you feel you can or want to handle, then stop feeding them. There is no other solution aside from possibly hiring someone to clean up behind them.
Personally, I would NEVER feed squirrels, and I cannot understand why anyone would feed them. They may look somewhat cute, but basically they are just rats with a hairdo. If you use the Squirrel Buster feeders I mentioned, and if you STOP trying to feed squirrels, and you resign yourself to the maintenance of the deck and the feeders as part of the necessary experience of feeding and enjoying wild birds, then I think you should be pretty happy.
Feeding squirrels....
ETA: I have had other bird lovers tell me that the black oil seed from Walmart and from Tractor Supply (to name two) is about as good as Wagners for half the price, so that is where I will buy my seed this Autumn and Winter. 👍
Well, my best advice is to buy some of the Squirrel Buster feeders. I have several of them. The squirrels recognise them from other yards, I guess, because they do not even try to get the seed from the Squirrel Buster feeders. The feeders are reasonably priced for the quality, the superb customer service, and the lifetime warranty on all parts. What you will save in the cost of seed will more than make up for the cost of the feeders.
Unfortunately, cleaning up bird poop on a deck or railing, on the feeders hung in trees, in the bird baths, etc., is part of the price we pay to enjoy seeing them and listening to their songs. I do not enjoy cleaning up behind them, but once again, it is a small price to pay for the joy they bring to my heart every time I see them in the yard and around the house. If cleaning up behind them is more than you feel you can or want to handle, then stop feeding them. There is no other solution aside from possibly hiring someone to clean up behind them.
Personally, I would NEVER feed squirrels, and I cannot understand why anyone would feed them. They may look somewhat cute, but basically they are just rats with a hairdo. If you use the Squirrel Buster feeders I mentioned, and if you STOP trying to feed squirrels, and you resign yourself to the maintenance of the deck and the feeders as part of the necessary experience of feeding and enjoying wild birds, then I think you should be pretty happy.
Feeding squirrels....
ETA: I have had other bird lovers tell me that the black oil seed from Walmart and from Tractor Supply (to name two) is about as good as Wagners for half the price, so that is where I will buy my seed this Autumn and Winter. 👍
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