I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

On Aug 11, 2:15*pm, Steve wrote:
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

My local farmer sells me very cheaply sun flower seeds and other grain
that he grows, do you have a farm near you or if you see sunflower
growing in a field, maybe you could stop at the farm?

Judith

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx


Most good Garden Centres have quite a range. I just buy from there. Not sure
about bulk though

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:15:52 +0100, Steve wrote:

I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

We buy 20kg bags from our local Acorn pet sto-
http://www.acornpetcentres.co.uk/?vi...4+7132+1007+58


--
Geo

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:32:38 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2009-08-11 14:15:52 +0100, Steve said:

I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

If you Google entering "wild bird seed bulk" you'll get a tremendous
range of choice.

Yes I do appreciate this. My thoughts were on recommendations from
those who buy a seed brand and it is all scoffed up. Normal wild bird
mix is fine for us here, but some contain a lot more of the cheap
wheat etc than others. Be nice to find a succesful good quality brand
at a good price.

We just seem to have blackbird/chaffinch/hedge
sparrow/dove/pigeon/woodpecker with occasional tit visitors so a
normal mix is fine as we cant really affored to specialise.

thnx to all.

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:45:55 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:34:58 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France
wrote:

On Aug 11, 2:15*pm, Steve wrote:
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

My local farmer sells me very cheaply sun flower seeds and other grain
that he grows, do you have a farm near you or if you see sunflower
growing in a field, maybe you could stop at the farm?

One seed produces a whole sunflower

Great when we discovered that and are now waiting for the results of
random plantings :0

Bought some blackbird/songbird mix that seems to have bits of fruit
and cornflake but I dont really think our blackies like it though the
wasps do. also bought dehulled sunflower seed mix and again I think
they prefer the seed complete as I have seen very few finches since,
but that may just be time of year.

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:49:05 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:45:34 +0100, Steve wrote:

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:45:55 +0200, Martin wrote:

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:34:58 -0700 (PDT), Judith in France
wrote:

On Aug 11, 2:15*pm, Steve wrote:
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

My local farmer sells me very cheaply sun flower seeds and other grain
that he grows, do you have a farm near you or if you see sunflower
growing in a field, maybe you could stop at the farm?

One seed produces a whole sunflower

Great when we discovered that and are now waiting for the results of
random plantings :0

Bought some blackbird/songbird mix that seems to have bits of fruit
and cornflake but I dont really think our blackies like it though the
wasps do. also bought dehulled sunflower seed mix and again I think
they prefer the seed complete as I have seen very few finches since,
but that may just be time of year.

The tits throw anything they don't want over their shoulders. There is more
stuff growing below the feeder than anything eats. Interestingly most of what
grows is not grain, but broad leaved plants that look like radishes.

My doves, pigeons and rats sort out the leftovers . Rats have been
gone for 2 months now and blackbirds, though resident, do seem to take
the odd holiday themselves.

wasps would enter the seed feeders from the bottom and burrow their
way right through to the top and then find out they were trapped! So I
would release them daily and they would show their thanks by chasing
me indoors. I think this was because I had tried the songbird mix in
some of the feeders, but not any more.

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

The most successful mix I've found I make myself from canary seed &
sunflower hearts, mixed 2/3rds c.s, 1/3rd s.h.

Tina

On 11 Aug, 17:04, "Christina Websell"
wrote:
"Steve" wrote in message

...

I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

The most successful mix I've found I make myself from canary seed &
sunflower hearts, mixed 2/3rds c.s, 1/3rd s.h.

Tina

Yes, I make up my own mixes but I vary the composition depending on
the time of year.

I am surprised that people mention their birds ignore porridge oats
because mine love it.

I buy black sunflower, sunflower hearts, peanuts and wheat in bulk (I
get mine from Vine House) and just mix them together in varying
quantities depending on the birds that I am aiming to attract.

I tend to put the more expensive sunflower hearts onto small tables
with feeders hanging above. This is enough to put off pigeons, doves
and other large birds which would consume the lot in 5 minutes if they
got the chance (although one day I did witness a herring gull making a
brave attempt to hang on to it). The feeders have plain sunflower
hearts, black sunflower and peanuts which keeps the tits happy.

I just mix black sunflower and wheat for the wood pigeons and collared
doves, and place that in larger quantity well away from the other
birds.

I mix crushed up breakfast cereal, mainly 'value' brand weetabix,
porridge oats, muesli and either mixed fruit or sultanas and that goes
on a separate small table for birds that like it, mainly blackbirds,
thrushes, starlings and robins.

"Steve" wrote in message
...
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

http://www.haiths.com/lkid/325/produ...%A2-wbadvance/

or

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/product_de...0&prd_id=23 6

Haiths is usually a bit cheaper at 50kg although Birdfood have been known to
do special deals (e.g. I got a new 6-port feeder with 50kg which cost me
GBP2 more than 50kg and no feeder from Haiths).

The no-mess is not really true but as someone else has noted the ground
feeders and rats clean up. Living in the Somerset countryside we get a
wide range of sparrow sized LBJs (Little Brown Jobs), Tits, Finches (the
Goldfinches seem quite happy with the Haiths but they will take Niger as
well (not in preference)). We sometimes get Starlings which will eat
anything. The occasional Woodpecker on the peanuts. There are Wrens
around but I've never seen them on the feeders. One Robin this year has
been experimenting!

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:51:50 +0100, "Graham Harrison"
wrote:


"Steve" wrote in message
.. .
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

http://www.haiths.com/lkid/325/produ...%A2-wbadvance/

or

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/product_de...0&prd_id=23 6

Haiths is usually a bit cheaper at 50kg although Birdfood have been known to
do special deals (e.g. I got a new 6-port feeder with 50kg which cost me
GBP2 more than 50kg and no feeder from Haiths).

Ouch at those prices I couldnt afford to feed myself. I'm looking at
£15/£20kg delivered can there possibly be that much difference to
warrant the much higher prices, give n our little darlings are not so
fussy as ourselves?

The no-mess is not really true but as someone else has noted the ground
feeders and rats clean up. Living in the Somerset countryside we get a
wide range of sparrow sized LBJs (Little Brown Jobs), Tits, Finches (the
Goldfinches seem quite happy with the Haiths but they will take Niger as
well (not in preference)). We sometimes get Starlings which will eat
anything. The occasional Woodpecker on the peanuts. There are Wrens
around but I've never seen them on the feeders. One Robin this year has
been experimenting!

I've just realised our gree and yellow finches have gone as well

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:34:30 +0100, Sacha wrote:

I bought some from Seapets (yes, they do birdfood) and it's gone down a
treat. It's about £13.50 for 12.5kg IIRC.

Ouch. Costco £5.79 (zero VAT) 12.5kg of "Natures Feast - Feeder
Supreme".
Though looking at the ingredients the first one is wheat but does
have around 9 others.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In message , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from Steve contains these words:

I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

I buy all ours by the 20/25kg sackful . My local agricultural
stock-feed suppliers offer a wide range, high quality at a fraction of
prices
in petshops or gardencentres. They have a fast enough turnover of
stock that it doesn't go stale; and deliver free.

Try yellow pages for ag.suppliers local to you.

Janet (Isle of Arran, Scotland)


Same here - living in S Devon we buy 25kg sacks of peanuts, mixed seed
and sunflower seeds from Mole Valley Farmers.

--
Robert

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-08-11 14:45:22 +0100, Martin said:

On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 14:32:38 +0100, Sacha wrote:

On 2009-08-11 14:15:52 +0100, Steve said:

I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

If you Google entering "wild bird seed bulk" you'll get a tremendous
range of choice.

and then you have to decide which type of bird you want to feed.

Feed the birds, 2p a bag"
Mary Poppins

Or there's the Bill Oddie range. ;-)) Most of the ones I glanced at had
a range that did for different birds with other 'bolt on goodies' you can
buy to add to the mix. I wouldn't bother with dried mealworms again,
though. The birds here wouldn't touch them - the live ones OTOH caused a
near-riot in the avian population!

I wouldn't knowingly buy anything advertised by the little rotund
up-his-own-backside grouch.

Mealworms.. dried or live... do NOT get between a hen and her mealworms. If
you do, you will swiftly find she reverts to her velociraptor ancestry and
she will HAVE YOU.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...05300508-1.jpg

Just be grateful she is not six-feet tall.. ;-)

In the grounds of Chez Wafflycat the robins particularly love dried
mealworms and when I chuck a few in the hen run for The Laydeez to scratch
about for (it keeps them occupied for ages) there's a robin that hops down
beside me and *demands* a share. It gets a share too

"Steve" wrote ...
I find mine seem to prefer the sunflower seed whole rather than
dehulled, they seem to enjoy removing the shell. That said it's pretty
quiet of late anyhow.

How do you find your seed mixes?

I'm also looking for decent bulk supplies say 20/25kg at a time. Any
recommendations? thnx

We have tried quite a lot and found Mayfields Premium Seed to be the best at
attracting a variety of the smaller birds. Most other seed seems to contain
enormous amounts of corn which is a good way to attract pigeons.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London