Many years ago we started filling our large squirrel-proof bird feeder with golden saflower bird seed. I buy it at a local plant nursery and for years was paying around $40 for a 50 pound bag. Several months ago the price jumped up to $55 for the same bag but I thought I could live with that. Then it went to $70. Yesterday my wife bought a 50 pound bag and with tax, the cost was just over $100! That's working out to $2/pound, and since we go through about 10 pounds a week in the winter, that's $20 a week just to feed the wild birds. I have to find an alternative to either this vendor, or this type of seed. Anyone have any recommendations for a type of seed that the small birds like to eat? We get cardinals, woodpeckers, house finches, golden finches, junkos and other small birds at our feeder.
Holy bird feed cost!
- Thread starter vito
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I don't know much about the appropriateness of bird feed. But, in my long past, the neighbors used cracked corn, either entirely, or as a filler. Each bird would pick thru the mix and eat what they liked, and shovel to the ground what they didn't like. Other birds preferred what was on the ground. And some of the birds, the corn was their preference. Cracked corn is pretty cheap. At least it is here.
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Black oil sunflower seed. Often mixed with safflower seed, and will attract all the same birds. Don't know the cost currently, but I DO know bird seed has gone up. We mostly have snowbirds and sparrows here because this is a fairly new neighborhood and there aren't too many large trees or shrubs. Wife and I are working on that.
Deer corn and cracked corn in my area has gone up way to much in my opinion. I do still use sunflower seed for my bird stations, and yes, it’s gone up too.
fiasconva
Single-Sixer
We buy our bird seed from Tractor Supply and the birds seem to like it. We use the Cardinal feed as well as Farm Blend, one in one feeder and one in the other. Once in a while we'll mix the two and it makes no difference to the birds. As Wayno said, they eat what they want and knock the rest off and onto the ground. The ground feeding birds and squirrels take care of the feed on the ground. Tractor Supply has some good sales from time to time and that's when we stock up.
When we lived in Palatine, I used to feed the birds in the winter. I went through quite a few bags, but I don’t remember what it cost.
The birds do appreciate it though. So did the squirrels and probably a bunch of other small animals. It was a big mess to clean up in the spring. But the grass over in that area grew quite well!
I would think a local nursery would be more expensive than a big box store. Have you tried Home Depot or Costco?
I also just looked at Chewys Pet food online. You can buy 50 pound bags for about a dollar a pound.
The birds do appreciate it though. So did the squirrels and probably a bunch of other small animals. It was a big mess to clean up in the spring. But the grass over in that area grew quite well!
I would think a local nursery would be more expensive than a big box store. Have you tried Home Depot or Costco?
I also just looked at Chewys Pet food online. You can buy 50 pound bags for about a dollar a pound.
Jimbo357mag
Hawkeye
Pennington Classic Wild Bird Feed $24.00 for 40 lbs at Walmart. I don't know if that is a local price but seems not bad. That's what I buy or sometimes two 20 lbs bags.
Dont mess with Mother Nature ….. let them fend for themselves.
Find a genuine feed store. I have always saved money buying at a feed store versus anywhere else.
The dirt cheap bags usually have a high concentration of millet and other seeds that often start growing your yard.
I use 50/50 mix of thistle and sunflower chips.
The dirt cheap bags usually have a high concentration of millet and other seeds that often start growing your yard.
I use 50/50 mix of thistle and sunflower chips.
BULL'S-EYE
Single-Sixer
Prices have definitely increased just like everything else, but most packaged bird feed is a waste of money and consists of mostly filler seed that most birds don't want and won't eat. It just gets picked out, dropped to rot on the ground. As an avid bird watcher, which I find incredibly relaxing and rewarding, I just put out pure black oil sunflower seed, nyer seed and suet cakes. This attracts birds to my feeders by the hundreds daily all year long. Adding a package of safflower seed occasionally will keep Grackles and squirrels away which saves money and frustration.
I get mine at tractor supply in western n.c.
BULL'S-EYE
Single-Sixer
It's $23.99 for 40# at Rural King...Up from $18.99 before Bidenflation kicked in.
The same 50lb bag of layer pellets I bought last night for $19, cost $8 bucks 20 years ago when we moved to the country and started feeding chickens. The hen scratch (90% cracked corn) was $18 for a 50lb bag last night. Both of these went up $1 per bag since I last bought them in late November.
bisleyfan41
Blackhawk
Please inform me of the squirrel-proof bird feeder you found. I've tried several with that claim....none worked. Squirrels got into every one.
BTW, cracked corn is a mega-draw for squirrels. Use it only if you intend to not feed the birds.
Here is my recommendation.... a bit pricey but what's not these days... On the positive side, last week, I sent them an email because I broke a main part by over tightening a wing nut on the bottom of my feeder. In less that 5 days, I got the part deliverd to my door for FREE...NO CHARGE, not even shipping. They also sent me a link to a video in case I didn't know how to install and re-assemble. The part is the main control rod that regulates the spring tension to keep squirrels and large birds from indulging). It appears that you really do get what you pay for: https://store.bromebirdcare.com/products/squirrel-buster-plus
Note that they have many models at various prices; I recommend the Squirrle Buster Plus.
J.
Note that they have many models at various prices; I recommend the Squirrle Buster Plus.
J.
If you have problems with squirrels, just remember - they are quite tasty, especially in chili.
↑ I've found Red-Tailed Hawks find them tasty, too.
contender
Ruger Guru
Keep putting out bird seed, keep feeding the wildlife, and I'll continue to have a job.
Bird feeders are the number one attractant around homes for ALL wildlife. Birds are picky,, and messy. They can & will root around a feeder for specific seeds. They knock out or throw out other seeds,, which fall to the ground. Seed on the ground causes mice, rats, raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks to all search for free seed.
Decomposing seed creates an environment on the ground that attracts larva laying bugs to deposit their eggs in the ground.
Skunks, coons, moles etc all enjoy this as well.
The snakes find the bird feeder area a target rich hunting area, as do other predators such as coons, foxes, bobcats etc.
And of course, even deer like the occasional seed based addition to their diet. Lastly, bears find bird feeders an easy source of food and will destroy feeders, and other things around searching for food.
Basically, a bird feeder is a total life cycle for all wildlife.
Where do I come in? Well, ALL animals that find a easy & free meal will soon equate the location as their primary food source,, so they want to locate their nests or dens close by. And where is that?
YOUR HOME!
Just today,, I did (2) service call inspections of (2) houses about squirrels. Specifically Flying Squirrels. And guess what I found? Bird feeders at both locations. Bare dirt, littered with seed hulls, & wasted seed.
So, when the mice, flying squirrels, etc figure out the free food, and follow that by moving into the home,, it won't be long until the black snake figures out where they are & will also enter the home. (I found 3 skins in the attic of one home today.) When I tell that to the lady of the house,, I OFTEN hear; "I'm moving out!"
But hey,, the birds are fun to watch!
Thanks for keeping guys like me in business.
If a person MUST have a bird feeder,, then a few thoughts.
Put the feeder well away from the home and next to other cover, such as trees, bushes etc. Keep the space between the feeder and the home open, exposed & very clean. Prey species do not like excessive exposure.
And realize that no feeder is 100% totally squirrel proof. Even the one mentioned above. A flying squirrel is much smaller than it's cousin, the gray squirrel. And if feeder is made of plastic,, squirrels WILL eventually chew them open.
Bird feeders are the number one attractant around homes for ALL wildlife. Birds are picky,, and messy. They can & will root around a feeder for specific seeds. They knock out or throw out other seeds,, which fall to the ground. Seed on the ground causes mice, rats, raccoons, squirrels, opossums, skunks to all search for free seed.
Decomposing seed creates an environment on the ground that attracts larva laying bugs to deposit their eggs in the ground.
Skunks, coons, moles etc all enjoy this as well.
The snakes find the bird feeder area a target rich hunting area, as do other predators such as coons, foxes, bobcats etc.
And of course, even deer like the occasional seed based addition to their diet. Lastly, bears find bird feeders an easy source of food and will destroy feeders, and other things around searching for food.
Basically, a bird feeder is a total life cycle for all wildlife.
Where do I come in? Well, ALL animals that find a easy & free meal will soon equate the location as their primary food source,, so they want to locate their nests or dens close by. And where is that?
YOUR HOME!
Just today,, I did (2) service call inspections of (2) houses about squirrels. Specifically Flying Squirrels. And guess what I found? Bird feeders at both locations. Bare dirt, littered with seed hulls, & wasted seed.
So, when the mice, flying squirrels, etc figure out the free food, and follow that by moving into the home,, it won't be long until the black snake figures out where they are & will also enter the home. (I found 3 skins in the attic of one home today.) When I tell that to the lady of the house,, I OFTEN hear; "I'm moving out!"
But hey,, the birds are fun to watch!
Thanks for keeping guys like me in business.
If a person MUST have a bird feeder,, then a few thoughts.
Put the feeder well away from the home and next to other cover, such as trees, bushes etc. Keep the space between the feeder and the home open, exposed & very clean. Prey species do not like excessive exposure.
And realize that no feeder is 100% totally squirrel proof. Even the one mentioned above. A flying squirrel is much smaller than it's cousin, the gray squirrel. And if feeder is made of plastic,, squirrels WILL eventually chew them open.
Bees were feeding off the cracked corn in the birdseed we put out a couple weeks ago . First time bees have taken over the feeder .
Squirrels, rabbits, dove ( I counted 40+ a week ago) , numerous little birds and a resident hawk enjoy our bird feeder.
Our feeder is 12 feet from our house, the dove tend to bounce off our windows when they fly off when the hawk flys in , I'm certain its daily we've seen it twice in a day numerous times. Watched it feed twice.
Squirrels, rabbits, dove ( I counted 40+ a week ago) , numerous little birds and a resident hawk enjoy our bird feeder.
Our feeder is 12 feet from our house, the dove tend to bounce off our windows when they fly off when the hawk flys in , I'm certain its daily we've seen it twice in a day numerous times. Watched it feed twice.
You don’t see the squirrel feeders around here like you did 10 years ago. Seems many learned some hard lessons about intentionally attracting the tree rats.
