Nyjer seed waste

NickNickleby · 05-01-2019 1:44pm #1

Hi everyone,

Saw a question this morning about replacing nyjer seed with canary seed. I'm going to try that if its appreciably cheaper.

However, I have a question about the nyjer seed. I see what I think is lots of nyjer seed waste under the feeders. So, I strapped something underneath to catch it as it fell, and for God's sake, I'd say as much was discarded as was eaten. The thing is, I'm not sure if what was caught was like casings or the actual seed. So, to the question - do the birds extract the good stuff from the seed and discard the remains, or are they just really sloppy eaters? (the only birds on these particular feeders are Goldfinches, and what I believe to be Linnets).

Thanks in advance....

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 05-01-2019 2:51pm

It's usually both. Many feeders result in a lot of spillage and waste but the birds also extract the kernel and discard the husk or shell of the seed. I stopped using seed feeders for this reason and just put loose mixed seed mixes on the bird table or on the ground nowadays.

NickNickleby · 05-01-2019 4:48pm

Wilson Kind Yoga wrote: »

It's usually both. Many feeders result in a lot of spillage and waste but the birds also extract the kernel and discard the husk or shell of the seed. I stopped using seed feeders for this reason and just put loose mixed seed mixes on the bird table or on the ground nowadays.

Thanks for your reply Wilson Kind Yoga.

Hmmmm, so it would seem the trick is to prevent seed falling from the feeder, whilst allowing the birds to still be able to get at it.

I'll see what I can do to set up a table high enough to make it awkward for the cats. I'm loathe to throw seed on the ground, because of the cats. Now, I'm probably showing my ignorance as to how the cats operate, but I hate them. I've seen them catching birds in my garden, by actually leaping and catching one in the air. They've even taken a wood pigeon. And there are FOUR cats next door, and the neighbour refuses to put a bell on any of them.

Anyway, enough of my ranting about the neighbour's cats!

Thanks for your input, I'm off to the carpentry forum to see how to build a flat, cat-proof, bird friendly feeding table!!

Alternatively, I might just live with the waste......(and the eventual regular cleaning up of same)

fred funk }{ · 05-01-2019 5:31pm

I find the goldfinches will feed from the ground under the feeders too but I'd say the bulk of whats on the ground is discarded husk.

Bannasidhe · 05-01-2019 5:41pm

Most of the 'waste' that falls from my feeders - incl nyjer - is being hoovered up -by Dunnocks mostly, tho the wood pigeons and collared doves are in there too.

New Home · 05-01-2019 8:02pm

If you want to know if they're seeds or husks, gather them together in a dustpan (or something), then blow lightly on them: the husks will fly away, and the full seeds will remain.

corks finest · 05-01-2019 9:09pm

Draws rats

Pretzill · 05-01-2019 9:14pm

I got a couple of nyger feeders - the normal seed feeders do create a lot of wastage - the nyger ones not so much - though I think I have some sort of nyger grass growing under the spilling ones

17 goldfinches giving out today

NickNickleby · 05-01-2019 9:17pm

corks finest wrote: »

Draws rats

:eek:

I've posted elsewhere about having a rat in my birdfeeder eating the peanuts. I became so paranoid about it that I demolished a wooden shed because I was afraid there were rats nesting under it. They weren't.

neighbour had FIVE huge rats under his wooden floor, and he caught four of them with a trap. Unfortunately one of them ate the poison put down by a well known pest control company. It subsequently died under the floor. They discovered this when the house started to stink. Think there was a bit of a suspicion that bird feeders were to blame.

bkrangle · 05-01-2019 9:21pm

I'm using the ones linked below which help to catch some of the waste

http://www.newbawnwildbirdfeed.com/the-shop/#!/18inch-Niger-seed-feeder-with-tray/p/95764841

I also had a problem with niger plants growing beneath my feeder.
The seed that is sold for feeding birds is meant to be heat treated to minimise its growth (stunt it at least) so that it doesn't threaten native plants

NickNickleby · 05-01-2019 9:23pm

Pretzill wrote: »

I got a couple of nyger feeders - the normal seed feeders do create a lot of wastage - the nyger ones not so much - though I think I have some sort of nyger grass growing under the spilling ones

17 goldfinches giving out today

Dang! last year (2017) we had dozens. This year (2018-19) usually just one, sometimes as many as three whole ones. But I do see small groups flying overhead, I recognise their twittering.

Loss of habitat over the back wall may have something to do with it. There was a car park with wide borders (about 5m deep) covered in brambles. That's all gone now.

NickNickleby · 05-01-2019 9:35pm

bkrangle wrote: »

I'm using the ones linked below which help to catch some of the waste

http://www.newbawnwildbirdfeed.com/the-shop/#!/18inch-Niger-seed-feeder-with-tray/p/95764841

I also had a problem with niger plants growing beneath my feeder.
The seed that is sold for feeding birds is meant to be heat treated to minimise its growth (stunt it at least) so that it doesn't threaten native plants

Being mean, I just hung some plant pot bases under the nyjer feeders, with small holes drilled to drain off the rainwater. Thats how I knew there was a lot of 'residue' which was what I was trying to identify. One thing I learned, pouring it back into the feeder is a waste of time, they won't touch it. Although I have seen birds eating out of these collectors. Ah well, I'll just continue as is, dumping the residue and replenishing the feeders. Its a cheap enough pastime, I get a couple of weeks out of 1kg.

on another note, I've stopped buying the mixed stuff. The sparrows throw most of it on the ground. Peanuts and sunflower hearts are not wasted.

Pretzill · 05-01-2019 9:46pm

bkrangle wrote: »

I'm using the ones linked below which help to catch some of the waste

http://www.newbawnwildbirdfeed.com/the-shop/#!/18inch-Niger-seed-feeder-with-tray/p/95764841

I also had a problem with niger plants growing beneath my feeder.
The seed that is sold for feeding birds is meant to be heat treated to minimise its growth (stunt it at least) so that it doesn't threaten native plants

This worries me re: native plants - I bought a 20kg bag of nyger as the price was better (pet shop owner says it rises and falls like gold) and I'm worried about using such a non native seed and also how crazy the birds go for it - like will they eat too much etc - I'm only filling two nyger feeders a week - but perhaps I'm being silly with my concerns.

Ulmus · 06-01-2019 3:10pm

I stopped using niger seed as it's too expensive and gets washed away in the rain. I use sunflower hearts and the goldfinches prefer it to niger seed.

Keplar240B · 06-01-2019 5:34pm

Slugs eat it all up at night time.

corks finest · 06-01-2019 6:39pm

Keplar240B wrote: »

Slugs eat it all up at night time.

No they don't,your need loads of them to clear that

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 06-01-2019 6:45pm

Not at all. Mice perhaps but not slugs.

Keplar240B wrote: »

Slugs eat it all up at night time.

New Home · 06-01-2019 7:42pm

Sorry guys but I have to agree with Keplar on this one. I've seen them with my own eyes, they do eat whatever is left on the ground. Now, they may not be fast enough to eat the lot and some other animal probably intervenes, but slugs do eat bird seeds, and they're not too picky as to what kind, either.
But maybe it depends on the type of slugs.

Pretzill · 06-01-2019 9:17pm

Wouldn't surprise me about the slugs - we get a lot of them here.

JulesInKy · 11-01-2019 1:52am

I had three different types of seed out:

Mixed seed for wild birds - the sparrows and crows always made short work of this, emptying it in about 2 hours. When the last bag was gone, I didn't replace. This seed also attracted collared doves.

Nyjer seed in a nyjer tube feeder - the goldfinches/linnets/siskins seem to enjoy this but I haven't had to refill it as often since I started putting out sunflower hearts. There is a lot of husk waste to be cleaned up, but it only takes a quick sweep.

Sunflower hearts in a crowproof feeder - Goldfinches, greenfinches, all the tit family LOVE this one. The goldfinches, chaffinches, crows, sparrows, robins, and other garden birds will also ground-feed on what is dropped from the feeder. The sparrows don't like the crow proof design on this one and I've only seen the occasional one perch for a moment, but it doesn't get mobbed by them.

The sunflower hearts are a bit more expensive than the other seeds. I buy a 25kg bag for just under 25euro. However, there is no waste with it, and no cleaning of husks.

I live in the country so I've had to accept that rodents are a part of garden life here. I've seen more small birds killed by aggressive ravens than felines. But the ravens, in turn, seem to chase off the rodents.

nlrkjos · 11-01-2019 2:13am

Nyjer seed in my feeder gets gobbled up by the linnets, sunflower hearts and peanuts hardly hit the feeder, goldfinch, tree sparrows, chaffinch and dunnocks and are the real eaters, but they seem to scare the linnets away. But if I'm outside having a coffee and smoke, they all disappear and the linnets feed away, ignoring me ! I have seen a brambling feeding for the last few days but very quickly...seems to grab a seed and run.

bkrangle · 11-01-2019 4:48pm

JulesInKy wrote: »

The sunflower hearts are a bit more expensive than the other seeds. I buy a 25kg bag for just under 25euro. However, there is no waste with it, and no cleaning of husks.

.

That's a very good price for the sunflower seeds.
Where do you get them, if you don't mind me asking?

Snowc · 11-01-2019 9:34pm

bkrangle wrote: »

That's a very good price for the sunflower seeds.
Where do you get them, if you don't mind me asking?

I have being purchasing sunflower seed for over 20 years and never seen it that price anywhere , even the big company's here purchasing direct from Bulgaria wouldn't be getting it much cheaper

unless the op is referring to black sunflower seeds?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 11-01-2019 9:53pm

The best price I've got was £23 for 20kg or £32 for 30kg from Amazon.

bkrangle wrote: »

That's a very good price for the sunflower seeds.
Where do you get them, if you don't mind me asking?

JulesInKy · 12-01-2019 1:30am

bkrangle wrote: »

That's a very good price for the sunflower seeds.
Where do you get them, if you don't mind me asking?

The OH worked at a local feed suppliers so I was getting the bags at staff price

I guess I was spoiled as I didn't realise the "regular" pricing on them. As the OH is no longer working at the suppliers I'll need to find another source. I had a quick look on Amazon and the closest I could find

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Extra-Select-Sunflower-Hearts-Bird/dp/B00CBJWOG6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1547252659&sr=8-4&keywords=sunflower+hearts+25kg

Extra Select Sunflower Hearts Bird Food 20 Kg @ £23.42 on promotion at the moment

11James11 · 12-01-2019 12:34pm

I get mine from here https://www.thecornmill.com/wild-bird/sunflower/sunflower-hearts-30kg-26 29kg for £29.95

Nyjer seed waste

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