Inexpensive/bargain birdfood.

[Kleftiwallah]

It's that time of year again. Got the butcher psyched up for my annual load of suet but does anyone know of a good inexpensive birdfood that doesn't contain quite so much wheat seeds? I think that is the seed/grain the birds leave behind. Cheers and thanks in advance Tony.

[artdemole]

I Do not mind the low cost bags of seed with wheat.The wood pidgeon likes it ,so do the collard doves.Along with the occasional pheasants visit.

[Janec]

Our local pet supplies shop does a wheat free mix (not a lot of help to you, sorry) but Ernest Charles (mail order bird supplies) also do a wheat free and lots of other mixes. Very good quality but not that cheap, but cheaper than RSPB.
Jane

[stevecurtis]

I have noticed more this year that some places are charging ridiculous prices especially for peanuts, takeing advantage of people’s good nature I think.

All the best Steve

[tigertom]

Wilcos do a good range of different mixes of bird feeds prices avg about 2 quid a kilo
MIKE

[~T~]

Poundland do a 1kg bag of black sunflower seeds and various other mixes.

For example

National Trust All Seasons Nutritious Mix | Poundland

Also Instore, Poundstretchers and B&M Bargains for dirt cheap bird food such as dried mealworms and a 3 pack of fat squares for 99p.

[FUDGEY]

Originally Posted by stevecurtis

I have noticed more this year that some places are charging ridiculous prices especially for peanuts, takeing advantage of people’s good nature I think.

All the best Steve

Steve I got told my supplier that peanuts have went up in price because there is a big demand in the far East. He told me they are extracting oil from them. £40 for a 25kg bag here now.

[Wild-Woman]

Most grains/nuts /nyger are imported so you're paying for the transport costs and as we all know, fuel has shot up this year. I don't think it's the retailers trying to rip us off, their costs are passed onto us.

[PMG]

We buy ours in bulk from a local Corn Merchant - it works out cheaper than other more obvious places but is still very expensive and getting more so due to transport costs and bio fuels etc like Jules has said. We only buy hulled sunflower now in 20/25kg sacks - there is no waste from this - its all eaten and all protein - no hulls so you get the full value and are not paying for any hulls and inedible bits - which must weigh quite a bit? And due to Ian's construction of the bird table only the small birds can get at it - pigeons, pheasants, crows and jays can't access it - but they do hunt about the floor for the dropped stuff as do the chaffinches - and the mice and voles come out of the wall to clean up the floor too! It makes me smile watching the coal tits tucking the sunflower seeds one at a time into any place that takes their fancy (there's usually a pile behind a wheel of my car each day!) and if its the moss on the wall they tuck it into - the mice dash out and take it and store it deeper in the wall!! What comes round - goes round

Pauline

[earthdragon64]

I buy my bird food from a local farmer who delivers. He also sells a wide range of pet food and his prices are very competitive and the bird food is good quality.

Like Pauline I feed sunflower hearts and buy them in 25kg sacks, I also feed Nijer and Peanuts and suet balls. I don't feed a mixed seed food as I found there was just too much waste. Feeding single, separate, seeds only in feeders seems to have cut down on waste, but enough drops to keep the Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Collared Doves happy.

I also feed some fruit, such as grapes and halved apples, Blackbirds and winter thrushes seem to like these.

Regards, Audrey.