Advice on feeding...

[leemo]

Hi, Im looking for a little advice concerning the feeding of wildlife at my workplace. After asking my boss to let me set up some feeding areas out the back, which is woodland and fields.
Im now thinking about when and how to feed the wildlife, which consists of mainly birds, Rabbits, squirrels and the odd kestrel.
After looking on a few websites you can pretty much get food for all types of animals, which is most likely what I will do. But I am worried about attracting rats(which my boss would not be happy about)....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated...!!!

Thankyou in advance

Lee

[Blackbrook Eye]

My best advise would be to just to use feeders for small seed, niga, teasel, millet etc. these will attract tits, linnets, finches and the like. If you feed larger seeds such as peanuts and sunflower seeds in a situation such as you describe, the squirrels will decimate your feeders in very short shrift, also the larger seeds are less likely to be eaten by the ground feeders such as Robins and Dunocks, and will therefore be more likely to attract rats. Unfortunately, if you are going to put out bird feeders it is inevitable that you will get some rat activity, due to spillage, whatever seeds you use.
Good luck with the project and please keep us informed of your progress.

Keith

[Wild-Woman]

Wouldn't it be good if most workplaces did something like this. Not practical everywhere but with a little thought even a window feeder on an office would be something.

[Hedge Witch]

Great idea - great boss I'd love to feed the crows where I work, but of course I'm not there all weekend, so when I do feed them I feel a bit guilty that I cannot "be relied upon".

The feeders idea is excellent all round, not least because they'll be OK for weekends and holidays too.

I hear from other threads that sunflower kernels are one of the best foods (but a little costly).

There will be a little excess that falls to the ground - enough to help some of the ground feeders out I reckon.

PS The way I would reduce rats if you do feed ground food is to feed first thing in the morning with an appropriate amount that you anticipate will be eaten in the day.

[leemo]

Thankyou so much for your time and advice, Keith, Wild-woman and Hedge witch....
Today I went into town and purchased a number of feeders and a water table, along with a big bag of wild bird feed and 5 fat balls for a pound...
The lady in the pet shop was very helpful and friendly, she also give me some excellent leaflets on feeding wildlife.

I will keep you posted on how things turn out...!!!

Take care

Lee