Wild Bird Food
Cottage Compost
Posts: 475
It's that time of year again and I'm pricing up for this years purchase of wild bird feed.
I find that B&Q, Pets at Home and the local garden centres are very very expensive.
When you work it out £/KG its horrendous.
You get what you pay for but black sunflower seed, niger seed and mealworms are what they are.
Wild bird seed mixes however vary considerably in price and mix content and ratio and the majority / all suppliers don't seem to specify exactly what the mix contains and in what ratio either.
The best prices I've found so far are:
Black Sunflower seed on eBay from hopeswellseeds at 80p/kg or £24 for 30kg
20kg bag of mixed wild bird seed from BATA produced by Bucktons at £10.75 or 54p/kg
12.75kg bag niger seed from BATA produced by Johnsons & Jeff at £20.95 or £1.65/kg
The best trusted price I can find for dried Mealworms is again from BATA at £11/kg sold as 1KG tubs from Johnson & Jeff.
Can anybody do any better?
Last edited: 11 September 2017 17:48:31
Posts
My birdies are happy with the stuff I buy in Mole Valley Farmers. Less than £7 for a 12.5 kilo bag. It does have some pretty odd stuff in it, like dried chilies!
We also get buckets of 50 fat balls from Home Bargains for £3.99
I buy no mess mixes, which means better value '£ for £', in my local cheapy shop. A general seed mix and a robin mix, which all the birds enjoy. No crappy barley, wheat or sunflower husks etc. Costs around £1 per kg. I get their fat blocks too, which I break up for feeders, or to put in borders or on the ground. Packs of three for a few quid, and they get eaten, so no waste.
Sunflower hearts to add to the mixes, or feed separately - same price as seed mixes. If I buy the same products (equally good quality) from my local supermarket, I get 10% off, as daughter works there part time. Bigger bag, and slightly dearer, but not prohibitive. Convenient and good quality.
Suits me perfectly - and the birds don't seem to have any complaints
If you are in the south of England, Bartholomews' 'Colonel' brand is good value but it is not available everywhere. They do both a basic mix of 20kg for about £13 and black sunflowers, I think 12 for 15 kg for about £13 or £14. This ebay seller,
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12-55kg-not-12-5Kg-Bird-Peanuts-Splits-Aflatoxin-Tested-Wild-Bird-Nuts-Garde-/111902955117?hash=item1a0def966d:g:EvAAAOSwTM5Y0U4S
is good for peanuts and sunflower hearts. Also they do grade 2 peanuts which are broken ones but fine IMO. The birds don't care whether they are broken or not! I spend a small fortune every year on feeding the birds and these are the best value I have found. It does depend on where you live though. Shop around.
I buy this one, one a month, it may not be the cheapest but it's delivered next day free and it's treated so it doesn't grow when it drops on the soil. It's got lots of different seeds, suet and insects , every bit gets eaten so no waste. I buy all the bird food from this seller.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20Kg-Robin-and-Wild-Bird-Food-Mix-with-Sunflower-Hearts-Suet-Pellets-Mealworms/131315488683?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
These peanuts are cheaper but you do need to have somewhere to store the big bag.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25Kg-Peanut-Splits-Whole-Mix-Aflatoxin-Safe-Split-Peanuts-Wild-Bird-Food/131844945626?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Good price Lyn and my link has the same price for 25 kg. I have a large metal feed bin which I keep in the garage which I acquired cheaply. It's perfect and and keeps it dry and is rodent proof.
Rodent proof is essential. I keep the fat balls indoors though. They go mouldy outside or even in the conservatory.
meant to say before, the best suet slices, quality, price and the birds like them best are the ones from Wilco, there are three different flavours. Even with postage they are still good value.
http://www.wilko.com/bulk-wild-bird-food/wilko-wild-bird-suet-blocks-with-mealworm-6pk/invt/0412095