Cheapest bird feeders and seed???

[Doris_Pinks]

I am looking to encourage Goldfinches (see Carols thread!!!) and siskins so am looking for a reasonably priced Nyger feeder and seed.
Anyone have a good source for food and feeders out there???
(Cheapest so far for feeder is £10.99)
DP

[Doris_Pinks]

[honeybee]

I just have greenfinch Doris, i  buy my seeds from Wilkies, cant remember how much i pay but its reasonable, mind you they are eating that much at the moment that i might have to find a cheaper supplier myself :D

[Carol]

I still buy my bird food from CJWildbirdfoods, google it Doris and see what they all have for sale.  This has been discussed before and other folk come up with all their options and suppliers of bird food.

;D ;D ;D

[Toadspawn]

Doris
I find that Goldfinches do not like Niger seed, they only seem to eat sunflower hearts. Siskins spend all their time feeding on the Niger seed.
I buy my seed in 12.5Kg bags or larger size if available from the local hardware shop.  A bit expensive but much cheaper than buying 1/2 kg bags.
If you get a Niger feeder put a tray underneath to catch the fallen seeds. Siskins will eat from the tray as well as the feeder  because otherwise it tends to get wasted.

[Tulipa]

I use Anne Kennedy

http://wildbirdfood.uk.com/

but her nyger seed feeder is the same price.  She is good value for the bird food though and delivers very quickly.  I buy her sunflower hearts and no grow mixed seed.  I have just put a feeder full of nyger seed out to see if it will be eaten as I still had some but when I put it out before no-one has touched it, so I am just using up the bag.  The goldfinches here much prefer the sunflower hearts.  I would imagine Wilkos would be your best bet for a cheaper seed feeder.

I have just seen a beautiful pair of bullfinches on my sunflower hearts, only the second time i have seen them, they must have just moved in... :)

[isbister]

I use sunflower hearts exclusively now, there's no mess and it all gets eaten. I found that the birds were just dropping all the niger seed on the ground. The cheapest birdfood I've found is Tesco value digestive biscuits, but I don't put out too much as it's a bit sugary I think.

[Doris_Pinks]

Thanks all, no Wilkos near us  :'( :'( So will check out the online routes!
Hopefully will soon be reporting that I have loads more birds in my garden!!........now if only I could get rid of the da*m squirrel! >:( >:( ;D

[Belinda]

I solved our squirrel problem by putting up a squirrel feeder on the back fence of the garden. They no longer go anywhere near the bird food which is in the middle of the garden. The money I spend on nuts and corn for the squirrel is balanced by what I save on birdfood as it now lasts longer.  :)

[Doris_Pinks]

Belinda, I saw them advertised (the feeders not the squirrels) in a wildlife magazine, but I do not have it in me to feed the rotters.........rats with good P R in my mind!! ;D ;)  But did think thats a good idea!

[Tulipa]

Belinda, what kind of feeder do you have?  I bought a wooden box but our squirrels still prefer the birds' food.

I have a ground feeder tray and was aware that a hedgehog must be eating from it, last night I saw him/her - sat right in in having a good munch, bless, it only just fitted in, probably because it is so well fed... :)

[Doris_Pinks]

If it is any good to you Tulippa, these were the ones I saw.......

http://birds.thompson-morgan.com/product/y13050/1

http://birds.thompson-morgan.com/product/y11931/1

Quite cute pics! :-\ ;D

[Tulipa]

The wooden one is the one I have, perhaps our squirrel is not clever enough to find the nuts...  I might try leaving the lid open for a couple of days when it is dry in the hope he finds them.  Thanks for that DP. :)

[kenkew]

(Wait 'till I go UK side...I'll make you one!)
Ken.

[grannyjanny]

Anne Kennedy has sunflower heart chips @ £22. per 20kg. A bit cheaper than SFH & the way they are going through them ATM every penny counts. I am finding the goldfinches are eating more SFH than nyger although it was nyger that brought them to the garden in th the first place.
GJ.

[Doris_Pinks]

Granny, (or anyone)do the sunflower hearts go in the nyger feeder? Or do I need to buy a seed feeder as well? (Just thinking if mine do not eat the nyger seed and prefer the sf hearts, would be cheaper just to buy one feeder.)

DP

[Tulipa]

DP, a nyger feeder only has a small hole and the sunflower hearts are too big, their feeders are not really interchangable.  For the sunflower hearts you still need one of the clear plastic feeders but with the big holes by the perches like this:

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/product_details.php?area_id=2&group_id=10&nav_id=134&prd_id=1152

You can get them cheaper than that but the plastic gets chewed away in time.

Hope you get lots of Goldfinches! :)

[Doris_Pinks]

Thanks Tulippa for that! ;D

[Tulipa]

Just remembered, when I was in Homebase yesterday they had cheap feeders for sunflower hearts - just 2 ports £1.99 and £3.99. I don't know if one of these is worth a try first to see how your birds like them, but knowing how everyone's birds seem to love them you may be better starting with a bigger one anyway.

[Grandma]

Hello DP! I've just ordered a niger(sp?) seed feeder (complete with saucer) from ebay (£3.49 + £2.99 p&p) from birdfeedersdirect. Cheapest I've found anywhere. Hope this helps! Happy birdwatching!

[Shirley]

Hi

I bought some mixed bird seed today 20Kgs for £10.99 at Acorn Pet Centre.  It seems fairly good quality.  I have finches, tits and sparrows (one poor sparrow was caught by a sparrowhawk yesterday) on a regular basis.