Birdfeeders - how many and how often do you refill?

Seem to be filling up my bird feeders every day. Also been putting out suet etc in coconut halves and noticed today that two of the coconut halves have disappeared! (I refill them will my own suet/seed etc mix).

we seem to have a lot more little birdies this year but also have seen a lot of starlings(more than I’ve noticed previously) and a couple of maggies that have been in the garden and we have a couple of collared doves. Could it be them or do you think i could have a rat? Weve had brown rats in the past which we captured and let free in a field miles away. But I’ve not seen any rat signs for almost a year now.

hmm

 

I have 5 feeders and 2 bird tables and they get emptied sometimes in a couple of days but that is thanks to the Stoggies and the squirrels ...I like @ARMANDI Idea of the attached dishes for spillages but my chooks do a good job of clearing up..it's a great idea though.

 

I have one large seed feeder, and 5 suet feeders. I fill them when empty. I really don't put seed or suet out until winter, as birds should be eating those bugs all summer/spring/fall.

 

Thanks everyone. It seems like refilling them everyday is a bit too often...in the summer I hardly feed them as I do prefer them to eat all the bugs instead. I think I may put a couple of cameras on my xmas present list so I can see them better up close...and maybe catch any ratty culprits.

Made some more suet feed today....veggie suet, mixed with natural crunchy peanut butter, meal worms and bird seed. I then refill the coconuts or put it in plastic takeaway tubs to make suet blocks.

 

I have four feeders and a table in the back garden and two feeders in the front. The sunflower heart feeders would be emptied every day if I didn't discourage the Collared Doves and Woodies.
The other 'Robin mix' (without wheat) lasts a couple of days and the nyjer seed feeder in the front gets emptied in about three days by the Goldfinches (and Siskins in winter).
Although they have trays the Starlings throw the seed everywhere but a lot of it is cleared up by others eg Dunnocks, Pied Wagtails, Sparrows and the Woodies.

 

My bird feeder has perches on each side. When a little one lands on it, it stays steady. Something heavy and their weight on the perch slams the opening shut. I can set the approxomate weight that triggers it.

Vermin can't get up the pole but I'm sure tnat what the birds kick over the sides, they get fed later.

The feeder holds about a gallon of birdseed and I refill it about every 4 weeks. 3 weeks if the winter is bad.

Anyone got an idea of what is desirable in a bird feed? I've been told that corn is not nice for them.

We have different brand names than over there, so I'm hoping someone can steer me to the ingredients on their favourite bag of seed.

 

I've got 8 feeders, 2 peanuts,1 suet pellets,1 niyjer, 2 mix seed, 2 sunflower, the sunflower and suet feeders will be filled every day some times twice when cold the rest will be topped up every 3- 4 days

also have 1 bowl and 3 trays near the house (on the ground) for the sparrows, pheasants and blackbird and to any wildlife that is hungry, the bowl will have sunflower, suet, peanuts and mix seed, the trays will have porridge oats, the bowl will be topped up every day some times twice, the trays will get topped up when empty which can very from every day to once a week

 

Just had to share this beauty that was feeding off my coconut feeder in the front garden this morning. Woody-woodpecker.

 

BTW, I only get the suet that has cayenne pepper in it. that will burn the mouths of squirrels, so they don't eat it. the birds have no issue with it.

 

I don't use any bird food that has wheat in it as it can be indigestible to most birds other than pigeons, unfortunately it is in most bird food.

 

We never buy bird feed. We tend to put out whatever isnt used up in the kitchen, seeded bread, porridge,rice,rolls etc.
If it snows hard some saved sunflower seed and barley. Luckily around us theres loads of birds and few cats.

 

Feed Wheat can be a cheap filler

 

I have one mini suet pellet feeder, four fat ball feeders and two caged feeders - one for fat balls, one for suet blocks. Don't use the cages in winter as located in another part of the garden and I keep the fat ball feeders close to the house just for convenience. Currently I'm putting out 16 fat balls and two/three medium sized bowls of suet pellets and sunflower seeds mixed daily. I scatter this on tables and across the ground. At least 60 Starlings here, around 20 Sparrows, two Magpies, two Crows, 6 Chaffinch, two Bluetits, two Great Tits, several collared Doves, several Jackdaws and several Rats and Mice. I buy coconut feeders too and suet logs.