# General > Birdwatching >  Bird food

## Dadie

Has anyone got a web address for anyone that sells cheap big bags of bird food?
Whith decent postage to caithness (that old problem)
I cant keep up with the demand for sunflower hearts!
Peanuts vanish at an amazing rate too!
Was wondering about putting out niger seeds as well... but at the rate the birdies are eating what goes out already.... ::

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## Scunner

Try Garden Bird Supplies - I have found that if you buy the cheaper bags of seed, there is a lot of barley and the birds discard it.  I bought seed from ebay once and never again, it was terrible, and the bags were burst on arrival.

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## Dadie

Its bags of sunflower hearts, peanuts and niger seed by themselves (you know what I mean) for the feeders as I like looking out to see who is eating what.... and who is the greedy beggars eating the whole lot ::

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## Scunner

RSPB shop has lots of seeds

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## Dadie

Ta
Will have a look tommorrow when im more awake ::

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## Kevin Milkins

A farmer friend of mine that farms in the Midlands had a go at growing sunflowers for the bird seed market with great success, so much so that his son has diversified part of the farm and business dedicated to a variety of bird feed. Anything that he can't grow on the farm , he imports in bulk to make up the different mixes.

Mrs M uses a lot of bird seed in her feeders and I have been looking at more affordable options of supply, I will be paying my friend a visit shortly with a view to supplying his products in Caithness.

I will let you know more, soon.

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## Liz

Dadie I buy my bird food from either of these

http://wildbirdfood.uk.com/ and www.vetuk.co.uk 

They don't charge much for delivery and have really good quality food at reasonable prices.

I have just started putting out Nyger seed as well after seeing a couple of Goldfinch and Siskins at the Sunflower Hearts.
Now have 5 Goldfinch and 4 Siskin! The Nyger seed doesn't go down as quickly despite the Greenfinch eating it as well.
I would recommend a good feeder though and a tray to stop the seed from falling to the ground.
Anne Kennedy's sell the Droll Yankee feeders and trays which are really good quality.

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## Dadie

Dont think there is much wastage from the food falling out the feeder as I havent found any on the ground!
Kevin I would be very interested in what your friend is doing to supply us up here!
I must just have hungry/greedy birdies!

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## dafi

Scunner has a good point with the barley. The cheap mixes have lots of heavy grains that are of little interest to anything but pidgeons and collered doves. I think they are best avoided if you dont want these hovers to dominate your garden.

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## Dadie

It is just sunflower hearts in 1 feeder, peanuts in another and whatever I find such as bread mixed with the fat from sausages that I put out at the moment, i, like to see who eats what ::

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## Liz

> A farmer friend of mine that farms in the Midlands had a go at growing sunflowers for the bird seed market with great success, so much so that his son has diversified part of the farm and business dedicated to a variety of bird feed. Anything that he can't grow on the farm , he imports in bulk to make up the different mixes.
> 
> Mrs M uses a lot of bird seed in her feeders and I have been looking at more affordable options of supply, I will be paying my friend a visit shortly with a view to supplying his products in Caithness.
> 
> I will let you know more, soon.


Would be very interested in your friend's bird food Kevin so keep us posted please.

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## Magner

Food for Pets in Wick has 20 kilo bags of bird seed on offer

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## Kevin Milkins

I had a visit from my friend from Shropshire yesterday and he brought me some samples of different types of bird feed, it looked a better quality product than anything that we have been using and I am contemplating having a pallet delivered.

If anyone is interested in buying there feed in bulk for this winter, please let me know what the preference is on feed and roughly what quantity they are likely to need, and I will place an order.

To give a rough idea of price, I will be able to deliver a quality 25kg bag of mixed bird feed to your door for about £23-00.

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## Scunner

Is there any way that I could get a look at the mixture before I place an order.   Fussy birds and even fussier wifie, feeding them

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## Kevin Milkins

> Is there any way that I could get a look at the mixture before I place an order. Fussy birds and even fussier wifie, feeding them


If you are through to Wick, PM me and come and have a look. I have several samples to look at.

Regards.

KM

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## Liz

> I had a visit from my friend from Shropshire yesterday and he brought me some samples of different types of bird feed, it looked a better quality product than anything that we have been using and I am contemplating having a pallet delivered.
> 
> If anyone is interested in buying there feed in bulk for this winter, please let me know what the preference is on feed and roughly what quantity they are likely to need, and I will place an order.
> 
> To give a rough idea of price, I will be able to deliver a quality 25kg bag of mixed bird feed to your door for about £23-00.


Is it just seeds Kevin or does he have bags of sunflower hearts as well? :Grin:

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## Kevin Milkins

> Is it just seeds Kevin or does he have bags of sunflower hearts as well?


Hi Liz

These are his top twenty best sellers that he suggested that I stock, however, I would need some feed back from prospective customers to gauge what quantity and price they are paying so that if I take a shot at it, it would represent value for money for a like for like product.

*Mark 1 Pigeon Flyer,* *Mixed Poultry Corn,* *Niger,* *Peanuts,* *Striped Sunflower,* *Black Sunflower,* *Sunflower Hearts,* *Cressett Wild Bird,* *Songbird No-Mess,* *Parakeet and Cockatiel,* *Budgie Mix,* *Canary Mix,* *Fruity Parrot Mix,* *Hamster and Gerbil,* *Guinea Pig,* *Rabbit Mix,* *Pond Sticks,* *Pond Pellets,* *Mini Markies,* *Biscrok,* *Bonio Charcoal.*

Only time will tell if there is a market this far North, but early indications are that quality and price has in the past struggled to go hand in hand.

I have some sunflower hearts here as a sample, if you would like me to swing by when I am up your way, let me know.

Regards.

KM

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## Gronnuck

Were use Chapelwood Premium Quality Wild Bird Seed Mix. A 20Kg bag costs £15.99 from the Garden Centre in Castletown. Well add a variety of easily available things to it depending on the time of year and our customers. For instance at this time of year weve been adding some sultanas, raisins and crush peanuts. During the spring well add Old Fashioned Scotch Porridge Oats the Thick Milled variety because fledglings find it easier to eat.

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## unicorn

I get 20kg buxton wild birdseed from CLB in Thurso for about £14 max I think less being honest, I get 20 kilo rabbit mix for £8.80.

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## Liz

> Hi Liz
> 
> These are his top twenty best sellers that he suggested that I stock, however, I would need some feed back from prospective customers to gauge what quantity and price they are paying so that if I take a shot at it, it would represent value for money for a like for like product.
> 
> *Mark 1 Pigeon Flyer,* *Mixed Poultry Corn,* *Niger,* *Peanuts,* *Striped Sunflower,* *Black Sunflower,* *Sunflower Hearts,* *Cressett Wild Bird,* *Songbird No-Mess,* *Parakeet and Cockatiel,* *Budgie Mix,* *Canary Mix,* *Fruity Parrot Mix,* *Hamster and Gerbil,* *Guinea Pig,* *Rabbit Mix,* *Pond Sticks,* *Pond Pellets,* *Mini Markies,* *Biscrok,* *Bonio Charcoal.*
> 
> Only time will tell if there is a market this far North, but early indications are that quality and price has in the past struggled to go hand in hand.
> 
> I have some sunflower hearts here as a sample, if you would like me to swing by when I am up your way, let me know.
> ...


 
Do you know how much the sunflower hearts cost Kevin?

To be honest I can get good quality bird food online for the same price but if you were going to stock it I'd rather buy from you. :Grin:

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## Dadie

After the last pig we got, I rendered down the fat and made lots and lots of fat balls with sunflower hearts and oatmeal in.
Very popular with the starlings...but its the littler birdies im hoping to attract!

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## goldfinch

i use nyger seed and nyger seed feeder in my garden and now have up to 50 goldfinches at a time in my garden feeding

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