Wild Bird food?

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:50 pm

Does anyone feed there finches wild bird food mix? I use a mix I buy from petsmart that has white and red millet, thisle, and another small type. Its a wild finch mix. I have used it for a few years and its only $5 for a 10lb bag. I have used pet finch food but my finches never eat any of the colored stuff so I see it as the same. Of course they still get their greens and eggs. They have also raised a few cluches on this diet. Any objections.

jabo322 · Post by **jabo322** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:26 am

I've never thought to use it, just assuming it wouldn't be as good. If you've been using it for years and it's working for you (and, more importantly, your finches

), I'd say you've found a good thing. What's the brand name of this seed?

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 2:24 pm

The name brand is Morning song. I have only seen it at Petsmart though. It is actually an 8lb bag not 10. Here is the ingredients list:
White Millet, Red Millet, Canary Seed, Guizotia, thistle, and fine sunflower chips.
My finches usually leave any sunflower products alone and this brand doesn't have that much in it. I usually go through one bag every six months and I have 5 finches.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:36 pm

You know...I was kind of wondering that myself. Being the wild bird seed is somewhat cheaper. I think that sometimes just because it is packaged for pet birds rather than wild birds they just charge more.

Like when we buy a 50lb bag of sunflower seed for the wild birds. We buy at a farm supply or feed store for about $9.00 a bag and the pet stores sell it for almost 3 times as much for the exact same stuff. It really pays to shop around if you can!

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:17 pm

The cost is exactly how I got moved over to using "wild" bird food. Just by looking at the seeds in the package I figured they had to be the same. So when I looked I was right and figured I would give it a shot. To be honest it works out better, since my finches dont eat the colored seeds there is a lot less waste and a lot more seed eaten.

EmilyHurd · Post by **EmilyHurd** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:26 am

I personally would not use wild finch seed as it is not as nutritious. I also don't buy seed from petsmart or petco because of how expensive it is. You should try shopping around websites or private stores in your area.

Here is Colorado, there are a couple of local bird shops that get fresh seed in every week, and you can buy it by the pound and put as much as you want in a bag. I've also used
http://www.hermanbros-seed.com/pg1.htm - the guy that runs this website has very fresh seed (it doesn't contain colored things like petsmart) It comes out cheaper and my finches love it! I purchase the fortified finch #1

I currently as using this:
http://www.justbirdstuff.com/product.ph ... 252&page=1 - This is TammyS's website and she is very nice. This is a great seed, my finches love it. I offer them both the ABBA 1900 and Lafebers pellets to make sure they are getting plenty of healthy fresh food.

Post by **Sally** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:35 am

I read one time, and now can't remember where, that the finch seed mixes bagged for wild birds are richer and oilier than what we normally feed caged birds. The reason is that in the wild, they need so much more energy to exist, where our caged birds could actually get fat on that seed. I can't find good fresh seed locally, so I order my from Herman Bros.

If you have been feeding this for several years, and had successful breeding, then it sounds like it works for you.

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:14 pm

I'm not sure how you say its not as good for them when the ingredients are 95% matching. It would also seem true as Sally said that wild bird do need more energy and might actually be better. The cost of the food I use is only $5 for 8lbs. I doubt I could buy online cheaper with the cost of shipping. I've briefly looked...very briefly b/c of shipping. The only real local store I have for seed only sells small bags and then they have like a 20lb bag of white millet. I passed on that.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:12 pm

Next time I get into town I will check the place where I buy my Finch seed (our Local FleetFarm *My Hubby's second home*...lol) as the exact bags of Finch seed I buy is HALF the price of PetSmart. They sell wild bird seed maybe the have the Wild Finch mix too....as I would like to compare the ingredient and nutrition list on them. More homework!!

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:01 pm

I wish there were a feed 'n seed near me. The closest place migth be up in the moutains. A lot of people in the area have horses and such. Might be worth the drive.

jonvill · Post by **jonvill** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 8:41 pm

I think you have a good thing going with the wild bird seed you buy.
I buy from the "wild bird" section at petsmart too for my spouting seed.
One way to test the value of the seed is to try to sprout it.
Fresh seed sprouts in a few days and old seed does not.
The seed I buy sprouts rapidly so there is no reason for me not to use it.
There is no difference in nutrition between the same seeds packaged for wild birds versus pet birds.

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:19 pm

Thanks for the input jonvill. I usually dump the tray outside when I clean and your right, the seeds do sprout quickly. Last year a dump boiling water on a fire ant hill. A few days later I cleaned my cages and dumped the remains on the now dead grass. About a week later there were several sprouts as well as a new ant hill!!!

Post by **Hilary** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:04 am

I just have to throw in that the only negative I've heard about using wild bird mix (not personal experience, but just what I've heard) is that seed in the wild mix is not cleaned as thoroughly as the "pet" mixes.

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:59 pm

That is something to think about. Though I guess it depends on the factory the package it at. I guess the kind I buy they don't spray anything on it. As long as they don't do anything like that I think it would be just like them finding it in the wild and eating it.

exoticgouldian · Post by **exoticgouldian** » Mon Apr 14, 2008 5:46 pm

i have fed the exact seed from petsmart to my gouldians(just to try after reading this)....

lol, they loved it..........they finished is much faster than the normal seed that i have been giving them. I also found that this seed sprouted faster and the sprout rate is higher.......

wonder to keep feeding this seem to my gouldians since they love it so much....i only fed it to one of my flight cage only(with about 10 gouldians)