Is wild bird seed OK for my birds?

[Rowdy Hotel]

This may be a noob question, but I was wondering if it would be OK to purchase bulk 25lb+ bags of mixed wild bird seed. I have compared the ingredients in the wild bird seed with bags of caged bird seed and the protein levels and nutrition facts are usually around the same. The only difference really is that the caged bird seed is fortified with all sorts of things while the wild seed isn't. If you look closely the caged bird seed looks as though it's covered in some kind of oil. I used to think this made it unsuitable for caged indoor birds but I always supplement with vitamins and minerals in their eggfood and offer all sorts of fatty treats as well as insects and fruits and veggies so my guess is that I should go ahead and buy the cheaper wild food. The only thing I would make sure to do is to supplement with enough vitamin D, I'm assuming caged bird seed is fortified with a lot while wild bird seed isn't. Anyone else do this?

[lovemyfinch]

I am not certain, but I believe that the problem involves the dust content. Usually caged bird seed has been cleaned to remove any dust particles that could be harmful to the birds.

[B CAMP]

I don't think the wild is as good and if it has the stuff our caged birds need, I sure wouldn't want to try a big bag to test good luck

[CandoAviary]

Wild bird seed usually contain millets and sunflower that are the same seed that is fed to pet birds but as Janine pointed out the pet bird seed is usually cleaned and polished more.
I have many times bought millet from feed stores and clean it myself at great money savings. A seed cleaner is not hard to make .
Most feed stores can special order seeds such as canary grass, siberian or red millet. german or brown millet, porso or white millet, oat groats, etc. at reasonable prices. Some brands are fairly clean....others so dusty (from the dried grass and hulls left on the seed when harvested) that it is a lot of work to clean.
The wildbird food you buy prepackaged at chain stores is a total waste of money and not good nutritionally due to the fact that it has been stored and laying around warehouses and is usually old seed. Old seed is not good seed.

[Rowdy Hotel]

I ended up getting a 40lb bag of mostly millet with other seeds mixed in that was intended for wild birds. I also bought other seed to mix in. I cant say it seems dusty, looks and feels pretty clean to me. I did get it at a wild bird feed specialty store where they sell a lot of that stuff. It's also where I get all my other seed for my own mixes.

[FeatherHarp]

Rowdy....I like to mix in wild finch seed with my regular finch food. I currently use the Kaytee Forti-Diet brand and the Kaytee Wild Finch Blend and mix it at a ratio of 2/3 of the wild mix to 1/3 of the Forti Diet. I am skeptical about how much of the vitamin fortified seed mix actually helps since the vitamins are sprayed on the outside hull of the seed and the birds hull the seeds anyway.

Our local Fleet&Farm store sells the wild finch mix in 20lb bags at a great savings. I find this brand to have hardly any dust and I always test the seed by sprouting it and it sprouts wonderfully so I know it is good seed. The bag always has a 'use by date' to so I know how fresh the bag is.

I also supplement their seed diet with fresh veggies and birdie bread, herb salad, kelp granules, mineral grit and my own home grown millet.

Maybe I should exchange the word 'supplement' for 'Spoil'...

[Rowdy Hotel]

That's a great idea. Ill be sure to try and sprout some to make sure it's good.