Sounds great Hypercharleyfarley. I have a good few wireworm and dont need to look far for the wee buggers. Im thinking about having a go now again Thanks
Hi everyone, very interesting info re bird food thanks I do make my own and find the birds love it however, just this last couple of days I have spotted a brown rat trying to eat some bits that have fallen from the fat balls, also I came home just now and spotted the rat (not sure if its same one) in the peanut feeder that only small birds can get into..
I guess rats are all over the place but its a bit of a shock to see one. I don't want to stop feeding the birds but I done want to encourage the rats?
I've skewered apples for the blackbirds after reading another post.
Not sure whose having the most fun - the blackbirds are me watching them.
Think I've mentioned this before but next door had rats living under their decking and they used our garden as a food source . They used to climb up the trellis and get on the bird table . We had to stop feeding the birds until the pest control was brought in as he had loads living under it - so word of advice, if you have decking , block it in. The guy from the pest control said it was a haven for them.
Hi Jean R, thanks for the advice we do have decking and maybe that's were they are. I first saw "the "rat " come from under my shed which is on the other side of the garden but I guess they can come out from anywhere its just were you happen to see them at the time.
I hate the idea of not feeding the birds for the sake of these rodents especially in this cold weather, maybe I had better get the rat catcher in. What puzzles me is how do we know which garden they are nesting in and how will I know other rats wont come in my garden. I guess my neighbours eitherside won't want to know and will be happy for me to pay ??50 for a rat catcher
We had rats at pevious house. used to open curtains in morning and there they'd be pirouetting on the lawn. unfortnately it meant I had to stop feeding birds. The local council provided the rat catcher £0, They did go, but then we did as well
I have A cat and being an 'end' garden a lot of other cats tend to prowl through on their way to a small woodland nearby, hence no rats; at least I have never seen one. Their are two squirrels a mother and small one who steal from the bird table but there is always some left, also I have two bird tables so there is one left alone by the squirrels -- they have to get throught the cold too .
Please, if you're making your own bird food, only use fats which will set hard (beef suet, lard, dripping etc )- not chicken fat or soft veg fat/oils etc, as if it's soft it gets on the birds' feathers and causes them no end of problems
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I also use a supermarket value sultanas or raisins which the birds love - getting quite expensive though, the amount my birds get through! I did buy a huge bag of un-netted fat balls with a voucher from my local garden centre and the birds are not touching them at all. They do feel more 'gritty' than previous brands. Love watching the birds the garden - except the crows which bully all the smaller birds. Interesting that living on the coast my neighbours always have loads of seagulls being a pest in their gardens but I have none - I have alot of wide borders and planting and no large lawn for seagulls to use as a 'landing strip' - I dont think they like that.
My favourite is a starling that makes a noise like a telephone whenever I put the food out. We used to have a blackbird we used to call 'Dot' who had a white patch on his chest. He came for about 3 years before disappearing last year.
I use a brand called 'Suet to go', from Pets at Home. The ball has a greasy, soft feel to it, making it a bit messy to deal with, but the birds seem to love it! It is not hard and dry like most you buy; it has some 'give' to it, just like home-made ones. I have also bought suet to make my own, with dried fruit, bird peanuts and cheese in it - they didn't last long either!
Posts
Sounds great Hypercharleyfarley. I have a good few wireworm and dont need to look far for the wee buggers. Im thinking about having a go now again
Thanks
I guess rats are all over the place but its a bit of a shock to see one. I don't want to stop feeding the birds but I done want to encourage the rats?
I've skewered apples for the blackbirds after reading another post.
Not sure whose having the most fun - the blackbirds are me watching them.
Think I've mentioned this before but next door had rats living under their decking and they used our garden as a food source . They used to climb up the trellis and get on the bird table . We had to stop feeding the birds until the pest control was brought in as he had loads living under it - so word of advice, if you have decking , block it in. The guy from the pest control said it was a haven for them.
I hate the idea of not feeding the birds for the sake of these rodents especially in this cold weather, maybe I had better get the rat catcher in. What puzzles me is how do we know which garden they are nesting in and how will I know other rats wont come in my garden. I guess my neighbours eitherside won't want to know and will be happy for me to pay ??50 for a rat catcher
Oh dear what a pain.
ref rats - try your local council first & see if they'll do it FOC.
We had rats at pevious house. used to open curtains in morning and there they'd be pirouetting on the lawn. unfortnately it meant I had to stop feeding birds. The local council provided the rat catcher £0, They did go, but then we did as well
I have A cat and being an 'end' garden a lot of other cats tend to prowl through on their way to a small woodland nearby, hence no rats; at least I have never seen one. Their are two squirrels a mother and small one who steal from the bird table but there is always some left, also I have two bird tables so there is one left alone by the squirrels -- they have to get throught the cold too .
Please, if you're making your own bird food, only use fats which will set hard (beef suet, lard, dripping etc )- not chicken fat or soft veg fat/oils etc, as if it's soft it gets on the birds' feathers and causes them no end of problems
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I also use a supermarket value sultanas or raisins which the birds love - getting quite expensive though, the amount my birds get through! I did buy a huge bag of un-netted fat balls with a voucher from my local garden centre and the birds are not touching them at all. They do feel more 'gritty' than previous brands. Love watching the birds the garden - except the crows which bully all the smaller birds. Interesting that living on the coast my neighbours always have loads of seagulls being a pest in their gardens but I have none - I have alot of wide borders and planting and no large lawn for seagulls to use as a 'landing strip' - I dont think they like that.
My favourite is a starling that makes a noise like a telephone whenever I put the food out. We used to have a blackbird we used to call 'Dot' who had a white patch on his chest. He came for about 3 years before disappearing last year.
I use a brand called 'Suet to go', from Pets at Home. The ball has a greasy, soft feel to it, making it a bit messy to deal with, but the birds seem to love it! It is not hard and dry like most you buy; it has some 'give' to it, just like home-made ones. I have also bought suet to make my own, with dried fruit, bird peanuts and cheese in it - they didn't last long either!