I currently provide raisins for my birds - Californian seedless according to the packet. I know some provide sultanas, and some raisins. Some soak them and some don't.
I tried soaking the raisins a while ago but they ended up very sticky and I don't think the birds liked them as much that way. They seemed to stick to their beaks - a bit like toffee and dentures. So now I don't soak them. The blackbirds, starlings and jackdaws relish them. I could get through 20k in a day if I put them all out.
My questions are:
I would welcome any comments and would like to know what everyone else does as regards dried fruits.
Cheers, Linda.
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Hi Sparrow
The difference between Sultanas and Raisins?
First: I have looked up the difference between Raisins and Sultanas. Sultanas are dried white grapes and Raisens are 'strongly' dried grapes.
I see now that some bird foods contain 'soft' sultanas and size tells all as raisens are so much softer all round.
1. Should we soak Sultanas/Raisens. Personally i think we should as it hard for youngsters ie Blackbird chicks will be feed with the Sultanas. A hard Sultana would be like a peanut and not good for the youngsters. By the way I treat Meal Worms in the same manner - nothing like a good soak. I read somewhere that the bird appreciate the soaking as it is easier to digest for the birds themselves.
2. I believe that non-soaked Sultanas are far too hard to eat for birds and their chicks. I think it would be unpleasnat for a chick to swallow - sharp edges and the likes.
3. Sultanas are easier to soften than raisens to me. Though I am sure there will be different thoughts about this question. I am sure that the sugars do wonders for the birds and the sugars are natural ones over man-made ones.
Those are my opinions though I am sure others beg to differ and I would be interested to hear what other say about the subject in hand too.
Raisens are different to Sultanas, as they are a lot more dried out so that may be why they are so sticky.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Firstly, thank you Kathy for saying what the difference was between the two, I honestly had no idea!
Back to the matter at hand...
I've always opted for sultanas over raisins as I know someone who soaks sultanas and basically I thought it was a good idea.
I understood, and I don't know how true this is, that they're better soaked as if the bird eats dried ones and has a drink, the sultanas swell with the water.
I feed the birds raisins from Waitrose and they are very soft and quite plump so I don't soak them.
They would definitely be too soggy if I soaked them, and the blackbirds seem quite happy with them the way they are.
It's possible that sultanas and raisins for birds are stored differently and go much harder than those intended for human consumption. So some really hard ones might benefit from a slight wetting. Then again some wild seeds and berries are naturally harder and drier than others. Birds seem to eat dry seeds and berries without apparent harm when they have to forage for themselves, so they don't seem to mind.
I only soak dried mealworms if I feed them when the birds are nesting and possibly taking them home to chicks.
When I was at the Lodge last Monday, there was a large pot of dried mealworms on the bird feeding station. If they had been soaked, they had subsequently dried out and there were plenty left. Mine never last for more than 10 minutes before they are eaten.
Best wishes Chris
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I have noticed that if I buy expensive raisins from the supermarket they are very very moist whereas the cheaper ones are hard and a little rough on the edges as blackbird referred to so they would definitely need soaking. Haven't tried buying those sold especially for the birds - I wonder if they have any specific recommendation on them. As Blackbird says mealworm are much more palatable after soaking. My local shop has run out of raisins and sultanas so only have currents at the moment so put those out this week and noticed that the Blackbirds soon realised they are much smaller and gathered up four of five each time instead of the usually one! I hope currents are ok for them as that's all there is here at the moment. 'My' Blackbird - we know him from his white patch goes into the potting shed where the food is kept and helps himself to raisins every day but I notice he doesn't bother to do that for the currants.
Hi Everyone, and thanks for your comments.
The raisins I buy in bulk are the same as the ones I buy from the supermarket when I run out (as I have done at the moment) Or at least, they look and feel exactly the same. They are quite soft and plump, not hard and lumpy. As I said earlier, the birds would eat a 20k bag in a day if I provided them. I just wondered really if I should be soaking them, despite them getting sticky, if they are given to chicks. I am sure adult birds are fine with them unsoaked.
I am also soaking my mealworms now. The reasons given by the RSPB for this is because chicks need water and can only get this from their food, so dried food on its own isn't good for them and must be re-hydrated.