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Dodgy sunflower hearts?

Roger C
19/05/2014 23:15
As a new poster I wonder if anyone can help. We usually feed sunflower hearts to our resident Blue Tits, Chaffinches, goldfinches and wintering siskins. All I seem to have done in recent weeks is to pick up dead birds. We bought 20kg of hearts on the internet but tis time from a different supplier. We've also noticed that the birds have spat out a lot of hearts without even opening them. We've taken them off the menu although sadly we seem to have few birds left in the garden. I'm beginning to think that we've bought dodgy hearts. Has anyone else had thsi problem with internet purchases? Is there any easy method of getting the remaining hearts tested.
  • 0 19/05/2014 23:39 in reply to doggie

    I would suggest that if you are regularly finding dead birds at your feeding station you should stop feeding altogether for at least a few weeks and completely scrub down the feeders and feeding station.

    It's possibly that there is a problem with the sunflower hearts you bought (but if they look OK they more than likely are), but it is just as likely that there is some sort of disease in the local bird population which is being spread via feeders/feeding stations.

    �

  • 0 23/05/2014 20:56 in reply to RoyW

    Thanks guys. I think you have given the answers. Have removed feeders and pole, sterilised in domestos and will keep stored for the summer. Also removed and disposed of earth below feeder. The amount of undigested sunflower hearts seemed to confirm that the birds couldn't swallow.

    At least our sparrows and blackbirds have survived.