Nyger Seed

[Dawn]

I have a nyger feeder hanging from a hedge. Unfortunately the goldfinches do not seem to like it. I have always kept it close to the hedge to give the goldfinches shelter. Would they prefer a more open position?

[Lu_B]

I have a nyger feeder hanging from a hedge. Unfortunately the goldfinches do not seem to like it. I have always kept it close to the hedge to give the goldfinches shelter. Would they prefer a more open position?

Are the Goldfinches feeding on anything else? I have a flock of these colourfuly birds in my garden but they seem to favour sunflower hearts over the nyjer that available too.

Don't think a more open position would help

[Dawn]

Not really. I occasionally see a goldfinch but not very often.

[Whitezombie]

i have two feeders with sunflower hearts and one nijer seed feeder,all with new perching rings, all on poles about 3ft high and about 3feet apart in the middle of the lawn.

the goldies do prefer the sunflower hearts but if the first goldie decides to have nijer, the rest also land on the nijer feeder. this set up has also attrated redpoll and siskin, both species have arrived with goldfinch flocks but only take nijer seed from the feeders or small pieces of dropped hearts from the ground.

[Dawn]

Thanks. I'll try some sumflower hearts as well as the mixed seed and nyger seed that I use at the moment. I do get some redpolls occasionally at the moment.

[Neil]

We find that the sunflower hearts are consumed at an incredible rate by the Goldfinches; the nyger seed seems to be savoured by only a select few individual Goldfinches, and only when the Sunflower hearts have all gone.

It's also interesting that when the hearts have gone and I'm too lazy to go and refill them, very few Golfinches are around, yet the Robins and Chaffinch will try to get what scraps they can off the floor.

It seems that Goldfinches are lazy...............as well as me:eek:

[Dawn]

Neil, Thanks.

[deedee]

Hi there,
I'm a newbie :o
Very interesting forum and wanted to agree with previous posts : I also mix Nyger with sun-flowers hearts. This proves very popular with Bullfinches,Goldfinches and Robins. I have the feeder with the ring perches - the best buy i ever made !
looking forward to talking to you all.:)

[Emma]

Another vote for sunflower hearts! It is by far the most popular food in our garden but the Goldfinches do also use the nyger seed feeder - especially when all the other feeders are busy!

[adhb13]

Hi Dawn,
I had a niger seed feeder in the garden for weeks before goldfinches took an interest in it - now I have to refill it more often than any other feeders. Mine is in a quite open position, although hedges and trees for shelter are not far away. If they are not feeding from it where it is why not try moving it to a more open position if you can.

[Bebe]

Try cutting a 1 inch tray from the bottom of a plastic bottle. Nail through it onto a fence cross piece. Fill with seed & hey presto! I have just done this & the chaffinches were using them before I left the garden. I haven't any gold finches yet but here's hoping.

[Jenny]

I have a nyger feeder hanging from a hedge. Unfortunately the goldfinches do not seem to like it. I have always kept it close to the hedge to give the goldfinches shelter. Would they prefer a more open position?

Living on a very windy site, my nyjer feeder is on a pole with a seedtray - it's about 1.5 feet away from some shrubs and trees. I don't see goldfinches all year round - bit bleak - but they invade at this time of the year; the first seven moved in this afternoon straight onto the nyjer feeder turfing off the chaffinches and greenfinches - but not the siskins!

[nwalch]

Hi there,
Very interesting forum and wanted to agree with previous posts : I also mix Nyger with sun-flowers hearts. This proves very popular with Bullfinches,Goldfinches and Robins. I have the feeder with the ring perches - the best buy i ever made !
looking forward to talking to you all.:)

Do you put the sunflower hearts\nyger mix in a standard seed feeder.

[Rockin Robin]

kibbled sunflower hearts are best with most species because the goldfinches in my garden would try and break them up, leaving a big pile of rotting mess. Being the same price as normal sunflower hearts they are really good. |I reccomed these more than the normal hearts. All birds love them. The redpolls and siskins love them because they are small and easy to eat!

[Loopy]

Do you put the sunflower hearts\nyger mix in a standard seed feeder.

I too would be interested to know how nyger seed and sunflower hearts are fed to the finches, as I have special nyger seed feeders which I'm sure the sunflower hearts would be too big for, but the normal seed feeders would surely not be able to hold the nyger seed very well?