Overfeeding?

[Caroline]

Hi all,
I was wondering is it possible to overfeed your birds?
I have a very fat Robin who tries to dominate our bird table. My husband keeps commenting that it is so fat that it must be obese?:rolleyes:

[Nikola]

It sounds like your robin is having a great time. I used to get many bossy birds around my table so i set up several types of feeders around the garden eg: Corn and maize in a bowl on the floor for pidgens, meal worms/soft food in one feeder for robins , great tits and table seed in another for anyone else . This means that the birds dont have to be so close to feed and causes less fighting (except with starling) Hope this helps:)

[Nikola]

I forgot to say that small birds have to eat a huge amount for food to make it through the cold nights also it is coming up to the breeding season so your robin will want to look its best and strong, i dont think you will have to worry taking care of a family will soon slim it down.:D

[Caroline]

Thanks for that.
I do already have a couple of other hanging feeders, and I'm trying to decide if its worth getting a Nyjer feeder.

[Nikola]

I have a nyjer seed feeder and this is popular with the collared doves, great tits, greanfinches and chafinch but no goldfinches yet. if i dont have any nyjer seed in stock i fill it with millet. This is a good feeder but it can take a while for some birds to get used to it.

[Whitezombie]

Are you feeding nijer seed from your nijer feeder? Only goldfinches and other small finches show any interest in my nijer feeder, what sort of feeder is it? does it have perching rings and large ports or just perches and tiny holes?

Sorry i'm just very very nosey:rolleyes:

[Lu_B]

CJ's nyjer feeders have perching ring and ports (rather like a regular seed feeder), but the ports have been modified so that instad of a hole there is a slit so the nyjer does not escape.

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/product_details.php?area_id=2&group_id=9&nav_id=33&prd_id=950

[Whitezombie]

CJ's nyjer feeders have perching ring and ports (rather like a regular seed feeder), but the ports have been modified so that instad of a hole there is a slit so the nyjer does not escape.

http://www.birdfood.co.uk/product_details.php?area_id=2&group_id=9&nav_id=33&prd_id=950

Hi Lu b,
I was asking what feeder Nikola is using, i use the feeder you describe, but i do not get as many species as Nikola does. she may be using a different feeder and/or seed.

[Nikola]

I have the nyjer seed feeder with the ring perches, i have it on a pole for stability and a dish under it to catch any loss bits, i some times put nyjer seed in a small bowl on the ground for the dunnocks to eat. I tend to do a layer of millet about 1.5 cm and then a layer of njer seed 2 cm since both foods are rich in oils i try to encrorage others to try it. The doves love it and even are local magpie tried some (though i think it prefers cat food)

[Whitezombie]

Thanks Nikola, i will try putting some nijer down for the dunnocks.

[Lu_B]

Hi Lu b,
I was asking what feeder Nikola is using, i use the feeder you describe, but i do not get as many species as Nikola does. she may be using a different feeder and/or seed.

I was just chiming in to let everyone know that that CJ's nyjer feeders have perching rings, just like their excellent seed feeders. Wasn't particularly reponding to your post, no offence ment:cool:

[Whitezombie]

Lu B,
No offence taken, i'm far to chiiled a person to be offended.

sorry if my post seemed a bit rude.:mad: