4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Tessa the Duchess]

I am trying very hard to have food for the birds in the garden available at all times. The problem is we have this extremely greedy squirrel who eats anything I put out, I don't begrudge him/her but my concern is for the birds. Does anybody know of any food that birds will eat but squirrels will not?

 

Tessa

[Old Speckled Hen]

My chooks have been sharing their mash porridge. Much cheaper than bird food.

The birds love that ... I make them their own bowl and hang peanuts up which the squirrels prefer.

[Willow]

I've got a bird feeder station up outside my office window and I've noticed the squirrel doesn't seem to go for the home made fat ball type of food - he has shown some interest in the commercial fat ball feeder but not as much as in the peanut and bird seed feeders.

 

The home made fat ball feeder was an activity I did with cub scouts where we mixed lard, bird seed raisins and grated cheese together and stuffed into yogurt pots hung upside down as a squirrel deterrent although the two pots we have at the moment are within reach of a tray he stands on and I meant to move them but the squirrel has shown no interest.

[Lesley]

I'm using a bird feeder station that has a slippy pole that sticks in the ground and nothing around it that a squirrel could use as a launch pad - perhaps that would work? - or one of the feeders that is encased in a cage that squirrels don't fit through?

 

We have one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardman-Deluxe-wild-feeding-station/dp/B000QVPB8E/ref=pd_sim_kh_4

 

but I was thinking about these.... http://www.britishbirdfood.co.uk/shop/bird-feeders/squirrel-proof-feeders/extra-large-nut-seed-2-in-1

[hillfamily]

I feed my squirrel peanuts in shells in his very own squirrel feeder :D

 

That solved the problem of him eating the bird food and now he doesn't touch the bird's food even though he can get to it :D

[Dodge]

No squirrel problems in my garden, I just shoot them.

A brace of squirrels makes a very tasty curry, and the dogs love the innards.

[Tessa the Duchess]

No squirrel problems in my garden, I just shoot them.

A brace of squirrels makes a very tasty curry, and the dogs love the innards.

 

Not an option for me, anyway I would probably be such a lousy shot I would end up shooting one of the birds I very much like that caged feeder Lesley, but it is mega expensive. I do have a squirrel proof feeder but it is almost impossible to refill so I don't use it anymore. I have noticed that the squirrels aren't interested in the fat balls, but neither are the birds Peanutes are everybody's favourite. The homemade fat balls made with lard sound like a good idea and making a mash out of chicken pellets, I will have a little experiment with different foods and see how it goes.

 

Tessa

[Willow]

The homemade fat balls made with lard sound like a good idea

 

As you can probably imagine cub scouts loved making them parents may not have been so happy at us sending sticky boys home

 

Robins especially like eating them

[Alis girls]

Spray peanuts with a bit of water and sprinkle curry powder on them. Birds still eat them but squirrels dont!

[Cyber Chook]

Hi Tessa

 

I have a running battle with the squirrels here. I bought a large tub of Extra Hot Chilli Powder from an Asian food shop in Green Lanes, and if you sprinkle that on the food, the squirrels hate it but the birds are fine with it. Just have to be really careful when sprinkling it

 

I stopped using it eventually, as I did splash out on a caged bird feeder which although madly, MADLY expensive has worked perfectly, and the squirrels have completely given up. Bliss.

 

If you like, you can have my tub of powder as I no longer use it.

 

Caroline

[Louisdog]

I have a couple of the caged feeders and they work well at keeping squirrels out of bird food. My local Pets at Home has a peanut feeder for £20, it comes with its own bracket, the cheapest I had seen before that was £25. Still expensive but it does seem quite well made. They occasionally turn up on Ebay too.

[Blackrocksrock]

Luckily we dont have any probs with squirrels and we have about 10 different feeders on the go with fat squares x 3 and peanuts, sunflower seeds and niger seeds all out all the time at the moment and a water bath which OH keeps bringing in overnight to defrost so the birds can have fresh water in the mornings and a bath. We only have a wee mouse running along the tree branches to get the peanuts!. and of course the girls sitting underneath hoovering up the lot.

[Tessa the Duchess]

How helpful you all are Ok chilli powder it is, I am going to buy a new batch of peanuts tomorrow and start the new regime. I will leave one feeder un-chillied as I don't want the squirrel to starve. Thanks for the offer of the chilli powder Caroline, but I already have a huge bag because I use it to deter my cat from pooing in the area of the garden where I grow my veg.

 

Tessa