Can you put thistle in a regular bird feeder

It is a pain to go through the trouble of buying a specialty thistle seed feeder, so of course you want to know if thistle is compatible with bird feeders in your possession .

You can put thistle in a regular seed feeder - but not a peanut or suet feeder - where thistle seed is sure to spill out. Actually, thistle seeds will spill out of a regular seed feeder, thus its vital to mix some thistle in with other seed mixes. Rely on a cheap thistle seed feeder if you can to prevent waste.

With thistle seeds highly attractive to many Finches, at least this makes it super easy to attract an abundance of wild birds to eat your thistle seed one way or another.

But in doing so you can't put thistle seed in a bird feeder that isn't compatible; Finches can access it but you'll find thistle is prone to spilling in regular bird seed feeders.

What you must do when attempting to use up thistle seeds is to simply mix it in with regular seed mixes - the kind that includes cracked corn, millet to sunflower seeds. In doing so, thistle seeds will become compatible with your current seed feeder.

What you will find the difference is between a thistle seed feeder and a regular seed feeder - both of which can be a clear tube - is that the thistle seed feeder provides an anti-spillage trap at each port well entrance.

Finches can poke their bills in at this gap in order to feed yet the thistle seed isn't able to spill out the opposite way.

How you attract Finches to a thistle seed feeder is with color, visibility and accessibility; of which a thistle seed feeder tends to be made in yellow to attract Goldfinches.

Why wild birds aren't eating your thistle seeds could be because you put thistle in a regular seed feeder, or an inaccessible bird feeder intended for something completely different to wild bird seeds of any kind.

Small thistle seeds can spill

While its certainly possible to put thistle seed in a regular clear tube plastic seed feeder, thistle seed would need to be compacted down in such a way the pressure will prevent the smaller thistle from spilling.

You can absolutely expect regular thistle seeds intended to attract Finches and Dark-eyed Junco's to spill out of seed feeder port wells.

Regular seed mixes that include millet and sunflower seeds - including thistle seeds in quality mixes - are designed to remain stable at the port wells.

Fresh thistle seeds are moist and slippery, thus are 100% likely to spill through the available port wells, as if there's nothing getting in their way.

When you do find thistle seed to remain stable in your classic tubular seed feeder, you'll find only the littlest of movement will force thistle seeds out.

Normal wild bird seeds can spill out of normal seed bird feeders, while thistle seeds are more prone to mishaps like this.

Rely on thistle 'only' seed feeders

You can put thistle in a regular seed bird feeder - but never a wire bird feeder intended for nuts or suet - with some success.

Unfortunately, the stabilization of thistle seeds dispensed in the regular seed feeder will soon fall short.

You'll find thistle seeds simply spill out of any type of seed feeder with regularity. What this will lead to is a mess developing under the suspended seed feeder - along with thistle seeds going to waste.

You have no choice than to rely on a specialty thistle seed bird feeder such as a finch sock made to attract American Goldfinches; or why not revert to what appears to be a clear tube feeder - yet is developed a little different to a regular tube seed feeder.

Clear tube thistle seed feeders are developed with a more confined port well which makes it harder for seeds to escape, yet continues to allow Finches to poke their bills in to feed on the thistle as normal.

Alternative type of finch bird feeder is an essential real fabric finch sock that works to allow Finches to pull the thistle out through the small holes.

When you come to rely on a specialty thistle seed feeder, you'll notice its made in a certain color or is designed a little different to other seed feeders; that is because thistle seeds are fed to fewer birds - who's ability is compatible on a thistle feeder.

Final thistle seed feeder types to consider is indeed a wire mesh seed feeder, that provides fine gaps between the fine black wire in order for thistle to be pulled out.

Most thistle seed feeders are usually supported with a seed spill tray as this fine seed is prone to spilling on the ground below.

Opportunity to mix seeds

While you certainly can put a small amount of thistle in a regular tube seed feeder - like below the lowest port well entrance level - because then thistle seed can be fed to Finches safely yet there will be no risk of serious spillages.

If you have a regular bird feeder to store classic seed mixes only, then you could think about providing wild birds your thistle seeds, a little bit at a time.

Opportunity that can arise includes putting a small amount of thistle seeds - mixed in with the inferior seed mixes - in an effort to use up the thistle seeds in your possession.

Fill the regular seed feeder up as normal while adding up to a quarter of this mix with thistle. Ensure the thistle seeds are thoroughly mixed in to what can include sunflower seeds, millet or cracked corn - in order to distribute the mix to make all seed types accessible to a wide variety of wild birds.

Put thistle seed within a regular seed mix to then put in a regular bird seed feeder.

What happens now is that the regular seed mix will support the finer thistle seed in such as way, the compression will prevent the thistle spilling out via the open port wells.

While you at it, don't forget thistle seeds can be put on an open bird feeder tray, in a dish or throw some over the lawn to feed ground feeding birds.

Summary

While its certainly possible to put thistle seeds in a regular seed feeder, within reason, it isn't possible to put this fine seed in any other type of bird feeder - like those intended to store suet or peanuts.

You can put thistle seed in a clear tubular seed feeder while baring in mind, thistle seed filled above the lowest port well on a regular seed feeder will only result in thistle seeds spilling all to easy out of the feeder.

Instead, you will want to put thistle seed in a regular seed feeder with a maximum of 25% of the seed mix, made up of thistle seeds.

Go to far and the thistle seeds will appear to fall out of the feeder far to easy.

Rely on a special thistle seed feeder if you can, and while it can appear to be a regular clear tube seed feeder - the accessible port wells are made in such a way to stop thistle spilling - while at the same time Finches and others can poke their bills in unhindered.

What else you can use to store thistle seeds in is a wire mesh thistle feeder, where wild birds can cling on to pull out thistle in between the wire gaps... or why not put thistle seeds in an attractive thistle sock, or what is also known as a finch sock.

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