What can you put in a bird feeder

If provide only specialty wild bird feed then you can guarantee there's a bird feeder designed specifically to dispense this bird feed to hungry backyard birds.

What can you put in a bird feeder is any one of seed mixes, or specialist seeds in another; also peanuts, and suet in cake, fat balls, pellets and nugget form - with dried or live mealworms served best in a dish. Critical to bird feeders is accessibility, with bird feeders designed to store while bird feed can be taken.

What you put in a bird feeder can only be the matching bird feed that the bird feeder is designed to be used with.

Inside what is clear window plastic tube you can put what is promoted as wild bird seeds; in which consist of many ingredients other than seeds, which is compatible with the port holes where birds poke their beaks in to feed.

Steel mesh wire bird feeders used to be reserved for specialist unsalted wild bird peanuts - now you can use it to hold sunflower seeds, suet nuggets or dried mealworms.

Although dried or live mealworms should be offered to insect-eating birds on top of a bird feeder dish or a similar platform bird feeder.

Where it can get complicated is all the suet bird feeders available; if its a wide gap bird feeder than it can hold suet cakes if its more flat, or suet fat balls if its long and rounded.

Suet pellets can indeed go in what appears to be a seed bird feeder, only the port holes to feed at are more accessible for pellets.

If in doubt, for most people there's always an option to serve up wild bird food outside of bird feeders entirely. How that works is throwing bird seeds or dried mealworms on the ground for ground eating birds only - with a mix of bird feed off the ground essential.

Benefit to all that is birds who struggle or are incompatible at bird feeders have an opportunity to feed in your yard.

Making no use of bird feeders is that the bird feed can quickly germinate if exposed to the elements, while often seen to make a health hazard.

Mix all bird feed together in the most accessible bird feeder which hangs, though all kinds of bird feed can be used on an open top platform bird feeder - to be available for all birds - including those that cannot use bird feeders.

Can depend on feeder type

What you can really put in a bird feeder will depend on the type of bird feeders you have in use, or else incompatible bird feed will become inaccessible.

It really can be a lot of fun though to try new wild bird feed contained in what could be a feeder that doesn't dispense bird feed as one would hope.

Mesh wire bird feeders tend to be made for peanuts only, whereas this wire bird feeder can be used for suet nuggets, dried mealworms and even sunflower seeds - in which the seeds are big enough to not squeeze out between the wire gaps.

What you put in a bird feeder in the most part must only be what the bird feeder was designed for.

Clear plastic tube feeders are made for seed mixes, cage bird feeders are for suet, while wire mesh style bird feeders are for peanuts as already established - including many other things - providing its quickly eaten up before it rots.

To commit to using bird feeders of any kind, its worth using only the best kind of wild bird food for that particular bird feeder, so let's take a look at your options.

Utilize popular Seed mixes

What you can put in a clear plastic tube bird feeder tends to be only made to hold seeds, or if its a specialist hummingbird feeders, in which will hold homemade nectar.

Utilize a popular seed mix containing anything a seed eating bird eats as part of their diet in the wild.

What this mix can include is nyjer, sunflower seeds and millet, including cracked corn and even peanuts - in which are often described as nut meat.

Seed mixes cater to many common backyard birds because they tend to have a bit of everyone a seed eating bird needs. Sunflower seeds being the favorite of them all, with an option to add these seeds only inside of a sunflower seed bird feeder.

You can use other specialist wild bird seeds in due course, whereas popular seed mixes for now will make sure many birds can feed on it as possible.

Seed mixes only need a cheap, lightweight tube seed bird feeder with no issues involving blockages or seeds becoming stuck. What you put in a seed bird feeder then must only be quality seed mixes.

Nuts of the Peanut kind

What to put in a wire mesh bird feeder can in some ways be any kind of nuts, though to play it safe you should really be using wild bird peanuts.

Peanuts will attract nut eating birds which happen to be many of those that eat seeds in the wild; thus there's no shortage of seed eating birds who eat peanuts providing the mesh wire bird feeder remains accessible.

To put peanuts in a bird feeder it will often be a long, cylinder shape wire bird feeder that hangs.

To be sure many more birds can eat up these nuts, use a special ring or wreath style peanut feeder which can allow most birds to cling - while others stand on top to feed - with those of Chickadees or Woodpeckers who hang upside down as they feed.

Birds don't mind the assistance of a wide tray to perch on, thus a tray often mounted to the base on peanut - and sometimes seed bird feeders - can assist peanut eating birds more.

In addition to peanuts trapped behind a wire bird feeder for birds to take one at a time, if the wire causes peanuts to drop out, then its a flaw in the design.

Similarly, a wire mesh bird feeder can be used to hold sunflower seeds or suet nuggets.

Suet in cage or loose pellets

What to put in a bird feeder that appears to be up to one-inch wide wire gaps, in between a diamond shape - would for the most part be made for suet fat balls or suet cakes.

Suet cakes or fat balls are often big blocks of fatty beef cured into solid blocks for birds to peck at over the cause of the suet's lifespan. To allow birds to nibble on a bit at a time they do so throw these gaps, while preventing pests or larger birds taking all of it.

What to put in a suet bird feeder in which will appear to be cage, can be suet cakes or fat balls only.

Cage bird feeders are in fact made in steel wiring, covered in a soft all-weather plastic coating so its safer for birds to come into contact with.

Suet bird feeders are not always wide gap cage feeders, whereby suet nuggets can be put in a wire mesh bird feeder in which can double up as a peanut or sunflower seed feeder.

Far different to that is suet pellets are usually added to a clear plastic tube, similar to a seed bird feeder - only the port holes to feed in are less restricting to allow larger pellets to be pulled out by feeding birds.

Mix it all together

You know what its better to only put wild bird food in their corresponding bird feeder to be sure of compatibility, is mix in all compatible bird feed.

However that isn't to say you can't experiment by putting all types of bird feed into one bird feeder only; in which is recommended if you don't want to invest in more bird feeders - or don't have the space for too many bird feeders in the yard.

I have to tell you to put say a few inches of seeds, then nuts and finally suet pellets in clear plastic seed bird feeder does risk the bird feeder jamming, so remain cautious.

What you will end up with is a sort of cocktail of three kinds of bird feed piled on top of each other. When one bird feed type runs out then birds can begin to eat the next level of random bird feed.

If you like you can also mix all the bird feed together so any bird feeder capable bird can peck at what they like and probably throw what they can't eat.

With that in mind I would only recommend mixing wild bird feed together if it was only put on top of an open platform bird feeder - which happens to be the best bird feeder to attract many birds to, without restrictions.

When mixing up bird feed to be contained within a wire or tube hanging bird feeder, only use quality wild bird feed as it lasts far longer than interior bird food.

Never put anything such as dried fruits, fresh fruits or any perishables that is not proper bird feed, as it will quickly germinate whilst contained in a bird feeder.

No to incompatible feed

What you must abide by is to never put non wild bird feed inside of a bird feeder, as it risks making the birds poorly.

You see bird feed is developed for outdoor use because that is precisely where it comes from, such as peanuts in their raw state. Whereas to use kitchen scraps to feed birds in bird feeders can see bacteria rapidly developing on this food only, before it spread.

Any random food used out of the home can be safe to feed wild birds, though its never safe to put in a bird feeder.

Put kitchen scraps such as bread, cereal, rice or pasta on top of a platform bird feeder or on an available surface in the yard, where it can quickly be eaten up.

Scraps do germinate within hours if in warm weather, thus you only have a day to be sure birds take what they want.

To put scraps inside of a bird feeder then it can be days before this bird food is reach, and even then I can assure you 99% of it won't be eaten at all.

Reserve bird feeders for wild bird feed only, while keeping kitchen scraps on top of an open platform bird feeder instead, as its accessible to birds who do eat this sort of thing in the yard.

Summary

What you can put in a bird feeder can be anything of your hearts content, though a bird feeder must only be used with its corresponding bird feed.

Inside of a clear plastic tube bird feeder you can put quality seed mixes with ingredients made up of nyjer, sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn, wheat or, and peanuts.

Sunflower seeds can be quite big thus a wire bird feeder is made compatible with this kind of seed only.

What goes in a steel wire mesh bird feeder is the usual peanuts, with an option to add suet nuggets, dried mealworms and of course the larger sunflower seeds.

Suet cage bird feeders can hold many kinds of suet which is crucial to feed most birds in winter.

Wide gap cages can hold suet in cake or fat ball form, in which people make the most of it by hanging them up off a branch or on a bird feeder pole - whereas suet pellets can be used inside a suet pellet tube bird feeder.

And in many respects a wire cage suet bird feeder can be used to hold peanuts in shells, or a shelled peanut bird feeder which is available.

Its best to use recommended bird feed in their own bird feeder to prevent incompatibility issues, such as blockages or bird feed getting wedged.

In certain circumstances you can mix bird feed in once bird feeder if it remains accessible at all times. Though to mix wild bird feed would be better served on top of a platform bird feeder.

Never use scraps out of the kitchen or home inside a bird feeder, as all this and more is going to be incompatible - and will be seen to rot long before its touched.

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