Wasted Seed

[Mommajack]

I searched for a similar topic on this and couldn't find one. What does everyone do about wasted seed?

Rudy makes the usual bird seed mess on the floor, but many of the hulls of his seeds end up right back in his dish. This creates the illusion that his seed dish has more food in it than it actually does. Should I worry about him having to sort through it all to find actual food? Do I need to worry about him breathing in the dust-like bits? Should I dump it all out and start over?

Years ago I used to be owned by a Black Headed Caique. I had figured out if I took his bowl outside first and blew into it, many of the hulls would fly out. I've started doing the same thing with Rudy's dish: blow...shake dish until more hulls float up...blow...shake dish again...blow...and keep repeating that, but frankly I really don't want to do that every day for the next 50 years. But I'm strongly against wasting food and don't want to just dump it out. What does everyone else do about this?

 

[Grinder]

How are often are you giving him 'fresh' seed mix?

 

[Mommajack]

Every couple of days I add more. It's a big cup I use to put it in, as I free feed his seed mix. If I filled it level full with water it would hold 2 3/4 cups, but I don't fill it level full of course.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I throw my leftovers outside, by my wild bird feeding station. That way if there are morsels left, the wild birds have a fiesta. And in order to keep the ground half decent by my wild bird feeding station I vacuum the ground with a shop vac once a week. (Don't want to attract TOO many mice or other unwanted rodents.)

 

[Grenage]

When it comes to food, I add only what he'll eat in a day (maybe slightly over). I ditch what's left when I change the food.

 

[FreddyCheeks]

http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/32338-what-do-you-do-your-leftovers.html

I just throw mine in the yard.

 

[Mommajack]

@JerseyWendy
I had considered that, but would much rather give it back to Rudy.

@grey782163
Interesting!

@FreddyCheeks
Sorry, it didn't occur to me to search using the word 'leftovers' haha. Thanks!

 

[aliray]

I dump what is left and refill daily except for the canary who gets a quarter cup every two days in one of those outside seed saving plexiglass food containers. with a baffle and perch inside. I think Macaw seed would be too hard to blow the husks off unlike parakeet seed or canary seed. Plus I have heard of birds starving when people thought their was food and it was only empty hulls. I know the mix I use for my parrots has seed, nuts, dried veggies, dried fruit, and some pellets

 

[MonicaMc]

I only feed enough for one day, dump out any leftovers/hulls the next morning and refresh with new food. I do not believe in providing more food than a bird can eat in one day. Likewise, I try not to underfeed, so I do expect *some* waste.


There are two other systems of feeding... one of them is the TidySeed, which would probably be too small for Rudy
Tidy Seed ® No-Mess Birdfeeder


The other option is a Bird Zerk feeder. They have macaw sized feeders which might be closer to your needs?
Bird-Zerk Inc. Home Page

 

[torrap]

..........I had figured out if I took his bowl outside first and blew into it, many of the hulls would fly out. I've started doing the same thing with Rudy's dish: blow...shake dish until more hulls float up...blow...shake dish again...blow...and keep repeating that, but frankly I really don't want to do that every day for the next 50 years. But I'm strongly against wasting food and don't want to just dump it out.

It's so funny...It's EXACTLY what I do every morning....And I hate doing that. Also, the hot peppers bits make me sneeze so bad.....