Mess left under bird feeders

[Ann]

We have 4 bird feeders hanging under our rose arch and are rewarded with lots of different birds visiting daily - but they get through an enormous amount of sunflower hearts - 20kg in 4 weeks!!! The trouble is, they seem to waste so much - they pick it up in their beaks and then scatter it on the ground, which leaves a real mess. When it rains this turns into a soggy smelly mess and I have to constantly clear it up. Any suggestions?

[Wak]

Try peanuts, fat balls and budgie seed for a change?

[boxtops]

Did you see this in the papers? about the importance of keeping bird feeders etc really clean? I knew we should but I didn't realise how important it is to the birds who use them http://theextinctionp...-pox-virus-spreading/

[hippodave]

Some feeders allow the birds to flick the seeds out more easily if they are after certain ones, but usually the dunnocks clear up alot. One of next doors chickens come in now and again and hoovers up the lot. Just a thought.

[RATTER15]

if its that bad I'm surprised the rats don't invade you and clear it up.

[Ann]

No - we do not have rats! I clear it up most days anyway. I would not like to stop feeding the birds, they bring so much pleasure to our lives, watching their life cycle, most are quite tame now. I have tried feeders with trays but all it does is attract lots of pigeons - these we can well do without! Thanks for suggestions anyway......

[Frank97]

How about putting one of these on the ground, at least it would make it easier to clean up.
http://www.harrodhort...T-004&cookie%5Ftest=1

[heathfield]

Concrete the area?

[Ann]

Thanks d97x7 for your suggestion about the garden "trays" - they are brilliant - mine was £2.99 from a discount shop - better value than the Harrods one!!I have one positioned under the feeder but even that fills up with seed and if I don't manage to empty it before it rains it stays full of soggy smelly sunflower hearts...... I can't understand why the ground feeder birds don't eat it up while it is fresh.