Cold Weather Bird Feeding Extras

[Chipchopper]

I, like many, have been putting out extra food supplements for our feathered friends.
Should apples be cut up or not, as it seems they are more interested in getting to the core to eat the pips ?.

TIA

[spathiphyllum]

Yes, i'd chop them but not too much, almost just smash them on the floor

[naomi24]

Don't forget to put fresh water out regularly. With everything frozen, that will be in very short supply.

[storm_petrel]

Although apples may be welcome, a proprietary bird seed mix will ensure they have the appropriate fats and oils necessary to keep them warm. Also if you cook meat keep the fat and bits of left over meat in a plastic cup in the fridge then once full pop it out of the cup and put it in the garden, they will love it.

[bhg481]

Seeds are designed (by nature) to contain enough nourishment to feed a baby plant until is grown roots and can feed itself. Flesh on fruit is designed to attract animals to eat it; seeds are generally indigestible, so pass through the animal intact, and are deposited a distance from the mother plant, along with a supply of food (manure). Seeds are full of nourishment, flesh is tasty.

[bhg481]

Birds crush the seeds, large animals often don't. My father-in-law was a very keen gardener but wouldn't use horse manure on his roses because of the weeds that came with it.

[Palustris]

We don't bother cutting up the apples. The 30 I threw out today lasted all of 2 hours before the blackbirds, thrushes and fieldfares had gobbled them all up. They did not even leave any for the pheasants.

[murraymints]

putting out seed, fat balls, smashed apples, and filling bird baths with tepid water...putting on tables and ground alike...

[rowanwitch]

They like blueberries too. An extra bowl from the market went down well

[spathiphyllum]

I can't afford to give my birds blueberrys :( B&M basic suit balls they get, but they don't complain!

[murraymints]

they also like the cat food that mia leaves in her dish !!