RJ's Bird Food

[ERICS MUM]

I just switched on for 10 mins with my coffee and saw video of a bird-feeder filled with seeds and smothered with greedy little birdies. Price was £34 and I thought to myself how expensive because our local garden centre has some lovely elaborate bird feeders for less. Then I looked again and realised lo & behold, that price was for the bird seed only, NOT the feeder.

So, what's the secret ingredient that justifies this price ?

 

[lynnonthelake]

No idea what the weight would be but I always buy sunflower hearts for my bird feeders and it's expensive.

 

[MrMarple]

No idea what the weight would be but I always buy sunflower hearts for my bird feeders and it's expensive.

I buy these as well Lynn, but I get them from 'Home Bargains'. I think I pay about £1.50 for a 1kg bag.
I feed the birds at work when I go out for a cigarette (so about 10 times a day).
They go mad for them. Absolutely love them. I have about 6 birds that wait for me every morning, and I thought by now they'd be sick of them, but no, still love them after about 2 years.

Unfortunately we've now got a robin coming to get fed as well, and it's a ****** bully. All the other birds are terrified of it. Vicious little thing it is.
I've no idea what's so special about the gnomes bird feed though. I'm certainly not willing to pay to find out either!

 

[louise66]

My boxer's holistic diet, costs me a fortune but, because I totally believe in the theory and proven results of it, I am more than willing to pay it. As long as the birds are able to access food, they are hardy little creatures, and eat to live, it is not imperative that they are absorbing the nutrients and vitamins, we are told, this more expensive seed contains. How many people are prepared to pay £32.29 inclusive of postage for wild bird seed, when it can be bought at B+Q, same size for a tenner. I am extremely pro the environment, and animal welfare/rights; I feel I am adhering to my principles. by ensuring the birds are being fed.

 

[candycane]

As one who feeds the birds and is also a fan of Richard Jackson, I too have always thought his bird food was mega expensive. However, I pay £2 or £3 a bag for sunflower hearts, mealworms, niger seed and mixed food even at the cheap shop. These are small bags. When I looked at RJ's food, which is a big bag, if I multiplied up the amount of different foods I buy then it might well be comparable. I know that the mail order plant catalogues sell bird food and it is the same price if not more expensive than RJ's. My birds are greedy but they do leave behind the bits they don't like and the wheat does attract pigeons - apparently Richard's is wheat free. Could be tempted to try RJ's food because I suspect that big bag would last a long time and might work out cheaper than buying my weekly single bags.

CC

 

[mossie269]

Every RJ product makes him outrageous profits so would never buy his products garden centre bird food is excellent birds love it much cheaper .

 

[lynnonthelake]

I buy these as well Lynn, but I get them from 'Home Bargains'. I think I pay about £1.50 for a 1kg bag.
I feed the birds at work when I go out for a cigarette (so about 10 times a day).
They go mad for them. Absolutely love them. I have about 6 birds that wait for me every morning, and I thought by now they'd be sick of them, but no, still love them after about 2 years.

Unfortunately we've now got a robin coming to get fed as well, and it's a ****** bully. All the other birds are terrified of it. Vicious little thing it is.
I've no idea what's so special about the gnomes bird feed though. I'm certainly not willing to pay to find out either!

I loved your post Mr M,:mysmilie_12::mysmilie_12:

 

[lynnonthelake]

Well I must have really fussy birds in my area as when I bought cheaper seeds they didn't go near the bird feeder even the squirrel turned his nose up.

 

[Bettyboo]

I also buy bird food at Homebargains and the birds up here in the North seem to love it. I wouldn't buy anything with RJ's name on it as I can't stand him.

 

[Kathy]

After paying quite a lot for his lawn magic...with no results I will never be tempted by his products again...I don't even watch him anymore, I can't be doing with that self satisfied smirk on his face. I wonder how much he is donating to the very good cause....I get my bird seed from our local weekly market, and have had no complaints...lol My birds like them fat balls in the winter...you should have seen the young market stall lad blush when I asked him if he had got some .LOL

 

[madmax]

I buy a 20kg bag for £12.00 at the farm suppliers and yes it does have corn in it but my chickens soon hoover up any that the birds leave behind.
It is so popular that I now have so many small brown birds coming to feed that I have a sparrow hawk who comes to help him/herself to the sparrows at least twice a day, Which has put me into a quandary am I only sending the smaller birds to their death or am I providing the sparrow hawk with a well deserved meal??
So do I carry on feeding the small birds or let them find their own food so sparing them the hawk?

 

[MrMarple]

I buy a 20kg bag for £12.00 at the farm suppliers and yes it does have corn in it but my chickens soon hoover up any that the birds leave behind.
It is so popular that I now have so many small brown birds coming to feed that I have a sparrow hawk who comes to help him/herself to the sparrows at least twice a day, Which has put me into a quandary am I only sending the smaller birds to their death or am I providing the sparrow hawk with a well deserved meal??
So do I carry on feeding the small birds or let them find their own food so sparing them the hawk?

Oh, that's a difficult one madmax.
On the one hand, it's the cycle of life I suppose and the sparrow hawk has to eat, but on the other hand, I'd prefer it not to be in my garden either.
I don't know what to suggest I'm afraid.
Is there some kind of net/mesh contraption available that the sparrows can get into that the hawk can't?
I've no idea if there is though sorry. I don't envy you I'm afraid.

 

[lynnonthelake]

I buy a 20kg bag for £12.00 at the farm suppliers and yes it does have corn in it but my chickens soon hoover up any that the birds leave behind.
It is so popular that I now have so many small brown birds coming to feed that I have a sparrow hawk who comes to help him/herself to the sparrows at least twice a day, Which has put me into a quandary am I only sending the smaller birds to their death or am I providing the sparrow hawk with a well deserved meal??
So do I carry on feeding the small birds or let them find their own food so sparing them the hawk?

Same happened to me when I hung a bird feeder in Florida it turned out to be easy pickings for the hawk so I got rid of it as it's not a pleasant thing to witness even though I know it's nature and the Hawk has to eat I would rather not see it.

 

[Craftalot]

I always thought that it was the food that Q sells which was the most overpriced (£24 for 6 fishcakes, anyone?), but actually it's the Gnome's stuff. £34 is absolutely ludicrous. I feel sorry for the old folks who want to feed their garden birds but can't get to the shops to lug a huge bag back home and who are consequently lured by this rip-off.

 

[Moth]

I used to buy huge sacks of bird seed at my local garden centre - something like 20kilos for £11 and the birds would go mad for it. I used to take it to the village pond in Falmer and the ducks would literally climb all over me to get to them It's a bit easier where I live, near the coast, as seagulls will eat anything going!

 

[grovesy]

I used to use a specialist bird food supplier, but turned to Home Bargains or Poundstreecher,mine are net to each other, as it costs my around a tenner for a large sack. MY friend recently gave me some Chaplewoods(sold in garden centers) suet blocks, the birds took weeks to eat, when they finshed I went back to my Home Bargains/Pondstreecher ones, they are now back to the normal at least one a day.
I have read letters in various magazines were people say the birds wont eat the so called no grow seed!.

 

[Suki 1]

I just switched on for 10 mins with my coffee and saw video of a bird-feeder filled with seeds and smothered with greedy little birdies. Price was £34 and I thought to myself how expensive because our local garden centre has some lovely elaborate bird feeders for less. Then I looked again and realised lo & behold, that price was for the bird seed only, NOT the feeder.

So, what's the secret ingredient that justifies this price ?

I have bought it in the past, it certainly draws the birds but it is such a large bag it is difficult to store it when you live in a flat.

 

[Suki 1]

I used to buy huge sacks of bird seed at my local garden centre - something like 20kilos for £11 and the birds would go mad for it. I used to take it to the village pond in Falmer and the ducks would literally climb all over me to get to them It's a bit easier where I live, near the coast, as seagulls will eat anything going!

Lovely pond at Falmer have spent many an hour there.

 

[ERICS MUM]

After paying quite a lot for his lawn magic...with no results I will never be tempted by his products again...I don't even watch him anymore, I can't be doing with that self satisfied smirk on his face. I wonder how much he is donating to the very good cause....I get my bird seed from our local weekly market, and have had no complaints...lol My birds like them fat balls in the winter...you should have seen the young market stall lad blush when I asked him if he had got some .LOL

Wot, you actually asked a man if he had fat balls ? You hussy !

 

[Julius]

I couldn't give a stuff for raspy voiced Richard Jackson or his overpriced bird seed. Just get a loaf of bread and sling it in your garden. Trust me the birds will come pecking in no time. I buy seeded loaves for the birds outside my block of flats.