Good diy food mix for baby sparrows

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

I have 5 pairs of sparrows with young in their nests. Last 2 seasons I bought live mealworms for the bird table which the parents carried to the chicks, it was expensive. Ive made a substitute mix which they seem to love and fly it to the nest all day long.
1 tab spoon peanut butter
2 tabspoon poridge oats, mix these things together with boiling water. Then add about 4 tabspoons of egg food (from aviary suppliers for hand rearing baby birds). The finished mix should be about the consistency of risotto. Allow it to cool. It will keep in the fridge for a few days. Sometimes I add a few dried mealworms to the mix .
The sparrow population has really boomed here since Ive been helping them out and theyre real tame, even flying into the shed to collect mealworms.
Bad news is that theyve forced away the bluetits that allways used to nest in the garden.

[tamsin]

I've been leaving worms for the blackbirds feeding their babies

[Two_Sheds]

isn't peanut butter really salty?

[WrexTheDragon]

I put out dry poridge oats (the cheap Tesco own label one) I get blackbird, thrush, robin, blue tits and sparrows all down at the feeding station. A special treat for the blackbirs, thrush and robin is dried currents. The trush will come to a foot away when it knows I have them.

[Two_Sheds]

A special treat for the blackbirs, thrush and robin is dried currents.

If you soak them first, the birds get vital water as well: I'm getting through a pack of sultanas a week at the mo

[WrexTheDragon]

If you soak them first, the birds get vital water

I will give this a go.

[Two_Sheds]

I keep a handful at a time in a bowl of water, this gets chucked on the lawn up to 6 times a day

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

isn't peanut butter really salty?

It does have salt in it, but with the other ingredients and lots of water added its ok, they love it.

[Jeanied]

You can get a low salt version - or even make your own peanut butter.

I have to say, Sheikh Yerboutti, I am lost in admiration for your posts! What a wealth of info on wildlife. You are my hero!
(I also have to say I have a couple of heroes on here, but you are definitely one of them!)

Now I'm sure those bluetits, being resourceful little critters, will move into someone else's garden. Meanwhile those sparrows need all the help they can get.

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

Thankyou so much. Yes, I do love all sorts of wildlife and allways try to improve their lives if I can. Its great to see sparrows make a comeback after their numbers crashed.I think UPVC has a lot to answer for in their decline. They cant get into roofspaces like they used to when people had wooden fascia boards etc. They are colonial nesters so if anyone has room they could put up a row of boxes and will be rewarded with their fascinating behavior close at hand.

[Two_Sheds]

if anyone has room they could put up a row of boxes and will be rewarded with their fascinating behavior close at hand.

WE have a cock sparrow close at hand... he sits outside the bedroom window and trills from 4am until we get up

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

AHHH, he is lonesome and singing for a lil hen, lets hope hes lucky.

[Two_Sheds]

He's a little s0d. He's carped all over the flat roof, and he's singing to at least 5 hens that I know of.
(actually I like him, but he drives Mr TS bananas)

[Suky]

Thanks for that sparrow feed, have about 20 pairs nesting in the overhang of plumbers yard next door. Numbers are down on previous years so anything I can do to help.........

'My' blackbird loves grapes and will come right to my feet to get them. He and his missus are nesting in the ivy covering the end gable wall on the aforesaid plumbers yard and overlooking our garden and they share the wall with a pair each of robins, wood pigeons and thrushes. Four families, that we have seen, all in one bank of ivy. I love to sit with a cuppa and just watch all the comings and goings.

[Sheikh Yerboutti]

20 PAIRS, wow. What a din. It might take them a few days to get used to the feed but Im sure they will take it. Keep us posted.