Sunflower seed

[lookbettertomorow]

Hello wise ones, please help me decide what to do with all the sunflower heads I've grown and kept with a view to feeding the seed to birds?
I have learnt there are 3 sorts, black, black and white strips and the white ones like mine that apparently need to be shelled for the hearts which birds like.

Anyone know how to shell them? Or is it a waste of time?
Thank you

[scarey55]

I think the birds will be able to shell them for themselves. The ones I use go in the feeder whole and the birds just leave the shells.

You can buy just the hearts that are marketed as "no mess" which are more expensive but but I think they should be OK with the shells on, just put a few out and see what happens.

[DannyK]

I think the white ones may not be ripe. The large white seeds in cage bird mixes are safflower, not sunflower and my cockatiels seem to leave them.

The hearts are only marginally more expensive. Ebay 20kg seed £19, hearts £21 but you're not paying for the husks, which make a big mess.

[chris_m]

You can buy just the hearts that are marketed as "no mess"

They are "no mess" only if you don't have finches feeding - on mine they grab a seed and just crunch it up, ignoring all the detritus that falls to either side of their beaks.

I've taken to hanging a large flower pot saucer below the feeder to catch most of the bits - for which the collared doves, robins and some of the less agile sparrows who either can't (or can't be bothered) to get into the cage appear to be grateful. At least, they seem to do a better job of clearing up the mess than they did when it just fell onto the ground ;-)

[DWSmith]

The black ones are high in oil which means high in energy so they're especially good for the colder months. They are the only ones I use. The birds that eat my sunflower seeds have to shell them. I'm not going to do it for them nor pay extra for them.