You can also buy special bird seed storage containers with a built-in moisture and pest proof seal. You can also do a sniff-test of your bird food. Containers close to feeders makes refilling bird feeders easier and many people choose a sheltered outdoor location like a garage, shed or storage box. If your birdseed isnt stored correctly, pests can easily find their way to your supply and help themselves. I found out for me using large coolers with wheels work really well . These are great for storing large quantities of bird seed. Make sure that you store your fresh seed in a convenient location. If you dont have a garage, you can store seed for your bird feeder in plastic containers. The bulk of my birdseed purchases go into larger storage containers in the basement. No lifting the heavy bags. A cool, dark, well-ventilated area between 8 and 10 degrees celsius is ideal and you should choose storage containers with deep sides and a lid. To attach them to my kitchen tins, I used clear packing tape to attach it to the side of the tins. You can now find them in the Birdseed Storage Labels to Print post.) Its a bit startling to open a seed bin to have little mouse eyes staring up at you. Check out these bird seed storage ideas to see what works best. They should be kept in their own sealed bird food storage container, ideally made from plastic. Should I store bird seed in the plastic bag? Other problems with improper storage are that it can lead to spills of bird food and make refilling your bird feeders messy, tricky and time-consuming! Sharp unpleasant smells are a definite warning sign that your bird food should be discarded. Because I can usually go through fifty pounds of nyjer in a month, I buy it in the big bags from a local bird store that has very fresh high quality seed. Furbo Dog Camera: Treat Tossing, Full HD Wifi Pet Camera and 2-Way Audio, Designed for Dogs, Compatible with Alexa (As Seen On Ellen), Petcube Cam Pet Monitoring Camera with Built-in Vet Chat for Cats & Dogs, Security Camera with 1080p HD Video, Night Vision, Two-Way Audio, Magnet Mounting for Entire Home Surveillance. Storing birdseed inside is the most convenient option for me, with the seed easy to access. The whole process typically Bird food containers come in all shapes and sizes and can be made of plastic or metal. With tight-fitting lids, these tins have a second life as storage for seed. First, I learned the hard way that if other people dont know what Im storing in the low flat-topped plastic bins, they might think its ok to stack other things on top of them. And you want it to be convenient and easy to access. I like labeling mine for a few reasons. If you want to know what is the best bird food storage container, read on and well share our top tips on how to keep your wild bird food in tip-top condition. The pitcher spout helps me fill the tubes Without the lids, I find these are a nice size to scoop out a decent amount of seed, usually enough to top off or fill one or more feeders. Then I recycle the paper seed bag. Be sure to keep your metal storage containers somewhere where they wont rust. If fifty pounds is beyond your strength, you might need to consider either getting someone else to carry the bag in for you or use a dolly or wagon to wheel it into your house. . When it comes to storing bird seed, the main thing is to keep it away from moisture and pests. A cold area of your home or garage will work for large quantities. ), If you have mice around and they find a way inside, you may develop a mouse problem. Be sure to store them in a cool, dry place, so they dont melt. And during snow storms, I dont have to dig a path to an outdoor storage location just to get birdseed. I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. If you use an affiliate link on my site to go to Amazon and make a purchase within 24 hours, I earn a small fee which helps offset blog related costs. Nancie. I check my feeders each day, either by looking out my windows or doing a quick walk through the feeder area. Thanks! Your bird food containers should also have lids on them to keep your bird feed fresh and prevent contamination. I can carry three of these filled jars in each hand outside without spilling seed. Using the right containers can make all of the difference. Because the big bins in the basement were lined up with the tops easiest to see, it made the most sense to put the labels on the lids. Shes a proud Mommy to 2 shelter kitties. Hi Laura, Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ae92c7b228a0d8e5eb80506d491ef12d" );document.getElementById("gc44ad9799").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The better option is to pour the bird seed into an airtight container when you get home from the store. Birdseed bulk can vary a bit, but I could fit at least fifty pounds of any of the types of seed I use in one of these containers and in some cases quite a bit more. I keep about 6 large bags of different types of bird food in our outbuilding and have had the mice get into them before. never mix old and new seed together.). Once I have everything filled, I take If you give a little thought to setting up a convenient and easy to use birdseed storage system, youll find that filling up the feeders doesnt have to be a chore. Similarly, if you use live bird food such as live mealworms, these will need to be kept at a specific temperature to prevent them hatching into beetles. Check with your local bird store. If you are storing it outside, look for galvanized metal that wont rust. What Are the Best Ways to Store Bird Feed. Enter your email address to receive email notifications of new posts. The mice started caching seed and peanuts here and there in the house. Keep the seed in a cool and dry area to keep it freshest. If you regularly feed the wild birds that visit your garden, youll want to make sure you never run out of bird feed. Choose small bird seed storage containers for one or two bird feeders. Or you could instead purchase smaller weight bags that you can manage. As you attract birds to your yard, you may be purchasing a lot more birdseed to feed them. If I didnt use that much, Id choose a smaller size. . She has been running a small pet sitting business in southern Vermont for the past three years. When it is very hot, it is better to store a quantity that the birds can consume for two weeks during the summer season. Basement seed storage will work for large containers. Your email address will not be published. And second, if we go out of town, someone else might need to find the right type of seed. I also dont have to worry about seed getting excessively hot or it getting wet and then rotting before I can use it. I could also create special labels for someone else filling the feeders for me while I was away if they needed more instructions. This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a commission at no extra cost to you should you click through and make a purchase. This keeps both the stored birdseed and me drier. The exception is my thinner nyjer tube I am more conservative about nyjer seed though because American Goldfinches will shun stale nyjer and it dries out relatively quickly. from the kitchen storage and bring them outside. The point is, if you have a suitable storage container already, clean it out well and use it. I can empty the bags right from the tailgate of my truck directly into the coolers, then wheel it right where I need them. The first clue that your bird food has gone bad is if the wild birds visiting your garden dont seem to be eating it anymore! (I have used both. Your email address will not be published. The blogs focus is on backyard bird watching, especially solutions for problems that come up with feeding backyard birds. Because I store my birdseed inside, it reduces the chance of outdoor critters getting into it. (Note: In the comments below, Laura requested copies of my labels that can be downloaded and printed. Promise!). While you might be tempted to just keep seed in the paper or plastic bags they came in, there can be problems with that, even if you are storing it inside away from damp and critters. Doing it this way kept my label sheets clean. I love seeing birds eating in the window feeders in the winter. For years I stored the bulk of the seed down in our basement storage area in five very large 18-gallon Rugged Tote lidded plastic storage bins, purchased from a home improvement store (Lowes). So maybe this is really a pro. (See photo below.) Top 10 yellow birds in Britain and the UK to attract in your garden, Celebrate National Bird Day with some urban birding, World Wildlife Day; How To Attract Wildlife To Your Garden, 7 Ways to Get your Children Involved With The Big Garden Birdwatch, Garden and nature crafts you can do with the kids, 5 things to do to rewild your garden in time for spring, How birdwatching activities can benefit your mental health, How can you do your bit for wildlife conservation, How to Keep Your Bird Feeder Clean and Hygienic. This means youll need to find a safe and convenient way to store your bird food supply to keep it fresh and easily to hand when its time to top up your bird feeders. When you subscribe below, youll get an email whenever a new post goes up (and ONLY then. This replaces the previous post. If your bird food has gone bad and you are reusing a container, its best to thoroughly wash and disinfect the container after disposing of the old feed before you refill it with fresh bird food. When storing birdseed inside, you could go with either metal or heavy plastic storage bins. If Im stocked up, I can just fill them call us today on01778 342 665, The store is currently under planned maintenance. The small fees they provide help cover my site costs. I store my birdseed inside my house. If you feed birds sunflower seeds or safflower seeds, you need to store the seed in a cool, dry place. How do we keep birdseed fresh and tasty? What type of storage containers should you use to store birdseed? So I buy sunflower hearts, safflower and nyjer seed in fifty-pound bags and peanuts in the shell in twenty-five pound bags from my local bird store. Smaller containers can be stored in the kitchen or near the door if they are attractive. If feasible, store larger quantities of seeds inside locking boxes or garages in a convenient place where feeders can be retrieved easily. My suggestion is either a metal or heavy plastic storage container. Seeds last up to twelve months if properly stored. Storing birdseed in an airtight container helps keep it fresh. To fill the feeders, you obviously need to get the birdseed from the storage containers to the feeders. I use a bunch of 30-ounce plastic jars that originally held Archer Farms trail mix (from Target.) How to Choose Birdseed For Backyard Birds, Want to read more posts about birds? These larger cans hold thirty-one gallons and I think should be able to hold (or almost hold) two fifty pound bags of seed. Thanks for sharing that. But if I need to make labels in the future, Ill do it the same way I labeled the plastic bins, although I would probably put the labels on their sides. Unfortunately, my lovely plastic bin storage hit a snag this past year: mice. My own seed is stored in my basement that never gets very hot so it isnt a problem. outside with less spilling. When I come home from the bird store, I carry the fifty-pound bag to just inside my kitchen door and set it down on the floor. Dismiss, The Warehouse, 74, Station Road,Deeping St James,Peterborough,PE6 8RQ, The Ultimate Guide to Using Blended Bird Seed. Clean out your feeder and add fresh seeds every five to 10 days. ), Ive found that most birdseed bought fresh will easily last at least a few months when properly stored. Right now Im the only one filling the feeders so it isnt necessary. Clean out your feeders and add fresh seeds every five to 10 days. I also touch on bird photography, stories about birds and birding field trips. Smaller bird food storage containers are lighter and easier to move so are a good choice if you only store small amounts of bird feed or if you need to carry the container outside to your bird feeder, whereas larger containers are ideal for storing greater amounts of bird food. If for some reason I couldnt do that, my second choice would be inside our dry garage which is closed up to keep out wildlife. Got a question for us? Whatever storage container you choose, make sure it is kept in a cool, dry place. It makes the most sense to buy a container that fits the size of your bag of birdseed. Mine carries small galvanized metal pails with lids that can securely store small amounts of seed. Sunflower Hearts The Ultimate Bird Food? feeders. (These are the three cans on the right in the photo above.) Please check back shortly. Choose a storage method that works best for you and your family. This method prevents the seed from spoilage because of humidity and hot conditions. With a little planning, you can easily keep your bird seed fresh. Even on wet, snowy days, I have a dry place to get all the seed ready to go outside. Large galvanized metal garbage cans with lids are great for people who like to buy bird seed in bulk in a large bag. I have a lot of bird feeders and fill them with a lot of birdseed year round, but especially during winter months. Required fields are marked *. You may alternatively be able to find decorative metal tins that look nice for storing seed inside. You can find suet cakes at your local hardware or feed store. First, it can be harder to neatly extract birdseed stored in bags, especially big deep bulk bags. Learn how your comment data is processed. Because these tins are on shelves, the side labels are easiest to see. We used a. One of the major issues is that bird food such as sunflower seeds, peanuts and other wild bird seed is not only delicious for birds, its also highly attractive to pests, such as rats, mice and insects! Dont have a well-sized decorative tin that will work for seed storage? And, it will keep other critters like mice out. Each holds at least a weeks worth of birdseed, more or less, depending on what is in them, the time of year and the size of the tin. Any chance your labels are available to download? Its important to store the seed in temperate, dry conditions to keep your bird food fresh. If you are concerned about wild animals or mice, make sure it has a tightly fitting lid. So, make sure that you fill feeders regularly with bird seeds to encourage birds to return. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Hi Gwen, They may not keep your seeds safe outside. We are still not sure how they got into the house to begin with but they found the basement seed storage irresistible. And a floppy bag can more easily spill. Storing sunflower seeds or safflower seeds, How to store large quantities of bird seed. This will help keep the seed fresh and dry. it all outside and fill the feeders. Metal storage containers are a good choice if you worry about wildlife chewing holes in a container to get to the seed. Please always respect copyrights. (Paying less per pound for a bigger bag of birdseed that will dry out before you can use it all is a false economy.). I lined the bins up in a row and it was quick and easy to lift a lid and scoop out seed.