Sunflower chips provide birds with an easy, mess-free meal and also attract less aggressive birds than whole sunflower seeds.
Discount bird seed blends typically contain filler/waste seeds such as white millet, red milo and cut wheat that do not support wild birds’ health and wellbeing.
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Hulled Sunflower Seeds
Black oil sunflower seeds or hulled seeds without seed husks are an effective way of attracting a wide range of bird species, especially small seed-eating birds that don’t possess strong bills to crack open shells. Furthermore, hulled seeds are virtually free from sticks, stems, or any foreign material that might clog feeder ports; while more costly per pound than their whole or cracked counterparts they may be worth investing in for those wanting clutter-free feeders.
Sunflower heads can also be fed directly to wild birds, allowing them to pluck the seeds with their beaks. When using this approach, however, be sure to regularly inspect for spoiled, rotting, or wet seeds as these won’t appeal to birds and could potentially make a mess at ground feeders; tray or platform feeders would be better options for direct feeding in this instance.
Sunflower Hearts & Chips
Sunflower hearts, or the husk-free centres of black sunflower seeds, are more digestible than whole seeds and constitute between 35% to 45% of their weight.
These seeds have had their hulls removed to produce an entirely edible product and reduce waste (seed hulls can create an untidy mess under feeders). Soft-bill birds like Blackbirds and Robins cannot digest whole black sunflower seeds with their beaks alone, making these products suitable for them.
Chips make an ideal addition to mixed feeders. I use them in seven of our feeders, including two Squirrel Buster Plus Feeders and four Woodlink caged tube feeders. Goldfinches in particular love them, along with many other seed eaters like House Finches, Siskins, Dunnocks and Titmice.
Sunflower Fine Chips
Sunflower chips are an irresistibly delicious treat that birds of all kinds love, including finches, chickadees, grosbeaks and nuthatches. Packed full of 100% sunflower seed meat – with shells removed so no discarded shells accumulate under your feeder – sunflower chips provide high energy nutrition year-round for seed eating songbirds! These finely chopped pieces make digesting whole seeds easier while leaving no trace behind to sprout once left lying around on the ground – providing all-year round support to seed eating songbirds! Sunflower chips offer high energy boost while providing high energy feed-packed energy feed to all seed eating songbirds year after year! This high energy feed option can easily satisfy all seed eating songbird species!
Black Oil Sunflower Seed can be messy to prepare. Here’s an economical option that provides all of its same benefits without all the hassle! This alternative product from our birding collection makes a wonderful bird feeder treat and boasts all of its essential vitamins and minerals.
Dehulling of seed begins by using machines that shatter its shell, followed by going through screens to remove any shells and grade. Unsuitable seeds for bakery use are sent off to Lizzie Mae’s, where their product can then be sold as Sunflower Hearts & Chips or Black Oil Sunflower without messy hulls.
Sunflower Fine Hearts
To attract finches without inviting goldfinches, try providing them with a combination of fine sunflower hearts and nyjer seed (black thistle). A specialty finch feeder or mesh’sock’ type feeder should do just fine to dispense this mix – finches will adore it while bickering goldfinches won’t cause issues like they do at traditional sunflower only feeders!
Sunflower hearts or chips that have had their husks removed mechanically make it easier for small birds like finches, chickadees, and grosbeaks to consume the seed more readily while making it less messy on the ground. Furthermore, this process eliminates wasteful hulls on the floor.
This product provides an ideal alternative to black oil sunflower seed (the pizza of bird feed), offering versatility when mixed with other seeds or fed alone in tube, tray and hopper feeders. Please consult the In-Store Availability tab for your local CountryMax store availability of seed. Please specify which size bag size you would prefer when placing your order – simply note it in the “Customer Notes” box during checkout.
