Do you feed the birds

We used to feed the birds in our previous house but one day I saw a rat hanging of the bird feeder and that finished me off!! We have talked about feeding the birds in this house as we no longer live near a railway line but we do live near a farm so we are undecided. We do want to encourage birds into the garden. Lots of people hear converting their lawned areas to astro turf which we will not do but its very heavy clay so we may have to go to a rock garden with pots and planters.

Absolutely, I have birdfeeders in the front garden and the back garden, birds are a bit scarce at the moment but yes I will always feed the birds....

Yes always do different feeders for various birds and squirrels. If I could I would spend all my time watching them but have to get on with life.

Yes, we have squirrel proof bird feeders which are well used. We did see a rat sauntering across the base of them, but now have the boxes of vermin poison hidden in the nearby border and haven't seen any since.

This a sore point with me at present. Yes, I did feed the birds and never had any problem with vermin. Squirrels in plenty, whether I fed the birds or not, and collared doves.

I used to have a wide range of birds coming to the bird table but this winter while DH was ill, I rather stopped. I started again a month ago, and narry a bird have I seen. A squirrel trashed the plastic fat ball holder - I thought - then yesterday I saw this jackdaw, huge bird, attacking my new metal fat ball holder and I realised who had trashed its predecessor and what the problem is.

There are 2 pairs of jackdaws nesting in next doors chimney, They are bullies and their diet can include small birds, especially chicks, so the birds are avoiding my bird table because of the proximity of the jackdaws. I had 8 jackdaws in my garden yesterdays, so there are obviously more nesting nearby.

I am not sure what I can do to rid myself of the jackdaws and get all my other birds back. Meanwhile I am not putting feed out.

Yes, we have several feeders, all very well visited. We get through masses of fat balls, sunflower hearts, and more recently, dried mealworms.
Dh gets bulk deliveries from Brinvale.

More than once after dark I’ve seen a very little mouse getting into the fat ball feeder from an adjacent shrub, but we’re happy for him/her to have a share. The other night there was another at the same time, having a drink from one of the bird baths.
We get masses of several types of tits, inc. flocks of long tailed tits in winter, and great spotted woodpeckers among others.

Yes, always. My friendly little robin would be so upset if didn't give him mealworms every day, and the wood pigeons would starve without my seed supplies.
I am careful where I put it so as not to attract vermin.

I used to but last February was very wet and a mouse got into the house. It probably had been eating the seeds I had in the bird feeder. I stopped then started up during the very wintry spell this year. However I found a dead rat in a planter. It had presumably been eating the bird food and had drowned in the planter which had filled up with water. So that's it. No more feeding birds.

I used to feed the birds until it seemed to attract the squirrels...despite squirrel proof feeders. The squirrels trashed flower beds by digging up crocus bulbs and in the Spring/Summer destroyed parts of the vegetable plot . The squirrels are not around as much now but I have to keep certain things covered with wire .

No, there are too many cats around.

No, we too have jackdaws, magpies and flipping pigeons who used to spend most of their time trying to eat my veg, tree vermin, we’ve also hat rats. But the birds visit, blackbirds, starlings, a robin, very occasional goldfinches, sparrows, sad for the small birds, a sparrow hawk too.

I live in a second storey flat so only have a feeder stuck on the window, but get lots of tits and an occasional robin. They are very picky - turn their noses up at mixed wild bird seed, but love sunflower seeds and cheddar cheese.

It was difficult finding a feeder design and place where the pigeons couldn't come and scoff the lot but I have finally outwitted them.

Four feeders (different food in each) and a bird table. Occasionally put mealworms and sultanas on the garden table.

Used to get a lots of squirrels but having a dog now keeps most away. No rats.

Huge variety of birds on them including woodpeckers. My favourites are long tail tits and nuthatches.

Vermin for us are jackdaws, magpies and jays.

Bulk buy from Mole Valley Farmers.