FAQ's and Seed Preference Chart!
FAQ's from our customers1.What kind of feeder is best for cardinals?
A feeder with a large platform is best. We offer several large platform feeders.
2. What type of seed do cardinals like best, and what seed is best for cardinals?
They prefer black oil sunflower seed but will eat a wide variety of seed including nuts and safflower.
3. How do I keep raccoons off my feeders?
Raccoon baffles mounted properly will keep the raccoons from getting to the seed.
4. How do I keep squirrels from eating my birdseed?
One way is to provide the squirrels with their own food like a basic mix such as our black oil seed and some corn, or we sell a seed mix called CritterWise that would be a good choice. If you do not want to do that you can use our squirrel proof feeders or baffles we sell to keep them from getting to the seed.
5. I recently purchased a birdfeeder/birdseed that the birds don’t like, what do you suggest?
Give them more time because it takes a little while for the birds to become familiar with the new birdfeeder/birdseed.
6. How do I keep blackbirds/starlings/grackles from eating all my birdseed?
The Droll Yankee caged feeders we have work very well for keeping larger birds out while allowing smaller birds up to the size of cardinals to feed in peace and harmony. If you don’t want a caged feeder, you can fill the feeder you have with safflower seed, not a mix, and slowly those birds will go away."
7. What is the best way to clean my concrete birdbath?
Scrub it clean with a stiff birdbath brush like the ones we sell. Do not use soaps, detergents, or bleach, because it will kill the natural bacteria that helps keep the water clean. New birdbaths or very clean birdbaths, when dry, can be treated with a concrete sealer that will keep the algae from growing in the porous concrete.
8. How do I control the algae in my pond?
Aside from using water treatments, such as liquid or dry bacteria, ecoblast, and other water treatments that we sell, we also have ultraviolet lights that, when combined with the water treatments, will keep your pond crystal clear all year.
9. My plants in my pond are not doing very well, is there anything I can do?
We have a water garden plant fertilizer called Ecotabs, these will help to make your plants flourish.
10. What do I do with my fish I have in my pond during the winter season?
As long as the pond is at least 2 feet deep, fish will hibernate when the temperature of the water is cold. They don’t need to be fed, as they are unable to digest the food while hibernating. When/if the pond ices over, you need to make a hole in the surface to allow harmful gases to escape. Placing a heater in the pond will solve this problem, or you can use a small pump to force water from the bottom of the pond to the surface, preventing ice to form over your pond.
11. What kind of seed does a certain type of bird prefer?
We have provided a chart to help answer this question for a variety of wild birds that live here in Missouri!
