topic Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard in Community Chat

Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 22:40:15 GMT

My dog, Ava, has thrown up a few times lately. I've noticed a lot of birdseed in her vomit and her poop. (Sorry for being so graphic.) I've decided to quit feeding the birds in my back yard for that reason.

How can I get rid of the birdseed around the feeders? Is there such a thing as a vacuum for use outdoors? It would need to be something with a long cord.

I've also thought about just covering it with mulch, but it's a big area. In the meantime I'm watching her when she's in the yard to make sure she doesn't eat the bird seed.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

ValuSkr — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 22:46:36 GMT

I would rake it up; that should take care of most of it.

As much as I enjoy bird watching, I think feeders are often nothing but trouble.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 22:50:02 GMT

@ValuSkr I've fed them for about 25 years. I really hate to take the feeders down, but I can't let my dog eat the seeds. I think there's too many seeds to just rake them up.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

KingstonsMom — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 22:55:58 GMT

@NickNack

If you, a neighbor or relative has access to a leaf blower, they can be reversed to act like a vacuum.

You just take off the blower end and put it on the opposite end of the leaf blower, if that makes any sense.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

SilleeMee — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:00:24 GMT

Shopvacs are made for that kind of thing.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:00:41 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
@NickNack

If you, a neighbor or relative has access to a leaf blower, they can be reversed to act like a vacuum.

You just take off the blower end and put it on the opposite end of the leaf blower, if that makes any sense.

@KingstonsMom Great! I was hoping for something like that. I'll call the guy that mows my yard. He has a leaf blower. Thank you!

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

Mz iMac — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:02:44 GMT

@NickNack I don't know what kind of dog you have but, can you put a mesh fence around the feeders-tall enough so your dog cannot get to the dropped seeds?

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

KingstonsMom — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:10:10 GMT

@NickNack

You're very welcome!

Another reason you may want to discontinue feeding the birds is that one poster (I forget which one) who responded to my 'Kingston Surgery' thread mentioned that her dog was in the hospital for a week after eating "tainted bird poop".

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:06:56 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
@NickNack I don't know what kind of dog you have but, can you put a mesh fence around the feeders-tall enough so your dog cannot get to the dropped seeds?

@Mz iMac I have a 22 lb. French Bulldog. I could put something like that up, but I think it would be hard for my yard guy to mow and deal with it.

I have a feeder in the front yard that I'll keep up. I just like to sit on my back porch when it's warm and watch the birds.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

MalteseMomma — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:13:49 GMT

@NickNack

Won't the birds eat it all up in the blink of an eye?

Mine would...............

When spring comes I'm not feeding anymore either. I have too many birds here and it is getting too expensive.They are eating 25lb bags of seed daily.I too have been feeding for many yrs 30 or more.It helped me when my DH died.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:07:56 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
@NickNack

You're very welcome!

Another reason you may want to discontinue feeding the birds is that one poster (I forget which one) who responded to my 'Kington Surgery' thread mentioned that her dog was in the hospital for a week after eating "tainted bird poop".

@KingstonsMom I read that post and thought about Ava possibly doing that.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

KingstonsMom — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:08:27 GMT

@Mz iMac

Not if you have blue jays as frequent visitors!

The ones that visit our feeding platform, scatter the seeds all over the place while searching for their favorite seeds, LOL!

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:09:26 GMT

@MalteseMomma wrote:
@NickNack

Won't the birds eat it all up in the blink of an eye?

Mine would...............

@MalteseMomma I do have birds who eat off the ground, but the little ones stay at the feeders. I have a huge hopper feeder, an extra large tube feeder and a cylinder feeder in my back yard.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

occasionalrain — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:17:19 GMT

Once you begin to feed birds, it's inhuman to stop in the winter. The birds establish food sources in the fall and expend energy getting to their know food sources. When that source is gone some will die trying to locate another source. Often, they will continue flying about in the same area confused.

I suggest you go out with your dog and train him to "leave it" .

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

KingstonsMom — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:20:37 GMT

@occasionalrain

She still has a feeder in her front yard that she's leaving up, so it's not a stretch for the birds to 'smell' their food close by.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 23:25:52 GMT

@occasionalrain wrote:
Once you begin to feed birds, it's inhuman to stop in the winter. The birds establish food sources in the fall and expend energy getting to their know food sources. When that source is gone some will die trying to locate another source. Often, they will continue flying about in the same area confused.

I suggest you go out with your dog and train him to "leave it" .

@occasionalrain I have a large feeder in the front yard and also a cylinder feeder in the front yard.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

Mom2Dogs — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 00:00:07 GMT

If the seed fell into your lawn (grassy area) I would think you could use a shop vac and get up what seed you can, and I'd also rake reallly well.

We quit feeding the birds several years ago - they made a huge mess in the yard and I and a lot of odd weeds sprouting...I don't think our dog ever ate the seed, but that would have been enough for me to quit feeding them as well.

Our neighbor has a feeder in the front yard and it does cause some problems...lots of birds flying around and we have had a few birds fly into the garage...I am terrified of birds....yes I know they won't hurt me but the fear is real....we usually have the garage door down but on occasion its open for several hours....and along with the birds come squirrels.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

KingstonsMom — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 00:21:16 GMT

I have to admit that I'm curious about so many 'rake them up' replies, how do you rake them when they're so small they go right between the tines of the rake?

The one time I tried that they did anyway, so I ended up with the reversing the leaf blower method.

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

Kachina624 — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 00:27:38 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
Shopvacs are made for that kind of thing.

@NickNack. I think this is the best idea. Do you know anyone who has one?

Re: Vacuuming Up Bird Seed In My Yard

NickNack — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 01:16:11 GMT

@Kachina624 I don't know if I know anyone or not. I'll have to ask. My yard guy might.