So. Deer eat bird seed, do they?

[icarus]

The bird seed mystery is solved.

Stepped outside to find the bird feeder totally empty again. But this time, the ground was frozen to reveal tracks.

Deer tracks.

I can see it now. Deer walks up to bird feeder tray. Lick-lick-lick-lick-lick and it's all gone. LOL!

On the one hand, I don't mind feeding the deer. On the other hand, I doubt bird seed is an ideal diet.

Time to buy more apples.

Comments

[celtic_maenad]

well, huh. As deer are herbivores and seeds/grain provide the most 'bang for the bite' as it were, I suppose birdseed isn't surprising. Not that I've seen this before, nifty!
If you don't have objections to corn, getting a bag of feed corn from a Tractor Supply/Southern States would probably do the deer well and be a little less expensive for you than apples. =]

[icarus]

Oh, what a cool idea! Corn!

[celtic_maenad]

I do believe there's even a Southern States [or something like] near you - on Davis Mill road. =]

[krait]

I was going to say: deer love cracked corn, and also equine "sweet feed"; both are probably cheaper than apples, unless you know someone with an orchard. :D

[cleverthylacine]

I'd find out if your area is a deer overpopulation zone before I started feeding them on a regular basis; if you attract too many of them they will devastate your back yard. My parents used to have major problems with deer messing up their garden.

[icarus]

Oh, I've no doubt this is a deer overpopulation zone. I already have a problem with deer in the garden, and I'm backed up to a ravine where I've seen deer ghosting by.

From what I can tell from a little reading, deer become increasingly devastating to gardens the hungrier they are. But I'm also going to feed them well away from my garden.