Bird food = sterile hemp seed

[extinctx11]

lol i was looking at bird food and

"Australian Blend - (Goldenfeast)"
Description :
With wholesome ingredients like toasted soy grits, sterile hemp seed, and a variety of millet seeds, plus ingredients to tempt taste buds, like molasses, papaya, and pineapple, your bird will get the nutrition he needs, and the flavor variety he wants! The Australian blend is perfect for Finches, Canaries, Parakeets, Doves, Parrotlets and Cockatiels.

I think "hemp seed" is actually very nutritious. I seem to recall reading something about that...

 

[Stoner4Life]

I think "hemp seed" is actually very nutritious. I seem to recall reading something about that...

As I understand it, when the US outlawed any hemp seed being allowed in bird food the song birds stopped singing.......

makes sense to me even if it is just a 'stoners fable.'

 

[Greensides]

I use hempseed birdseed. they sell it at pet shop stores, and in a lot of farmer co-ops. And my yard is the first to see Common Robins, and all kinds of singing birds in the spring. Never eaten the seed though...

 

[Pops]

Hemp seed contains about 20% protein and the shell contains many minerals. Imported hemp seed is legal in the U.S. for bird feed, only if the seed has been sterilized so that it cannot germinate.

 

[Sheriff Bart]

you can buy hulled seeds though which havent been messed with by steam or irradiation though
taking the hull of kills viability...they sure do taste good though....

 

[Sammet]

I buy this seedmix over here in the UK - it's like sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, etc all with chilli. It's a good snack.

 

[TheGoodStuff]

Huh...

If I eat this, I won't grow a beak, right?
I'm ok with wings though

 

[la resistance]

i've bought it from the feed store occasionally to give to the wild birds. i talked to one of the guys there and he said they tried to germ a bag of like 20,000 of them, but none sprouted

 

[Elevator Man]

You buy it by the kilo in British fishing tackle shops for use as bait. One of the best - fish love it too.

You soak it overnight, then boil until the shells split, and cool in the water. Then just throw it in, basically. Chilean is the best - absolutely gigantic seeds, which helps, when you have to put them on a tiny hook!

For the more lazy folks it now comes ready-cooked and 'frenzied'...

http://www.dynamitebaits.com/index.php?id=576&usergroup=match

 

[Classyathome]

I have heard the singing budgie stories about hempseed...

 

[Puffin13]

Thanks Elevator Man! Never knew you could use hemp seed as fish bait. Cool. Peace.

 

[panopticist]

I give my little parrot unviable bagseeds as a treat every once in a while...
She seems to love them.

 

[Elevator Man]

Thanks Elevator Man! Never knew you could use hemp seed as fish bait. Cool. Peace.

It's been known as one of the premium fishing baits for 30 years or more - in Britain at least. As they're so small, they're only used as hookbait for smaller species, and as 'loosefeed' for bigger fish, but all fish love it, and can eat kilos of the stuff. The amino acids and scent oils in the stewed seeds/water drive them crazy, and it leaves a slick on the water that the fish will often roll in.

Here's a totally nerdy, but utterly fascinating breakdown of hempseed in a UK fishing context - may be useful for some dietary fans too! Just goes to show that even fishing has discovered the magic...

http://www.fishingmagic.com/news/article/mps/uan/3784

In the 1970's, there was a lot of panic over the hemp=dope=trouble equation, and many fishing venues, especially lakes, banned it as a bait. Some thought it would sprout around the venue (unlikely if boiled!). Others thought it was 'drugging' the fish, and banned it as it was considered 'too easy' - like dynamite! It's not that good, by the way...

After a while, it was rumoured that the seed was sterilized before packing, to stop it sprouting - again, pointless, as they're industrial hemp, not high-THC cannabis. However, I planted some seeds at 12 years old in our garden, and they did in fact sprout - my first plants...

Makes me think I should try a germination test just out of interest - I've got a couple of kilos of Chilean hemp sat in the kitchen right now...

 

[Don Cotyle]

I remember an old news artical from 68-69. They found a small,50-100 plants,field of MJ in downtown Baltimore City at a trash-dump transfer site. They blamed birdsfood with hemp seed for the grow and showed a photo of dirty news paper from a bird cage with the seed on it and an empty box. They also had a shot of the plants 12'+. I remember laughing my ass off about it!