Does Birdseed Go Bad? Birdseed Expiry

If you own a lovely pet bird or enjoy watching backyard birds, you probably know a thing or two about birdseed. Just like any other food in the world, birdseed, unfortunately, does go bad. Spoiled seed is not the best food to give the birds you care about. And as a devout bird owner or bird watcher, birdseed expiry is very important!

Birdseed comes in a variety of mixtures – each meant to provide nutrients for a specific type of bird. It’s crucial to know what kind of birdseed you have before deciding how to store it. Mixes commonly include striped or hulled sunflower seeds, black oil, safflower seeds, sorghum, millet, and cracked corn. 

Pumpkin seeds, nuts, sunflower hearts, mealworms, and dried fruit may be used in more costly mixes.

But if you’re not careful with how you store these mixes, they may go bad and harm birds. So, keep reading if you want to make sure you’re feeding birds the fresh food they deserve!

Things That Speed uP Birdseed Expiry

While storing birdseed in bulk might be the most cost-effective option, it may not be the best option for the bird itself. Birdseed is prone to rot, and there are some signs of birdseed rot that you should be aware of. 

If your birdseed expires, throw it away immediately. You certainly should not feed that to the birds.

When birdseed gets wet, clumps form that are rather hard to be separated, signaling that it shouldn’t be consumed. Sift the seed if you have doubts that it has become moist.

If your seed has an odor, that indicates it’s begun to rot. Check for any signs of mold or mildew. A harsh, musty odor indicates expired birdseed. Fungus in the seeds can also cause discolored grain.

Of course, moldy birdseed is completely inedible and should be thrown away. Insects can also spoil healthy seeds.

However, faded or dusty birdseed isn’t necessarily inedible. It has almost certainly lost part of its nutritional value due to its age. So, use a new bag of birdseed to replace any outdated ones. Also, clean the bird feeder carefully and discard any food that birds have pooped on.

When Does Birdseed Expire?

Typically, you can find the expiration date on the packaging of your birdseed, although sometimes it’s not that easy to see. The manufacturer will almost always tell you that the birdseed has a shelf life of two years, although in some cases, it may last 6-12 months.

After the birdseed sits for such a long time, it may start to go rancid, which is particularly true if the birdseed is stored improperly.

Although businesses aim to produce high-quality products, they must also consider their expiration date. The last thing bird food manufacturers want is people and pet stores to start returning expired products after 6-12 months. It won’t help them financially.  If you buy birdseed that is approaching its 2-year expiration date, it won’t be as fresh and won’t have the same amount of minerals and vitamins as fresh birdseed.

So do the birds a favor and feed them the most recent and fresh birdseed you can find.

Even though producers package their bird seeds in nitrogen gas, which preserves nutrition, they cannot control how the birdseed is shipped and stored before you buy it. 

So, you could end up with filthy or rancid seed. Or, at the very least, you will have birdseed that doesn’t have the adequate nutrient content that your birds need.

What Will Happen if you feed birds expired Birdseed?

You might find some old, unused birdseed in the basement, and you may be tempted to feed it to your backyard birds so that it doesn’t go to waste. What would happen if you did?

1. Check the expiration date on the package
2. Smell the birdseed. Does it smell musty or rancid? Odor indicates bad seeds
3. Is the seed clumped together? If so, it’s probably gotten wet and is spoiled.
4. Do you see mold or other foreign material growing in the seed? If so, get rid of it!

Don’t be surprised if the birdseed looks fresh even after years of sitting in the basement; it happens! If it fails any of the tests above, though, it’s not a good idea to feed that to birds. 

But don’t panic if you already fed the birds some of this spoiled birdseed. It shouldn’t cause them significant harm (as long as the seeds look fresh and healthy) since the seeds’ endosperm and embryo have most likely dried up and died. 

At this point, these seeds are most likely devoid of nutrition. And giving birds seeds that are empty of nutrients is the equivalent of giving them just filler. It will fill the birds up, but it won’t provide them with the nutrition and energy they need .

In short, don’t feed the poor birds old seeds! 

What about Suet?

In high temperatures, suet is prone to spoilage and goes rancid easily, making it unhealthy and less appealing for birds. Suet that hasn’t been used can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator until it’s needed. 

Once it is opened, you should refrigerate it and use it within 6 weeks.

The Bottom Line on Birdseed Expiry

If you’ve read up to this point, you know that birdseed usually lasts 6-12 months. When packed with nitrogen gas properly, the manufacturers claim their birdseed can last up to 2 years.

Although it can stay edible for some time, it won’t necessarily provide the same amount of energy and nutrients. To sum it up, feed your birds non-expired, fresh seeds, and suet to let them get the most out of their food without causing them any unnecessary harm.

There are also other ways that bird seed can cause you backyard problems. Know what birdseed does not attract rats and mice. Also, check out how you can prevent bird seed weeds from taking over your yard!