If you like,try the hot pepper flakes also, the birds can't taste them and the intestinal bugs hate them.Very good points! We let them free range and more than once they have caught snakes, mice, toads, etc. We give them a lot of scraps (anything they like to eat that’s not moldy or meat). I’m planning on giving Sleepy some egg and pieces of suet today to see if she likes it and my parents can continue fattening her up when I’m away. My parents buy the mash from a small farm because it’s super cheap—I’m not sure if I can convince them to change it