Selling love grass at a sale?

[benrayjay]

Hi all, what are your thoughts on selling love grass at a bird sale for nesting material? first is it allowed as its a noxious weed? and secondly for a 20kg bird seed bag what's a decent price, is $30 too much a bag? look forward to your responses.

[gomer]

Love grass ? Do you mean November,fairy, or swamp grass. Have not heard that one before have also heard it referred by farmers as bastard grass. You would be welcome with open arms I am sure at any bird sale with it. $20 to $30 is about the standard price depending on bag size. $20 small bag and anything over that.

[Craig52]

Crutch grass is another name, sheep farmers hate it. Craig

[VR1Ton]

Love Grass is an Eragrostis sp., related to stink grass or elastic grass

[benrayjay]

love grass is not November or swamp grass, it is thicker than November grass, definitely different.

[gomer]

Ok no idea. I was given some grass once similar to fairy but thicker.I kept it and used it when my supply ran out but once I was in good supply again I disposed of it. This grass was from Victoria somwhere so may not be anyway related to the one you are referring to.Sorry No help to you then.

[SteveP]

Eragrostis curvula. It is a very invasive species around sydney in bushland reserves, roadsides etc. it was introduced as a pasture species for stock but poorly researched and not of much quality or palitability to stock.

Out of curiosity I tried it a few years ago and offered it for nesting but it is too course and wasn't used by any birds for nesting. I also tried it whilst it was seeding for green seed and not a single species ate it! I persisted and fed it in my holding aviary for a week as the only green feed and still no takers.

If there was no other nesting materials available I'd assume prolific breeding species would use it as a last resort.

Regards
Steve

[Craig52]

Pretty sure love grass is related to serrated tussock,a noxious weed here in Vic. As the name implies it sticks to anything that brushes against it so the seeds can be carried to a new area on the host.
A mate of mine came across it all blown up against a farmers fence and took some home and placed it in his aviaries,within two weeks the blue tongues he keep there were all dead. The seeds of it had twirled up their nostrils to their brain and killed them but it didn't effect the birds so stick to Swamp/November grass the softer/lighter coloured the better. Craig

[Spitfire]

Might as well sell LOVE at the bird sales, because at the moment we cannot sell birds at our Bird Sales here in Victoria.

[benrayjay]

thanks for all the replies, I have been using it for 2 years now as my only nesting material and the birds love it! painteds, plums, orange breasts, stars, cordons, hecks all make their nests out of it and when I get to the end of the bag I spread the leftover seed on the floor and the birds pick through it with great haste.
As I have no access within an hours drive it is economical and easy to gather. as to regards the pricing of $30 a bag I assume you are all ok with that????