🌻 Seed Mix Cost Per Pound Calculator
Enter each seed type's share of your blend (by weight ratio) and its cost per pound to calculate the overall cost per pound of your mix.
A weighted average, not a plain one
Each seed's cost is weighted by its share of the blend, so the parts you use most of pull the price hardest:
blended cost = Σ(parts × cost per lb) ÷ Σparts
(2 × $1.50) + (1 × $3.00) = $6.00 $6.00 ÷ 3 parts = $2.00/lbThose are the two rows the page starts with. Averaging $1.50 and $3.00 naively would give $2.25, a quarter too high, because sunflower is two thirds of this mix. Widen it to 4 parts sunflower to 1 of millet and the blend falls to $1.80/lb. New rows added with the button start at 1 part at $1.50.
Turning the rate into a running cost
- Parts are by weight. A pound of millet occupies far less space than a pound of sunflower, so a blend mixed by the scoop is not the blend you priced.
- Multiply out the season. At $2.00/lb, filling an 80 oz feeder costs $10.00, and a garden getting through 4 oz a day spends $0.50 a day, about $183 over a year.
- Price what is eaten, not what is bought. Cheap filler seed drops the blended figure while much of it ends up swept onto the ground, so the cost per pound actually consumed can be higher than the sticker price on the bag.
Frequently asked questions
How do I work out the cost of a homemade birdseed mix?
Multiply each seed's parts by its price per pound, add those up, and divide by the total parts. Two parts at $1.50 plus one part at $3.00 is $6.00 over 3 parts, or $2.00 per pound.
Is mixing my own seed cheaper than buying a blend?
Often, because you control the proportions and skip the cheap filler that commercial blends use to hit a price. Compare the bag's price per pound against the figure this page gives for the same recipe.
Why is my blend more expensive than the bag I copied?
Usually because the bag leans harder on its cheapest ingredient, or because you bought smaller sacks. Price per pound falls with sack size.