my birds like them too.
I let water drain rather well, so my seeds are served dump but not soaking wet.
Jan, you should experiment as you get different results with different seeds in different climates. Who knows how it works in UK
I would start with soaking overnight (add a bit vinegar)
then drain, rinse, let stand in the strainer for few hours, rinse again very well, let stand, and so on - basically rinse and let seeds stand in the strainer several times a day. You will see how long it takes to see little sprouts coming out.