Question for BITOGERs with birdfeeders
- Thread starter GON
- Start date
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
I used to feed the birds year 'round. I always enjoyed watching them forage for food, especially during the winter.
But I live out in the country and I have enough problems with rodents chewing up car electrical wires. The seeds attract rodents.
However, I do have bird houses and have watched the hummingbirds fight for the food in their feeders.
But I live out in the country and I have enough problems with rodents chewing up car electrical wires. The seeds attract rodents.
However, I do have bird houses and have watched the hummingbirds fight for the food in their feeders.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
Fully concur with your comments.
We did bird seeders for many years. We found ways to reduce the squirrels eating the bird seed. We were never able to solve the problem of mice being attracted to the spilled bird seed.
Like you, we converted to hummingbird feeders exclusively.
My dad (RIP) loathed squirrels. Below, his squirrel control attempt via 20 gauge..................
Hahaha, my wife sent me that meme the other day. Since retiring, I have taken up bird watching/feeding. I got one of those feeders with a camera and can watch from my phone app anytime. The variety of birds we have around here is way more than I thought. And squirrels. I do have a baffle deterrent that works really well, especially for the fat ones that can't maneuver. The ones that do try harder, usually get greeted by both of my dogs when they trigger the camera 
. I'm going to get a few hummingbird feeders as we have tons of them and they are great to watch.
. I'm going to get a few hummingbird feeders as we have tons of them and they are great to watch.
I ran 2 feeders for several years, one tube and one platform. Squirrels feasted on the tube (greased poll with Dex III for temporary relief), platform had counter balance to defeat them. Realized I had a gnarly rat problem from the platform feeder. Took out platform and switched to squirrel-proof tube feeder and raged an all-out a 3 front war on vermin for about 4 months (poison, traps and rat hotels) My local pest guy would have made Carl Spackler proud and we cleaned out the problem big-time. Running just squirrel-proof tube with no signs of rodents and plan on adding hummingbird feed soon to catch the migration north.
I use some silicone grease on the metal stand and it helps keep them on the ground. It's fun to watch squirrels try though.
That stuff will keep ants out of a hanging Hummingbird feeder too.
Last year I used Crisco on the pole to keep the tree rats off. Worked pretty good and it was non toxic.
We finally quit putting bird feeders up around our house. We went through tree of them in the span of two summers. Seems the bears like bird seed a lot more than birds do. The absolutely destroyed the feeders and the metal poles they are hung on.
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