Our new deck! You know it is summer when I have the feeder that Tima recommended. They not only get the most traffic but are easy to pull apart to clean. A pipe cleaner comes in handy for the ports. Here's how I keep the feeders I love and you hate spotless, inside and out.
When necessary, and it hasn't been for the weeks I've had them out this year, I soak them in a bleach solution. Here's a tip: The little white ports pop out, which gives better access to the interior. I remove them only when I do the bleach soak or need to use the pipe cleaner, which is infrequent. I haven't needed to do either so far this year. I'd be interested to hear of a bottle feeder that's easier to clean, but it has to have a glass bottle so it won't yellow in the sun , and it must not leak.
However, the one I linked to is so easy to maintain, it's just curiosity that leads me to ask. I bought a fancier one a couple of years ago that did leak, and I'm not not looking to replace the three good ones I already have.
Even with taking the white ports out, it still seems more time consuming to clean. I looked at the reviews on Amazon and it looks like many others agree. It is pretty though if you're willing to do more work every couple of days. My cheap feeders haven't dripped or turned yellow after multiple seasons for me. Perhaps that's because they don't get exposed to intense sun What really matters is that you enjoy maintaining the feeders and watching the beautiful hummers visit.
No matter what feeder you have, it should be a positive experience. I tried mine again and every 3 minutes or so, a bubble of air would rise up and then followed by a few drips, and then it stops for another 3 minutes or so then again. I paid 15 dollars for it at Home Goods and it is a beautiful glass shaped one.
I will take a picture tomorrow and show you all. Thanks again for your time and suggestions. I saw the ones at Walmart and thought they would be dicey since they were so cheap. Here is a link that might be useful: First Nature feeders in action I'd always kept plants for the hummingbirds and never fed them, but after a harsh winter took out some of their favs last year I began feeding while waiting for replacement plants and shrubs to mature -. Mike, I wanted something more decorative than the red plastic feeders and tried three, returned them they carried prices more like garden art than feeders.
All three dripped and I had ants, yellow jackets interested in the sugar water on my deck, walkway, in very short order. And, hummingbirds weren't becoming overly active at those feeders.
The hummingbirds were much happier with the saucer type red plastic feeders with yellow flower ports - so much for good taste : They don't drip at all or leak, are easy to clean. As far as the leaking goes are you sure it is leaking out. Could it be other creatures such as bats or raccoons.
Ive heard of bats emptying feeders overnight with no problem. In fact I would not buy another Hummzinger, but I would definitely buy another bottle feeder just like the ones I already have, which have been far superior to the other kinds of bottle feeders I've tried, including cheap plastic ones and a more expensive decorative glass ones, which was a leaky piece of junk.
I found a solution that has kept my feeders from dripping and attracting yellow jackets and other unwanted pests. This only works for Humzinger-style feeders not the standard large flower, smaller feeders. I bought pipe sealant in the hardware section of my grocery store; pipe sealant is non-toxic. I also bought a roll of plumber's tape--the really thin tape used to help pipes seal up.
First I cleaned everything really well. Then popped out all of the flowers and slathered a bunch of I then slathered the pipe sealant around where the flowers go in--you want to use a really good amount--and pushed them back in. I then did the same where the top met the bottom "bowl".
Next, I wrapped a generous amount of the plumber's tape around that same place to really seal it up. The pipe sealant comes in little tubes and is kind of like working with toothpaste and putty mixed together. Note: It doesn't fully dry up. It's not supposed to.
The end result is somewhat ugly with the white tape and the white goop around the flowers, but it sufficiently not only stopped the yellow jackets from coming they tried and tried, but finally stopped.
A leaky hummingbird feeder can create quite a mess especially if you have it mounted above a deck or structure around your home and can also invite a number of unwanted visitors like ants, bugs, and a variety of animals. Most of the time, we find leaking problems usually occur with gravity-fed feeders, where the bottle is above the feeding port, rather than with the saucer-style hummingbird feeders.
If you're having trouble with your feeder, here are a few things that could be causing it. When the space above the nectar gets too warm, it causes the air to expand, pushing the nectar out of the ports. Take a close look at your feeder and if you think this might be a problem, try moving the feeder to a shadier area. Hummingbird nectar can attract a number of other visitors, both furry and feathered, to your feeder.
These larger animals and birds can easily knock your feeder around and make a mess of the nectar. Remove any perches that might allow for other birds to access the feeder and ensure it is not accessible to other animals.
The Hummingbird Feeder Heater will protect nectar from freezing temps down to 5 degrees. We promise to only use your email for our Newsletter. We will absolutely NOT share your email with anyone. Home Information! About Us Contact Us Newsletter.
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