Bird feeder ideas

[JHurt]

So I have three bird feeders on shepherds hooks on the back deck that I feed nyjer seed in. Problem is that they are so close to the deck that the birds poop all over the deck, and the missus is tired of it. Anyone else have any kind of set up that would get it farther away from the deck? I'd like to see some pics if anyone has some neat set ups. Thanks in advance.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I built this feeder myself; it is mounted on a piece of gas pipe and a squirrel baffle installed. The bottom of the pipe is screwed into an attachment designed to allow the pipe to be installed in a closet as a clothes rack. It has been there probably 20 years.

 

[/pine]

Sorry I don't have a pic...with a few galv. pipe fittings it is easy to make swing out feeders...

you need a couple of base plates (round flange with 4 screw holes and in the center 1/2" female pipe thread)

three 1/2" galv. street El's

a section of 1/2" galv. pipe threaded on both ends...

fit 2 of the street El's together then screw the male end into one of the base plates (about 2/3's of the threads) and the section of the pipe into other end (female)...put the third street El on the other end of the pipe facing up...

put the second base plate on the single street El

Screw the base plate with the two El's into a deck rail or post...This allows the pipe to swing 180*...

make a wooden feeder and fasten it to the base plate on the other end...

swing the pipe in to put seed in the feeder then swing it out away from the deck (I use 4' sections of pipe)

I'll try to take some pics and post them ASAP..

 

[JHurt]

Sorry I don't have a pic...with a few galv. pipe fittings it is easy to make swing out feeders...

you need a couple of base plates (round flange with 4 screw holes and in the center 1/2" female pipe thread)

three 1/2" galv. street El's

a section of 1/2" galv. pipe threaded on both ends...

fit 2 of the street El's together then screw the male end into one of the base plates (about 2/3's of the threads) and the section of the pipe into other end (female)...put the third street El on the other end of the pipe facing up...

put the second base plate on the single street El

Screw the base plate with the two El's into a deck rail or post...This allows the pipe to swing 180*...

make a wooden feeder and fasten it to the base plate on the other end...

swing the pipe in to put seed in the feeder then swing it out away from the deck (I use 4' sections of pipe)

I'll try to take some pics and post them ASAP..

This is kinda what I am thinking! If you get a chance to post some pics I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[dodge man]

Our bird feeder is on a shepherds hook also. Ours just sticks in the ground. Can’t you just move it further from the deck?

 

[/pine]

Another option is strapping a short piece of pipe (inside diameter slightly larger than the shepherd's crook shaft) to the outside of a post or railing (put a cap on the bottom of the pipe...saw off the shepherd's crook and slide in down into the pipe...rotate it so the feeder hangs over the side...

 

[JHurt]

Our bird feeder is on a shepherds hook also. Ours just sticks in the ground. Can’t you just move it further from the deck?

I wouldn't be able to see it from the french doors in the back if I moved it. Our deck is about 10 ft off the ground.

 

[PILOON]

You can also hang a feeder off of a clothes line and haul it away from the house.

We did that once and it solved messy seed and droppings problem HOWEVER the raccoons would still reach by swinging hand over hand 'til they could grab the feeder.

SO, to solve the 'coon issue I strung a bunch of 1 inch plastic wheels on the clothes line.
It was funny as all getup to watch the 'coons claw out some 6-8 ft and their fingers would tire and they'd lose their grip and crash.

The plastic wheels were from those devices to render your fridge easy to pull away from walls.
LOL, as usual I don't trash things that might find a new usage.

Later once we'd thought we'd foolproofed the feeders we discovered that flying squirrels would simply glide in for a feed.

 

[JHurt]

Built these tonight. Need to grind down some crappy welds and paint them and I’ll see how they do!

 

[Zippo1]

View attachment 664762 View attachment 664763

I built this feeder myself; it is mounted on a piece of gas pipe and a squirrel baffle installed. The bottom of the pipe is screwed into an attachment designed to allow the pipe to be installed in a closet as a clothes rack. It has been there probably 20 years.

Nice job. The problem I had with the bird feeders was that the birds were knocking seed onto the ground which was attracting rats and mice.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Nice job. The problem I had with the bird feeders was that the birds were knocking seed onto the ground which was attracting rats and mice.

Yeah, that happens constantly. I think the community feral cats keep the varmints down, although the squirrels, doves and turkeys keep the seed on the ground cleaned up pretty well. I feed a mix of sunflower seed and hen scratch, and if I get the ratio of scratch too high, they do kick a lot of it out.

 

[dalola]

We keep all of our feeders (about a dozen..) under a couple maple trees about 50' off the back deck. A bird feeding station, if you will. We have a variety of mounts...mostly hooks hanging from tree branches. It's far enough away to not worry about the mess, but close enough to easily see. Also keep a couple ear corn feeders for the squirrels. Fun to watch with my morning coffee.

 

[rekees4300]

View attachment 664831
Built these tonight. Need to grind down some crappy welds and paint them and I’ll see how they do!

They are pretty but since they're built at a 45 degree angle, squirrels will easily climb them. :squirrel:

 

[JHurt]

They are pretty but since they're built at a 45 degree angle, squirrels will easily climb them. :squirrel:

Its weird, we have squirrels in the yard, but I have NEVER seen them on the deck, or getting into the bird feeders. I do have ears of corn out on a couple of trees in the yard, so maybe they just prefer that. I also only fill my feeders with nyjer seed, so maybe they don't care for that either.

 

[rekees4300]

Its weird, we have squirrels in the yard, but I have NEVER seen them on the deck, or getting into the bird feeders. I do have ears of corn out on a couple of trees in the yard, so maybe they just prefer that. I also only fill my feeders with nyjer seed, so maybe they don't care for that either.

I feed Nyger seed to the Gold Finches, squirrels don't like the small seed. The Woodpecker suet feeders and regular bird feeders are another story. Use regular bird seed mixed with sunflower seed for those and the squirrels love both. In the Winter have seen as many as 12 squirrels partaking in their "buffet" but this time of year normally see 2 or 3. I enjoy watching them, the gymnastics they can do in the trees limbs is amazing. I've tried ears of corn but the raccoons steal it during their nightly raids. This place is a ZOO!

 

[PILOON]

Friend likes to feed birds.
Problem is he's near a pond and the mallard family's like to drop in.
City wanted him to regulate the mallards as they created traffic problems.
LOL, friend told the city to issue tickets to the ducks.

 

[rekees4300]

Friend likes to feed birds.
Problem is he's near a pond and the mallard family's like to drop in.
City wanted him to regulate the mallards as they created traffic problems.
LOL, friend told the city to issue tickets to the ducks.

We have a 1 acre pond and the various ducks come and go. Never attempted to feed them since they are truly wild and take off instantly when a human is sighted. Geese are a different story, they use the pond to raise their young for several weeks in the Spring. Their "feed" is the grass on the dam.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I feed Nyger seed to the Gold Finches, squirrels don't like the small seed. The Woodpecker suet feeders and regular bird feeders are another story. Use regular bird seed mixed with sunflower seed for those and the squirrels love both. In the Winter have seen as many as 12 squirrels partaking in their "buffet" but this time of year normally see 2 or 3. I enjoy watching them, the gymnastics they can do in the trees limbs is amazing. I've tried ears of corn but the raccoons steal it during their nightly raids. This place is a ZOO!

My bird feeder is far enough away from the trees that squirrels can't get to it, and the baffle stops them, so they are not a problem. I have seen a big racoon simply crawl over the baffle, so they can get to the seed if they want. Fortunately, they don't visit very often, or if they do I never know it. In the past, they could kick out most of the seed during the night, so I got in the habit of filling it only about 1/4 full, but no problems lately. Neighbor used to throw corn on the ground for the turkeys; we had deer, turkeys, Canada geese and Mallards visit pretty regularly...not to mention crows. Since she quit that, the ducks, geese and deer visitations have slowed considerably.

 

[Diggin It]

I have seen a big racoon simply crawl over the baffle, so they can get to the seed if they want.

Mine are rigged up from a couple of 4x4s. The 'Coons could climb those easily. Stopped them by putting a couple of pieces of 7" galvanized duct around the 4x4s. They can't climb the metal.

 

[rekees4300]

Mine are rigged up from a couple of 4x4s. The 'Coons could climb those easily. Stopped them by putting a couple of pieces of 7" galvanized duct around the 4x4s. They can't climb the metal.

Have a similar problem with the 4X4s supporting our 2nd floor deck. Coons climb up there and damage the grill. How long is the galvanized duct? Attach with screws? Do you flatten the duct to match the shape of the 4X4s or just leave it cylindrical?