Best bird feeder cleaning regime and solution (1 Viewer)

Wondering if I could get some advice on how often, in what temperature of water and with what solution (freely available if possible) I should be dismantling my various feeders and tables?

Just been watching a female Green Ring Necked Parakeet feeding on our Sunflower Hearts. She looks very tired and a little bit threadbare at the moment. Same with a few Blue Tits in the last week or so.

I'm sure this is mainly to do with the season were in but clearly want to make sure I'm offering my visitors the most hygenic and benign feeding opportunities I possibly can.

I'm guessing a pipe cleaner is in order ? One kept aside for the purpose and regularly sterilised to avoid cross contamination ?

We feed Niger, bird mix, Sunflower hearts and slighly blended bird grade peanut in appropriate tube feeders. Suet and home made lard/mealworm balls from a cage and a mix of seeds,Sunflower hearts, mealworm and suet kibbles from our tree mounted, pigeon proof Heath Robinson sheltered table.

Water is provided from a suspended plant basket with a plastic bowl in it and a stone in that for anyone that wants a bit of a wash.

Ground feeders eat freely from dropped foodstuffs in branches above.

Hope I've got this right?

Parents are bringing in their fledgling Sparrows and Bluetits to feed and be fed. Feel very honoured.

Looking to learn.

Many thanks MR

Glad your getting plenty of birds to your garden.
This link to Garden Wildlife Health gives the basics. http://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/files/2013/10/Feeding-garden-birds.pdf
Personally, I wash feeders about 7-10 days, so only put in enough food to last that long. Also, I change water every day, and clean water dishes weekly. I use about 5% bleach solution for a couple of months, then change to Ark-Klens, for a couple of months. This is aimed at stopping 'bugs' getting immune to one type of cleaner. I never mix cleaning materials with household, and do the washing outside, so nothing is taken in the house. Always wear rubber gloves, for filling feeders as well. ( contamination suit not necessary! LOL)
I think preventing build up of 'mess' on the ground is also really important.

Thank you - HazChem suit on standby

Mary said:

Glad your getting plenty of birds to your garden.
This link to Garden Wildlife Health gives the basics. http://www.gardenwildlifehealth.org/files/2013/10/Feeding-garden-birds.pdf
Personally, I wash feeders about 7-10 days, so only put in enough food to last that long. Also, I change water every day, and clean water dishes weekly. I use about 5% bleach solution for a couple of months, then change to Ark-Klens, for a couple of months. This is aimed at stopping 'bugs' getting immune to one type of cleaner. I never mix cleaning materials with household, and do the washing outside, so nothing is taken in the house. Always wear rubber gloves, for filling feeders as well. ( contamination suit not necessary! LOL)
I think preventing build up of 'mess' on the ground is also really important.

Click to expand...

Thanks Mary.

I'll check that out and implement the suggestions. Might try and rig some sort of float valve arrangement for supplying a dedicated water feature for bird bathing and drinking further down the line as and when we get a permanent stone bird water feature.

Sparrows dominate amongst the smaller birds just at the moment. (We even have a seed feeder that they seem to use exclusively in the front garden - no other varieties appear to have noticed it). The Tits of all varieties less so. Robins, Dunnocks and Wrens have all but gone AWOL even though a Dunnock couple actually bred on our back lawn. The display was quite florid !

Goldfinches are here but no others.

Blackbirds brough their fledglings early. The first in fact.

Corvids aplenty and of course the Green RN parrots.

The pidgeons and sparrows make a good job of mopping up seed from below feeders.

I hope all those missing friends are currently somewhere doing what they do and haven't been predated or otherwise.

All I can do is offer a diverse supply of staples and watch.

Thank you for your advice and hope you have a lovely summer.

Kind regards
TM