Filling the sunflower seed feeder (1 Viewer)

[Yardenman]

My sunflower seed feeder is 6' high and the feeder itself is another 18". I fill it from the removable top. The problem is that I need to haul out my 8' stepladder ever week to refill it. I'm getting too old for that and my knees are bad; it is becoming difficult. So I've been looking for a winch or pulley system to add on the existing pole or replace it entirely. The closest thing I can find is a purple martin house pole, but those things are 12-15' tall which is way more than I need (and expensive).

Does anyone know where I can find a shorter pole that would allow me to just lower the feeder and raise it up again easily? I've been looking at poles online for months.

Alternatively, I am tolerably handy at constructing things, so a DIY design might work fine too. Any suggestions would be welcome.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Wouldn't the simple way be to have a stick with a hook on the end to lift down the feeder each time you need to fill it?

 

[Jos Stratford]

Something like this:

Handy Push/Pull Hook Stick

Handy Push/Pull Hook Stick: Almost 40 years ago in my first apartment in Indiana I found that the heating vents overhead were almost impossible to get to when I wanted to adjust the air flow. The Handy Hookstick was born from that problem that needed solving. Constructed from …

www.instructables.com

 

[Yardenman]

Wouldn't the simple way be to have a stick with a hook on the end to lift down the feeder each time you need to fill it?

To just set it on the top of the pole? Interesting idea. The filled container weighs about 25 pounds (feeder and seed) so it could be awkward. But while the feeder is screwed to the pole, I can see ways to change that. And it might mean I don't have to haul over the tallest stepladder every time. Thank you, I will try that.