I live in the White Mountains of Arizona, which is a dry climate. I have one hummingbird feeder hanging on my back deck, which I fill with commercial hummingbird food. I have noticed that the food is congealing, almost to the point of being jello-like. I would assume the birds can't consume this? Could it be caused by evaporation? How can I prevent it from happening, please?
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Hummingbird Feeder (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter nemismom
- Start date
Montereyman
Well-known member
I replace the home made sugar solution every 2-3 days in the winter and every other day in the summer. When the solution becomes cloudy it is time to replace it with a fresh batch.
All one needs is to boil water and make a mix with 1 part suger to 4 parts water. For orioles though the ratio should be 1 part sugar to 6 parts water. I mix the solution and pour it into a metal bowl to cool faster.
I have enough feeders to make rotation easy and the feeder I take from outdoors is rinsed and then I use a weak bleach mix to kill anything inside the feeder.
I like this feeder which is the easiest to clean. During the winter I make a 2 cup batch for this feeder. I have also found that multiple feeders spaced apart results in less aggression by the hummers.
All one needs is to boil water and make a mix with 1 part suger to 4 parts water. For orioles though the ratio should be 1 part sugar to 6 parts water. I mix the solution and pour it into a metal bowl to cool faster.
I have enough feeders to make rotation easy and the feeder I take from outdoors is rinsed and then I use a weak bleach mix to kill anything inside the feeder.
I like this feeder which is the easiest to clean. During the winter I make a 2 cup batch for this feeder. I have also found that multiple feeders spaced apart results in less aggression by the hummers.
I check it regularly. It didn't get cloudy. It just got comgealed.
I used to have that same feeder - two of them. I hated them! They were pretty hard to clean, and to fill without spilling.
Montereyman
Well-known member
I have 10 of these feeders as they are by far the easiest to sanitize and the easiest to fill and hang from hooks outdoors. I have tried many other types over the years and these are the only ones I have kept and use.
I hold them upside down with the feeding port piece off and then pour in the sugar solution and then with the clear plastic piece still upgright I screw on the red plastic feeder port assembly. If you follow this procedure you will not have any problems.
It is important to properly put the two pieces of the red feeder port section together first and then screw on the assembly to the clear plastic piece, and this does require a little bit of hand strength.
I hold them upside down with the feeding port piece off and then pour in the sugar solution and then with the clear plastic piece still upgright I screw on the red plastic feeder port assembly. If you follow this procedure you will not have any problems.
It is important to properly put the two pieces of the red feeder port section together first and then screw on the assembly to the clear plastic piece, and this does require a little bit of hand strength.
