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Discussion Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: Nancy5 on May 13, 2020, 12:27:07 pm

Title: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: Nancy5 on May 13, 2020, 12:27:07 pm
I have one hummingbird feeder and saw my first hummingbird today.  Do you make your own feed or do you buy yours?  I usually buy mine, but this year I made it and it seemed to draw the bird.  Not sure if I should continue to make it, or buy it.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: tjshorty on May 13, 2020, 12:35:39 pm
which do you like better?  I think that's what you should do.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: debidoo on May 13, 2020, 01:20:59 pm
I have long wanted a hummingbird feeder and wanted to get one for hubby but alas he passed away before I got one.  I think next time my lawn guy goes to Lowes I will get him to get me one or I will check to see if they have one on Ace Hardware site. 
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: aflyingmonkey on May 13, 2020, 02:25:35 pm
I have two hummingbird feeders for years, decades actually, I started off with the kit food & changed to just regular sugar & water, & the hummingbirds have loved just the sugar & water (& bonus no red dye).   I recently purchased the kit stuff again from Home Depot when this shelter in place order went through & sugar was a rare commodity, & the birds didn't care too much for it. So I had to shell out $13 for 8 lbs of sugar from Costco delivered, to keep them happy & me & my family happy, they are very cute to watch :)

The hummingbird feeders, that worked out the best over the years, i've purchased from lowes -- they're glass with painted flowers on the outside.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: judylucas on May 13, 2020, 03:26:00 pm
I made my own most of the time but can't have the feeder where I live now
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: sdenimandlace1 on May 14, 2020, 03:41:56 am
The hummers have been here for a bout 2 weeks. I make my own food for them.   They will come to the window we are sitting  at, when the feeder gets low.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: jkhanson on May 14, 2020, 08:47:43 am
I too had my first hummingbird visit yesterday.

I make my own food....no red dye
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: oldbuddy on May 14, 2020, 08:49:58 am
I have long wanted a hummingbird feeder and wanted to get one for hubby but alas he passed away before I got one.  I think next time my lawn guy goes to Lowes I will get him to get me one or I will check to see if they have one on Ace Hardware site. 
They have them on Amazon. We got ours there and make our own nectar. They have not been coming around lately, but we keep it up anyway
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: cathy37 on May 14, 2020, 12:43:56 pm
When I had a Hummingbird feeder I bought the food.  My grandmother before she died would make her own food for her feeder.  She loved to watch the Hummingbirds.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: catchow on May 14, 2020, 02:23:18 pm
I make my own juice for them. Also I have a bunch of red and pink flowers below the feeder for them as well so they have a variety
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: teresa3200 on May 14, 2020, 07:51:33 pm
I live in the country so I can't have a hummingbird or any type of feeder. I have cats that go in and out as they please and a feeder would just be something to get the poor birds attention while my cats are hunting.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: claudegrizzle on May 14, 2020, 10:55:46 pm
Hummingbirds are so beautiful. In our old home we used to have hummingbird feeders and we purchased the feed for it. Didn't know you could make your own. We don't have one where we live now.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: plennis on May 15, 2020, 06:41:53 am
We make on our own food.  It is less expensive and we can make it up quickly when the feeder runs out.  We had a couple of weeks where they were  not coming around and then a couple of days ago started coming back in mass.  Love to watch them.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: countrygirl12 on May 15, 2020, 07:40:08 am
I have one hummingbird feeder and saw my first hummingbird today.  Do you make your own feed or do you buy yours?  I usually buy mine, but this year I made it and it seemed to draw the bird.  Not sure if I should continue to make it, or buy it.

Do what ever you want to.  My uncle made his own and was not something most would have done. But he had birds on his feeder all the time. I recently acquired a hummingbird feeder but have not done anything with it.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: Nancy5 on May 15, 2020, 08:03:04 am
I decided to make my own and put up the feeder.  I was so happy and surprised when I saw one hummingbird on it.  Now I just hope more of his buddies will join him soon.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: Nancy5 on May 15, 2020, 09:52:45 am
I just googled feeders and it said since the feed is sugar put cooking oil on the pole.  It will stop the ants from climbing the pole and going into the feeder.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: pectacon on May 15, 2020, 09:58:23 am
The red kind you buy is actually very bad for the birds, I've read, due to the coloring. The red is just so you, the consumer, think it looks pretty/special; the birds don't care. We made our own for a long time, just sugar and water, and those little guys loved it. We eventually stopped though because sugar is cheap but not free, but even more than that, it's a hassle to keep cleaning out the feeder every couple of days (it gets gross fast especially when it's hot outside).

I also noticed that when we first put it up, a handful of hummingbirds would all come to drink, but after a while we had one tiny bully who declared it HIS feeder and he'd chase any others away.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: aflyingmonkey on May 15, 2020, 10:19:48 am
The red kind you buy is actually very bad for the birds, I've read, due to the coloring. The red is just so you, the consumer, think it looks pretty/special; the birds don't care. We made our own for a long time, just sugar and water, and those little guys loved it. We eventually stopped though because sugar is cheap but not free, but even more than that, it's a hassle to keep cleaning out the feeder every couple of days (it gets gross fast especially when it's hot outside).

I also noticed that when we first put it up, a handful of hummingbirds would all come to drink, but after a while we had one tiny bully who declared it HIS feeder and he'd chase any others away.

Hummingbirds are VERY territorial by nature, one will drive out the others as part of their normal behavior... that is part of the reason why I have two feeders.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: pectacon on May 15, 2020, 10:37:42 am
The red kind you buy is actually very bad for the birds, I've read, due to the coloring. The red is just so you, the consumer, think it looks pretty/special; the birds don't care. We made our own for a long time, just sugar and water, and those little guys loved it. We eventually stopped though because sugar is cheap but not free, but even more than that, it's a hassle to keep cleaning out the feeder every couple of days (it gets gross fast especially when it's hot outside).

I also noticed that when we first put it up, a handful of hummingbirds would all come to drink, but after a while we had one tiny bully who declared it HIS feeder and he'd chase any others away.

Hummingbirds are VERY territorial by nature, one will drive out the others as part of their normal behavior... that is part of the reason why I have two feeders.

Boy they sure are. I like when you see two of them having a teensy little swordfight in midair.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: Nancy5 on May 15, 2020, 10:38:22 am
The red kind you buy is actually very bad for the birds, I've read, due to the coloring. The red is just so you, the consumer, think it looks pretty/special; the birds don't care. We made our own for a long time, just sugar and water, and those little guys loved it. We eventually stopped though because sugar is cheap but not free, but even more than that, it's a hassle to keep cleaning out the feeder every couple of days (it gets gross fast especially when it's hot outside).

I also noticed that when we first put it up, a handful of hummingbirds would all come to drink, but after a while we had one tiny bully who declared it HIS feeder and he'd chase any others away.

Hummingbirds are VERY territorial by nature, one will drive out the others as part of their normal behavior... that is part of the reason why I have two feeders.


Do you have the feeders close to each other?
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: countrygirl12 on May 15, 2020, 11:15:45 am
I just googled feeders and it said since the feed is sugar put cooking oil on the pole.  It will stop the ants from climbing the pole and going into the feeder.

Or hang it from a tree.  That is what I done.  I don't remember if there were ants or not.  I don't think there were.
Title: Re: Hummingbird Feeders
Post by: Tresbn00 on May 29, 2020, 12:28:08 pm
Up until about a month ago we would see/hear humming birds every few days. Our neighbor, as part of their stay at home orders, took to doing arts and crafts. One day was spent making humming bird feeders which they gave to us and several other neighbors. We had to order special feeder tubes but put ours up as soon as possible. We now have dozens of humming birds. We have all started putting more flowers in our yards as well which is probably helping the ever increasing hummingbird population. I especially love it because my mother, who has alzheimers, loves hummingbirds, and it is one of the few memories that still manages to light up her life. I have tried to get pictures for her but those little rascals move pretty darn quick.