Pole bird feeders
We have 2 of these placed amongst the borders and shrubs offering the birds feed and shelter swiftly if needed. Both are adequate, the metal isn't overly robust and both have had to be roped to the fence posts to stop lists and leans.
The pigeons then sit on the ropes, allowing them to nibble through the squirrel proof feeders 😤. I'm happy to feed them in the ground, our DIL reckons they are the size of chickens 😱🤣. This is annoying but causes more of a list/lean!
My question is does anyone have a good feeding pole? Cost within reason not too much of an issue - Christmas is coming 😉.
I've been looking and can see bits that can be purchased as extras, 4 spikes or a 2 prong, similar to a small h. Has anyone had experience of these?
I'm on my 2nd lot of poles, they rust and rot through, and currently one has a cane inserted to try to hold it together. I don't want to buy 'cheap' again to get the same problem down the line!
Might it be worth chatting to a blacksmith?
Can anyone recommend a make of quality?
Comments
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How about hammering a 4ft metal spike into the ground, leaving sufficient above 12"- 15" for you to drop the pole over it? Perhaps drilling through sideways and securing with a screw into the spike.
However, with my previous wooden pole I secured the wood to the spike with cable ties.
Good luck
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Does your garden have any trees with branches long and tough enough to take suspended feeders Bakers?
Or could you not mount some hanging basket hooks onto wooden fencing posts, and hang feeders from these? Gets away from anything pushed into ground.
Edit: Found picture below, wants to project out a good bit from the fence. You can get similar that fit onto concrete fence posts, so a good blacksmith might make you something for a reasonable price?
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We have a similar set up right by our kitchen window. I've had a look at on line replacements but they're all much the same though some now come with more secure bases and free standing units too. I noticed one had pronged feet that you hammer into the ground.
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My feeders are not mounted in earth, 'cos I don't have a lot of that, but have 12mm holes drilled into the concrete, feeders poles inserted and then, honestly, hot-melt glue gun applied !! They have been seen to sway a little in gale force winds but no more than an inch or two !!
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Yes I've seen those and wondered if anyone had used them and with what degree of success.
I also notice extension poles which I presume means you can drive them deeper into the soil.
Plenty of food for thought.
Those aren't our fence posts, and OH had much trouble putting brackets on ours, these days he's not up it it at all 😪.
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We have several, the ones with "h" being more stable. Change your feeders Bakers to ones with a protective cage around it. We have a few of those. It stops the flying rats and also deters the squirrels from eating through thin metal.
The best "h" one we have allows you to slip the protective bit off and the hook fits through two parallel pieces of metal attached to the "h".
I'll take some photos of the one by the back door later and post them.
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Thanks Wherenext. All my feeders on poles are squirrel proof and some rather expensive ones at that 😱.
I complained to RSPB that theirs, over £30 each showed rust within weeks!
Big issue with those and the pigeons is the roped bit. I have to keep checking how I return them after re-filling 🤣. They sit on rope bit and straight in if I've not hung the feeder just so!
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Hope these help Bakers. Bought from "Farm and Pet Place."
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Our two pole feeders survive quite well as they are in wind shaded parts of the garden, along with a couple in the ivy.
Unfortunately we have no squirrels but have all the small birds that enjoy the seed and the voracious starlings do battle with each other that scatter the fatball bits everywhere. Along come the pigeons and mop up the ground after the starlings have given it them all, unfortunately the pigeons uproot the grass in their search but its all worth it to see the wildlife and I have a liking for pigeons.
We get through about 50 fatballs a week along with a couple of bags of seed, expensive but nice to see.
Not forgetting our regular hedgehog that comes most nights for food and drink, our dog looks forward to its visit each night when we let her out for her final wee of the night.
Sorry no ideas but just our garden
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We have a single pole feeder with 4 "arms" also with fitted mesh wire tray, it has got to be 15+ years old now it is now starting to show it's age a bit, we have never had a problem with it not being stable even though we have crows, jackdaws, wood pigeons, collared doves and squirrels visiting it on occasions. Sorry I can't remember the make name but I know it came as a "kit" in a box and it cost at the time around £20 but that doesn't really help you does it.
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Thanks for your replies folks. I suspect that ours is only a few years old and the usual keep price low but comprise with inferior quality metal etc. I'll be looking for an h base, but will chat to our local forge to see how much a bespoke one would be 😉.
Although there are 4 arms I never had more than 3 in use. The water tray is useless and the wire tray not much better! So that's a saving for my bespoke one 😉.
My rspb feeders are good, and photos show I need to clean them! I also find the much cheaper, less than a tenner, Wilko ones are as squirrelproof but not easy to clean, the rspb ones come completely apart for cleaning but are 6 times the price and still show signs of corrosion 😱
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