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Doughnut bird feeder

pfbone51pfbone51 Posts: 3
in Wildlife gardening
Doughnut bird feeders are supposed to be squirrel proof but the pin going through it doesn’t hold the basket underneath with the weight of a squirrel on top. Does anyone have a tip to stop it constantly falling to the ground & the squirrels having a banquet!!!

Posts

  • RubytooRubytoo On the sofa, Southerly aspect.Posts: 1,287
    Can you post a picture or link to your specific one, there are a few different brands and styles out there.
    Or a more detailed description of the pin and failing part.
  • pfbone51pfbone51 Posts: 3

  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 21,137
      To be honest, this time of the year I wouldn’t put out so many nuts, they go mouldy very quickly and are then poisonous to the birds, 
    I use these feeders,  I fill to barely a quarter way up. Even then I sometimes throw some away. 


    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • guttiesgutties N. IrelandPosts: 224
    I'm changing one of those RSPB fat half coconuts every day and a half.  And a full feeder of sunflower hearts (a similar size to the one posted by Lyn) would be devoured in 2 days and nuts would be gone within 3 days.
    I guess that's a benefit of living in the countryside; I have lots of garden birds (finches, tits and robins mostly).  In fact I've that many small birds that a Sparrowhawk was making regular bombing raids of my feeders and tables over the Christmas holidays!
  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 SomersetPosts: 10,501
    Is it the pin in the centre of the doughnut hole and do you have to unclip it to refill the holder?  If so, you may have to wire the two halves of the mesh together to stop the squirrels but it's not very convenient to do that.  It looks very attractive and trendy but it's not a very good design to be honest.    
  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 21,137
    The donut ring isn’t squirrel proof, if they can’t get it down they’ll just chew through the wire and empty it that way. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • RubytooRubytoo On the sofa, Southerly aspect.Posts: 1,287
    edited January 2019
    I still don't understand how it works but perhaps a piece of chain going through top to bottom , with one of those chain link joining links. The ones with a thread on? Just had a look, also called quick links.
    Or use a carabinere clip similar thing, rather than the pin you use a long length of chain.

    If the pin is fat can you drill a hole through it and use something through it horizontally at that bottom.

    Just throwing some suggestions around even though I do not understand how it works. :D

  • pfbone51pfbone51 Posts: 3
    The flat end of the pin goes through the 2 halves of the doughnut but the weight of the squirrel on the mesh will make the doughnut fall as there is nothing to hook the pin on. A hole will help but I don’t have any machine capable of making a whole through metal.
    As a temporary measure, I wrapped a coat hanger around it-not pretty but it seems to work...
  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 21,137
    I would invest in some squirrel proof feeders, the squirrels soon learn they can’t  get to food and leave them alone.  The feeders are very cheap, 3.99 in Lidl last week. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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