Let’s be trustworthy: there is not any such factor as fully squirrel-proof chicken feeders. However you possibly can minimize down on squirrels’ visits by making an attempt these feeders and ideas.
Do squirrels at your chicken feeders drive you nuts? You’re not alone. One of the crucial frequent questions we get right here at Birds & Blooms is “How can I preserve squirrels off my chicken feeders?” So we’ve rounded up all one of the best ideas we are able to discover for squirrel resistant feeders, and located six squirrel proof chicken feeder choices you must strive. It’s unlikely you’ll ever eliminate these pesky critters completely, however these strategies ought to ought to assist be sure that extra of the seed in your feeders goes to the birds.
Do you’ve huge issues with bully birds? Right here’s find out how to eliminate grackles and blackbirds at feeders.
Finest Squirrel Proof Chook Feeders to Attempt
We’re not making any guarantees, however these are among the hottest squirrel proof chicken feeders on the market. Mix them with the information beneath in your greatest probability of foiling sneaky squirrels ultimately. Psst—additionally uncover pure methods to preserve bees and wasps away from hummingbird feeders.
1. Yankee Flipper® Seed Feeder
The Yankee Flipper squirrel proof chicken feeder makes use of a small motor to ship squirrels on their manner. It’s weight-activated, so when birds land on the perch, nothing occurs and so they’re capable of take pleasure in a snack. When one thing heavier like a squirrel tries it out, although, the enjoyable begins! Psst—need to appeal to extra redbirds? Right here’s one of the best cardinal chicken feeders and birdseed.
2. Woodlink Absolute II Squirrel Resistant Feeder
This squirrel resistant feeder additionally works on the burden precept. Light-weight birds can land on the spring-activated perches and feed, however a heavier squirrel will instantly trigger the steel defend to shut, reducing off entry to the seed. It may be adjusted for weight to discourage bully birds, too.
Area editor Kathy Sales space examined this feeder for Birds & Blooms. “It holds fairly a little bit of seed and is simple to fill. It’s also massive and serves either side which might accommodate quite a lot of birds,” Kathy says. “I’ve not seen a squirrel on the feeder through the time it has been up.”
Kathy additionally famous that this feeder labored greatest for smaller birds, together with black-capped chickadees, tufted titmouses, downy woodpeckers and sparrows. “The bigger birds like blue jays and cardinals appeared to have problem staying on the perch. They nearly wanted to sit down sidesaddle and went to a unique feeder. They actually wanted to tuck themselves horizontal to the feeder. This was constant through the time I’ve used it,” she says.
Take a look at the ten forms of chicken feeders you want in your yard.
3. Droll Yankees Domed Cage Chook Feeder
This basic caged chicken feeder model is common for a cause—it really works. The tube feeder contained in the cage will maintain all kinds of seeds, and solely smaller songbirds could make their manner in to dine. Take a look at the greatest finch feeders to draw finches.
3. Squirrel Proof Double Suet Feeder
Caged feeders like this one work effectively for suet desserts, too. Smaller songbirds and woodpeckers slip proper by means of, leaving squirrels, raccoons, and large bully birds behind. Take a look at one of the best suet feeders for winter birds.
4. Squirrel Buster Plus Chook Feeder
Squirrels make seeds and peanuts vanish in a flash, and European starlings and grackles are attracted to those meals, too. Block keen eaters with the Squirrel Buster Plus chicken feeder design. One in all our editors tried this feeder—learn the assessment!
6. Sky Cafe Chook Feeder
The Sky Cafe feeder incorporates a baffle that does double responsibility. Squirrels can’t attain round it to steal seeds, and birds are shielded from rain and snow whereas they perch beneath the baffle.
12 Suggestions for Success With a Squirrel Proof Chook Feeder
Most yard birders are accustomed to this situation. You choose the proper chicken feeder, fill it with a perfect mix of seeds and cling it with care. While you come again later, as a substitute of seeing your favourite birds stopping for a snack, you notice squirrels stealing out of your feeders! It’s sufficient to drive anybody nutty. However earlier than you blow a gasket, listed here are some humane options to fight your squirrel drawback.
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1. Foil Tremendous Squirrels
These bushy-tailed creatures can fall 100 toes with out critical damage and are sooner than you may assume—at prime velocity, they’ll run 20 mph.
Many grey squirrels are capable of bounce 8 toes excessive from a stationary, sitting place! Transfer feeders 10 toes from the closest leaping off level. Place your feeder station with these numbers in thoughts to discourage a big majority of squirrels. When you add 6 inches to these dimensions, you must forestall 100% of squirrels from reaching the feeder.
Psst—we discovered the greatest chicken feeder poles.
2. Baffle the Squirrels
Squirrels are superb climbers, even on steel poles. Add a squirrel baffle to your feeders or poles to stop them from climbing up from beneath—or buy a battery-operated feeder to spin the pesky critters off.
Take a look at the top-rated chicken feeder squirrel baffles.
3. Put a Slinky on the Chook Feeder Pole to Cease Squirrels
When you’d prefer to have somewhat extra enjoyable together with your squirrels, strive a turning a toy Slinky right into a baffle. Thread the put up by means of the Slinky and fasten one finish beneath the feeder, permitting it to drape down the put up. Shorten it if the Slinky touches the bottom. Squirrels that attempt to climb it get a experience again to the bottom each time!
A squirrel that tries to climb the put up will get a experience on the Slinky again to the bottom each time. Once more, keep in mind to make use of the Rule of 5-7-9 when putting the feeder to stop squirrels from bypassing the Slinky baffle.
We discovered humorous squirrel photos it’s good to see.
4. String Soda Bottles on a Wire
Squirrels are common circus performers with regards to strolling on excessive wires. Their superb agility makes chicken feeders hanging from wires simple pickings for any squirrel.
Droop your feeders on a wire strung from one pole to a different, not less than 5 toes from the bottom. To forestall squirrels from doing a tight-rope strolling trick, string plastic liter-size soda bottles onto the wire on either side of the feeders. The plastic bottles roll the squirrels proper off as they method.
5. Attempt Caged Chook Feeders
Put money into a caged squirrel-proof chicken feeder. The design works particularly effectively for feeders meant for small birds, like finches or chickadees, and it does an excellent job of preserving out the bully birds, too. In areas the place squirrels are particularly small, just like the Deep South, these kinds of squirrel-proof chicken feeders could also be much less efficient.
Usually talking, by enclosing chicken feeders in wire mesh that’s massive sufficient to permit birds to enter the cage, however sufficiently small to exclude squirrels, you’ve successfully squirrel-proofed the feeder.
6. Swap Up Your Seed
Take into account adjusting your birdseed mix by incorporating meals that squirrels are likely to dislike, resembling white millet, thistle and safflower seeds. Birds like cardinals and titmice take pleasure in safflower seed, and finches like thistle seed, so changing the seed in a number of of your feeders could assist.
Additionally plant some native, pure meals sources in your birds—sunflowers, fruit-producing vegetation and nut-bearing timber.
7. Choose the Correct Pole
Wooden and steel poles are very simple for squirrels to climb, but it surely’s been famous that PVC or copper piping are extra of a problem. Attempt constructing your personal pole or feeder station utilizing these supplies. Keep away from greasing feeder poles, as a result of it’s dangerous to birds and different wildlife.
You can even cling them with skinny steel cable or extra-strength fishing line.
8. Maintain the Floor Clear Underneath Feeders
Keep away from permitting the seeds which might be leftover to construct up on the bottom. Squirrels like to forage for seeds, and the particles out of your feeders could also be attracting them. As soon as they’re within the space, they’re certain to attempt to invade the feeders as effectively. Maintain the areas beneath your feeders clear (that is additionally a great way to discourage different undesirable pests like rats or raccoons). Connect a big tray on the pole beneath the feeders to catch the falling seed. Attempt the Brome Buster seed catcher. As a bonus, you could appeal to extra floor feeding birds like mourning doves and juncos.
9. Add Chili Peppers to Chook Seed
Squirrels and birds style issues in a different way. As an example, birds don’t style the warmth of peppers, however squirrels certain do. Some individuals swear by totally mixing a small quantity of capsaicin, a element present in chili peppers, to your seed. It leaves a foul style in a squirrel’s mouth, however birds don’t thoughts it. Attempt a tablespoon or so of cayenne pepper in a 10-pound bag of seed. You can even purchase suet desserts with scorching pepper combined in. Nevertheless, there are those that argue the pepper could be irritating to birds’ eyes, so use this technique with warning.
10. Hold Irish Spring Cleaning soap Close by
One often-shared tip for a squirrel-proof feeder includes hanging a bar of Irish Spring cleaning soap in a sock close by. Supposedly, the scent repels squirrels and different undesirable rodents.
11. Spin Squirrels Round
Hold your chicken feeders from a spinning hook, or search out a specialty squirrel-proof chicken feeder just like the Yankee Flipper that’s designed to spin squirrels off.
12. Handle Your Mindset and Feed the Enemy
Many people are fast to anger on the sight of squirrels scaring away birds, but it surely’s useful to see issues from a unique angle. “Framing it as a battle or conflict is simply going to escalate fairly than tackle the issue,” says John Griffin, director of city wildlife on the Humane Society of america. As a substitute, think about how their meals caches assist birds and vegetation. “Squirrels have an necessary function in our ecosystem and do a whole lot of issues for us, like plant timber,” John notes.
Typically giving squirrels entry to nuts and corn is sufficient to preserve them far-off from chicken feeders. Attempt a dried corn cob feeder, or construct a DIY squirrel feeder to supply them peanuts.
Transplanting the squirrels with a safe-release lure is normally deadly for these furry creatures and received’t forestall their buddies from shifting in. As a substitute, tackle their behaviors head-on in your yard.
Subsequent, learn to determine 5 forms of squirrels.
