Maintenance on your bird feeders include cleaning the feeders, the area around the feeders and keeping the food supply full. Cleaning the feeders and surrounding area keeps your feathered friends healthy and keeps them from spreading diseases. Most feeders should be cleaned at least once per season with the exception of Hummingbird feeders that need to be cleaned weekly.
To clean your feeders, make up a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Discard any remaining feed and wash the feeder with hot, soapy water. Dipping it into the bleach solution sterilizes it. Be sure to rinse the feeder really good and allow it to dry completely before refilling it. It is a good idea to clean up the ground area around your bird feeder at the same time. Using a rake, clean the ground of seed hulls. When the seed hulls sit for awhile, they decompose and can spread disease among the birds.
Lastly, refill the feeders on a regular basis to ensure that the birds have a regular supply of food. If you don’t refill the feeders on a regular basis, the birds will move on to other food sources.
Tags: bird feeder, Bird feeders, hummingbird feeder, hummingbird feeders, wild bird feeder