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Remedy for frozen hummingbird feeder

Started 3 years ago by cjboffoli
Latest reply from Bikefor1

cjboffoli
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This morning I was horrified to watch my local family of hummingbirds trying to eat at my frozen feeder. I thawed it out, refilled it with fresh nectar and put a heat source under it (a clamp lamp with a 100 watt lightbulb). It seems to be doing the trick. The hummingbirds finally got some breakfast.

I find that about 10-12 inches from the feeder is a good distance for the heat source. And of course you want to use a good old fashioned incandescent bulb as it throws a lot of heat.

I've read that some increase the sugar ratio in the nectar in cold weather. They suggest this raises the freezing temperature. But I'd caution against straying from the 4:1 ratio of water to sugar as this is what the birds prefer and it is the safest for them. Any more sugar can cause problems.

Posted 3 years ago #
dapuffin
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Thanks for the tips! We have 3 hummingbird feeders and they're currently being thawed out and I'm about to make fresh sugar solution.

Also, as you and the other readers probably know... there is NO need to put red food coloring in the sugar solution.

Posted 3 years ago #
AlkiMac
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I pull my hummingbird feeder in at night so it doesn't freeze. Then I put it back outside just before dawn.

I've added a new feeder near an outside light; but I don't think the hummers have found it yet.

The 4:1 water/sugar mixture will get slushy at 27 F.

Hope all the Anna's hummingbirds make it through this cold stretch.

Posted 3 years ago #
Lisa
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I'm also watching my hummingbird feeder this morning; covered in snow, some slush, but not frozen solid.

I typically get a single male hummer, but this morning 1 male was on it feeding, and 1 was waiting on a wire less than a foot away. They really need food on these cold days!

I usually keep a container of food in my fridge so I can refill as needed. I just love watching hummers!

Posted 3 years ago #
hopey
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Thanks for the tip! I had a feeder I'd never put out. Now I have a steady stream of hummingbirds coming to visit. I am happy that I can help them! :)

Posted 3 years ago #
B-squared
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I, too, bring mine in at night. i have two, and they aren't in a line of sight. These little hummers seem to only do two things - eat, and guard their food. it amazes me how much energy they expend chasing off other hummers.

Posted 3 years ago #
herongrrrl
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Ours is the kind that suction-cups to a window, and our nice old-fashioned single-pained aluminum frame windows let plenty of heat through to keep it from freezing! Mixed blessing, that.

Posted 3 years ago #
Bonnie
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Thanks! That happened to our hummingbird feeder this morning too.

Posted 3 years ago #
Jerald
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I wrap the feeder in bubble wrap and duct tape to insulate it. Seems to help. And I do increase the sugar/water ratio to about 1:3.

The nectar in the jar can be liquid but is frozen in the little outlets. I shake the feeder to see if it can drip out the holes. If not, I rotate out my second feeder from inside the house.

Posted 3 years ago #
mellaw6565
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Heartwarming story - my partner's mother lives in Sequim and when she was at her kitchen window this a.m. there was a hummingbird chirping and banging at the window. She saw that the feeder was frozen and went outside to get it to defrost it. The hummingbird followed her all the way to the sliding door, waited for her there while she defrosted the feeder and made new food, and then literally sat on the feeder bar while she took it all the way back across the porch to hang it. She said it was so desperate to get the food and she felt so bad that she baby talked to it the whole time and assured it that it would NEVER happen again.

I thought it was a really cute story:) New Motto: Feed those cold hummingbirds!!

Posted 3 years ago #
Anonymous
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I was nervous about the hummingbird feeder sugar solution freezing.

I put the warmed-up hummingbird feeder up twenty-five minutes before official sunrise, but I was late. The hummingbird scolded me verbally until I successfully hung up the feeder. Tomorrow, I plan to put the hummingbird feeder out one hour before official sunrise. I plan to warm the sugar water using an electric heating pad, but I suspect that is not necessary. I suspect the hummingbird would prefer that the sugar water be available on-time instead of warm.

The base of the hummingbird feeder is plastic, so I think it will work well with an old-fashioned heating pad. The temperature will be low-key enough to start out the hummingbird's day with some warm nectar after a long night of torpor during which the feeder was in my refrigerator.

One hour before official sunrise, I plan to hang up my hummingbird feeder, and I hope to have sugar water in it that is warmer than the ambient temperature so the hummingbird(s) gets a little extra comfort from the sugar water.

Posted 3 years ago #
JoB
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i wasn't going to put mine out because i haven't had one out here yet in spite of having hummingbirds.. but i will fix that today...

Posted 3 years ago #
westseattledood
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Beyond hummingbirds, putting out plain old water for the other birds is a very good thing, too. They definitely need water now.

It'll require vigilance to keep it from freezing, obviously. It is darn tootin' cold out there. And, the other types of birds, AND possible other critters, may become reliant upon that water. So, it's a commitment.

Good on all of you critter lovers!

Posted 3 years ago #
mellaw6565
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The local birds that winter here also need food - they've been raiding my feeders significantly over the past few days!

Posted 3 years ago #
Sue
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I don't have a hummingbird feeder, but I do have a regular one out front. I changed food about a month ago and they apparently didn't like my new food, so no birds have been eating it. I kept meaning to go buy some different food for them, and then this cold snap came and suddenly the food is good enough for them. We are getting tons of birds now. Guess they'll eat anything if they're hungry enough. :) I'll still replace it when the roads are clearer, but until then I'm glad they're eating!

Posted 3 years ago #
Susan
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Thank you to cjboffoli for starting this thread and to everyone else who added to it. Herongrrrl's idea of placing the feeders against the window has prevented mine from refreezing so far. It's amazing to see the tiny creatures flying through the snowstorm to get to the nectar this morning. Has anyone else noticed them chirping more in the cold?

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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My hummingbirds have definitely been hitting the feeder hard. It has been a real commitment to stay on top of it with bringing the feeder in at night and putting it back out there at first light. Sometimes I've seen them out there waiting for me when the feeder's not there.

I refilled it this morning only to discover a couple hours later that it was completely empty. It seems the side facing the wind had caught more snow which caused the whole feeder to list slightly to one side. All of the nectar slowly filled that snow and tipped the feeder even further to that side until almost all of the nectar ran out. Needless to say, my hummers weren't enjoying the spontaneous nectar snow-cone. And these feeders were not designed for such weather.

Snow here at the Junction has gone from big fluffy flakes to smaller, lighter ones. So I've cleaned off the feeder and refilled it.

It is amazing that these little guys can fly in the snow! Western Washington has some hardy hummingbirds.

Posted 3 years ago #
Carole
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I have two hummingbird feeders hanging in my yard, but I also have two spares. When the weather is below freezing I fill all four feeders and put two outside. When those two freeze I bring them in and put the other two out. The problem I have today is that my feeders are the flat kind with the holes on top, and the snow builds up on top of the holes really quickly.

Posted 3 years ago #
seymourloo
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Thanks to CJBoffoli for the inspiration! I have strung a set of Christmas lights on one of our feeders as a tester today. If it keeps the nectar liquid, I'll will perfect the idea later in the week by replacing the bigger bulbs with a string of the tiny twinkle lights which should allow the heat source to get closer and more concentrated onto the base of the feeder, and to look a little more festive too ;). I have a photo but can't figure out for the life of me how to paste it into this blog so imagination it is ;)

This cold weather sure does keep them busy, and a little more trusting of us humans alright! I had a similar experience to mellaw6565's story yesterday. When I was taking the feeder back out in the morning (we have been bringing them in at night so they don't freeze so badly), a little female Anna's buzzed over, gave me a brief helicopter-hover-once-over, and decided that the feeder in my hand was safe enough. She sat there eating for about 20 seconds, during which I took full advantage of getting the closest look at a hummingbird I've ever had! Then, as is the norm, a competitor dive-bombed her, and they both took off. What a wonderful way to start the morning!

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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seymourloo: Wow! I've seen them waiting for me in the morning and have been wondering if they might try to come over to the feeder as I'm bringing it out to them. They seem to be comfortable enough (or hungry enough) to tolerate me shoveling snow near the feeder. Still, that must have been incredible to see them up close.

Obviously, be careful with the lights. Electricity and water don't mix. Fried hummingbird is not so good.

Posted 3 years ago #
miws
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"Fried hummingbird is not so good."

Nor is fried hummingbird saviour! ;-)

Mike

Posted 3 years ago #
Lisa
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Hummer Fans - I just had an amazing hummingbird experience!! I had already warmed up the frozen feeder once, thought I'd check it again. Frozen. Went out, got it, warmed it up.

I went back outside with feeder in hand, reaching towards the hook to replace it, when......hummer lands on feeder in my hand and feeds. Then, lifts off, comes back and feeds again.. and again, and again. She was feeding in my hand! It was an amazing experience! They are sure hungry!

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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Lisa: That's so great!!! I'm still hoping mine will do that.

Actually, when I put the feeder out this morning one of them scared the heck out of me. I heard a sudden growling sound and it gave me a start. It was a hummer hovering about three feet in front of me, giving me a look like "It's about time, buddy. I'm been freezing my feathery butt out here waiting for you!"

I sort of held out the feeder and stood stock still. He flew around me to the side and then darted off without landing.

I've been back and forth to the feeder all day. Trying to keep it warm and keep the feeding ports open has been a challenge.

Posted 3 years ago #
hopey
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I've noticed that one hummer has adopted my feeder as "his" (or "hers"), and actively chases away anyone else who attempts to feed. Is there anything I can do to discourage this behavior? I do think others are sneaking in from time to time, but most of the day the little guardian is out there ready to defend...

Posted 3 years ago #
Lisa
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Christopher, Keep tending their feeder and it will happen! Just when you least expect it...they fly in and you get that great experience! I felt like I was hand feeding it!

My husband & I have been taking lots of pics of the birds, so I called for him while it was happening - hoping not to scare the bird. But he was out of earshot. Darn... no photos of the event!

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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hopey: Unfortunately, that is natural territorial behavior and there is nothing you can really do about it. It's a shame too as they don't understand that the food supply at a well-tended feeder is unlimited. And they must expend lots of valuable calories chasing away the other hummers.

Lisa: Don't let the lack of a record of the event spoil how marvelous it was! Trust me, I go through this all the time as a photographer. Sometimes you need to remind yourself to put the camera aside and experience something purely (and through two eyes instead of one).

It's fair to say the very best photographs in my life that I've ever composed are the ones that I saw with my eyes but missed with my camera.

Posted 3 years ago #
hopey
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cjboffoli: thanks. I haven't been paying close enough attention to individually identify birds coming & going, but I do think a few are managing to sneak in when the "guardian" is elsewhere.

Love your photo vs. real life philosophy too. :)

Posted 3 years ago #
gann
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well- I had a horrific experience this evening with my hummmers!
I have been bringing my feeders in at night and returning them- like a few of you also-
Around dusk I checked my front one and it looked mostly frozen from the top down but a hummer was there licking up what was hopefully still thawed at the bottom. SO I left it.I went to check my back one and it was completely frozen, but it had a very bedraggled hummer sitting on it with its little wings hanging down like it was sick. Then plop- the hummer just keeled over and fell down into a snow banck beneath it!!
I was horrified! I grabbed a dishtowel & quickly slipped my clogs on and and made my way around my deck. There is was with only the slightest of flopping as I approached. I gently encirled it in the dishtowel and it is now in a box with another feeder inside stuck in a dark corner of my library! I called Paws Wildlife Rescue for advice - but they confirmed that I did about as much as I can. I am tyring to leave it alone until morning & am prayin- deep, secular prayers that it will still be alive!

Posted 3 years ago #
wingme
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hummers, well birds in general, have a way of coming back "from the dead". i found a "deceased" hummer in my driveway this fall and it made me very sad. when i picked him up i noticed he was still warm so i took a chance and put him in a hanging flower pot. about ten minutes later i saw him perched on the edge, tho very wobbly, a few minbutes later he was ruffling his feathers and shaking it off, then ZOOM! i figure he somehow knocked himself cold (big tree nearby). thank the gods i didn't bury him alive.

Posted 3 years ago #
Jerald
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Gann, I hope you'll give us an update tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

I usually have two feeders out to try to prevent the birds from wasting so much energy fighting over one. But right now I'm using the 2nd one to rotate out when the other freezes. I'm thinking it might be time to buy a couple more.

Posted 3 years ago #
Anonymous
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I have read that if two feeders are placed so one hummingbird cannot see both at the same time, it will cut down on feeder-guarding. I have not tried that yet.

I have been using a thermometer to check the temperature of the sugar water before I offer it. I am aiming for 105 degrees fahrenheit maximum and 101 degrees fahrenheit minimum.

Any opinions on the best temperature?

I replace the sugar water when I notice ice forming at the top. There has always been a ring of ice (unseen until I rinse out the feeder) in the flower section at the bottom of the feeder if there is ice at the top of the sugar water.

Posted 3 years ago #
La
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Thank you for suggesting the light bulb, Chris! My husband was kind enough to rig up our version, and although there's no shade on our shoplight, the heat from the bulb seems to have kept the nectar liquid. I don't know how early these little guys get up, and they need all the energy they can get so I appreciate knowing that they now have unfrozen fuel!

Scott B, I read the same thing about placing 2 feeders apart. I put two up this year - one by my side door and one by the back - and got a good laugh when I realized that one of our guys had stationed himself at the corner of the house so he could patrol BOTH feeders at the same time. Time to put a feeder at the front door...

Posted 3 years ago #
JoB
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La

that is one enterprising little hummer.. :))))

Posted 3 years ago #
gann
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to those wondering, this morning my little hummer was up, perched on the feeder rail inside his box.
So i took the box and placed in just outside the door on my deck with the top open. He sat quite still for few moments. Then started moving his gaudy but tiny head- looking this way & that-
finally he zipped up and away with no trouble at all!
hooray!

Posted 3 years ago #
westseattledood
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Hooray for YOU GANN AND the little hummer!

Nicely done!!!!

Posted 3 years ago #
birdlady
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I wrapped a string of small Christmas lights tightly around the portion of the feeder where the solution is visible AND then wrapped overtop with several layers of the small bubble wrap.
This has kept our two feeders from freezing. We keep the lights on 24/7 -- one little male hummer guards the backyard feeder during all daylight hours. We have one feeder by a front window and the other in the back by a kitchen window -- this prevents him from guarding both. In addition, the feeder in the front has no cover (roof overhang), so I punched a hole in the middle of a large clear plastic plant tray and hung directly over the feeder -- works well to keep the show from building up on the feeder. I did up the sugar solution 3:1, but will switch back to 4:1 when the weather warms up.

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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birdlady: I've been doing research on the nectar issue and there seems to be a pretty good debate going back and forth about the issue of nectar mixtures that are richer in sugar.

Some of what I've read suggests that to stray from the 4:1 ratio would cause liver and reproductive problems for the hummers. But other research, which seems pretty reputable, indicates that anything between 3:1 and 4:1 is within the normal range of the concentration of sucrose nectars the birds would encounter in the wild (though they'd probably only find 3:1 level sweetness at the height of summer).

Some of the warnings against the richer 3:1 mixture also touch on the fact that increased sugar means the nectars will spoil faster. But in the cold weather we have been experiencing that's not so much a factor and, in fact, the added sugar may help the nectar from freezing so readily.

The forecast for this week's temps indicate that we'll be above freezing most days. Even at 26 degrees this morning my feeder didn't freeze with 4:1 nectar in it.

Posted 3 years ago #
KatherineL
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westseattledood, thanks for mentioning that the birds need plain water in this weather. Their usual sources freeze over. It is a pain to keep thawing a birdbath. However, you can buy birdbath heaters and avoid all those trips outside. I bought one from Audubon years ago. It has a thermostat. It comes on only when the water temperature drops below freezing and turns off when it gets above 32. I do have to monitor the birdbath, because they splash the water out. But I don't need to go out several times a day or dash out first thing on a freezing morning.

Posted 3 years ago #
Robert
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Here is some scientific research on the concentration ratio.

http://www.hummingbirds.net/hainsworth.html

The research indicates that higher concentrations do not harm hummers and concentrations can be as potent as 1:1.

Posted 3 years ago #
Tom L
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One clever lady wrapped tiny Christmas lights (non-LED) around the glass portion of her feeder, then cut out the toe of a dark colored sock and pulled that over the lights to keep in the heat and reduce the distraction for the birds and finds it works quite well.

Tip from Purdue University profs: Always boil your sugar water, but never in a microwave as that changes the molecular composition of the sugar and reduces its effectiveness. Who knew?!?

Posted 3 years ago #
flowerpetal
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This is the first time that I have read these posts. When it reached 40 posts my curiousity got the better of me. I feared that this had devolved into some controversy; and I was pleasantly surprised to see that you all are taking care of our tiny bird friends just as the subject title says. How very sweet you each are. Thank you!

Posted 3 years ago #
GreenSpaces
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I have been doing ok with a glass feeder with a metal bottom and 3 plastic portals. I bring it in overnight. I was up at an insane hour this morning to smash a path to be able to take my dog out (since she refused to cooperate in the wind storm last night), so my feeders were hung by 6:30 AM. I saw my first chickadeed at 7:19 and my first hummer at 7:49. I have seen two hummers, but only briefly, as I think one did chase of the others. Today it has taken up residence in one of the huckleberry bushes on my deck and my husband got an amazing picture that he submitted to WSB but also it is posted on his blog at http://www.pensandpixels.com/stephenhj/

Besides the black capped chickadees (my fave) and the hummers, we are also mobbed by Oregon juncos. My 3 cats are quite worn out from hours of staring out the window at all the activity a mere two feet away.

Wendy, High Point

Posted 3 years ago #
B-squared
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I have two glass/plastic feeders that i have wrapped in pipe insulation (that foam that is cylindrical - i cut it to length and used two pieces to insulate the glass, tied around numerous times with an old bike tire tube). This has kept it from freezing all day. the one on the window (with the suction cup) seems to be a hit (even if i am standing in front of it, hummer will come drink with me 6" away!). i am still using 4:1. i bring them in at night and am out again at about 7:30.

Also had towees, thrushes, nuthatch, chickadees and flickers (i have a tube feeder with sunflower seeds, and a suet cake). i poured very hot water in the birdbath today to thaw it out, and it was a huge hit with the robins.

Posted 3 years ago #
cjboffoli
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An entire flock of robins completely cleared off a neighbor's bush that was covered with some kind of bright orange berries. And about a dozen starlings relieved another neighbor's tree of its remaining apples. Those birds are HUNGRY out there.

Posted 3 years ago #
B-squared
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Yeah, the robins here have just about wiped out my cottonester bush berries so i know they are desperate (those are nasty berries).

Posted 3 years ago #
Juliet
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Thanks to this thread--and especially cjboffoli's entry which started it off with info and a photo of the work light solution for protecting hummingbird feeders from freezing--I've been relieved to be able to keep both my feeders clear of ice and available 24/7 for the little guys. They are out of sight of one another, so a male and female have both able to feed w/out fighting it out all the time.

The really touching and amazing thing to me was that last night (Saturday) during the worst of the weather, I saw one of the hummers on a feeder at 9:30pm! I wasn't aware that they ever came out that late and assume he was fairly desperate. He seemed grateful for the warmth as well as the nectar.

I thought I'd also try rigging one of those work light setups to hang over a shallow bird bath to keep the water from freezing. To my surprise, it's worked--in the cold it sends up steam like a little sauna although the water isn't hot. The birds/animals have yet to find it, but it's there for them when they get there. Our little buddies!

Posted 3 years ago #
birdlady
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Robert - Thank you for the link on the hummingbird research http://www.hummingbirds.net/hainsworth.html -- I now understand how, when and why one might choose to change solution ratio!

Posted 3 years ago #
Bikefor1
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You think frozen hummingbird feeders are a problem, read this endearing article about a frozen HUMMINGBIRD an 83 year old Portland woman took in.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=123034259283545300

Posted 3 years ago #