Garden

[Nataliesgramma]

Thanks to all that helped with  attracting hummingbirds last month......it worked!

My question now is how do you space your feeders? I have 2, but the hummers only use the one. I moved it and I am waiting to see if I get any coming to that one now. Reading about feeders on the web, opinions are half and half as to putting them in a group or in different places.....

Since they are coming now, I was thinking of getting 2 more feeders.

What works the best for you?

[geezerette]

Congratulations on your hummies!  They're such neat little things to watch.

I have four feeders now.  I used to have quite a few more, but I actually ended up with too many birds--I mean almost a hundred!  It was just too much work for me to keep the feeders filled and it actually became a hazard to walk outside because the little guys buzzed so fast and close to our heads. 

Anyway, I have two double shepard hooks with two feeders each, and one single hook with one feeder.  They don't mind being close on the double hooks.  I've found that more feeders work better than trying to have one big one, as most of the birds do not like to share the feeders.  Some will, but most avoid them if there are too many other birds already there.  I have all the feeders around the front of our house, right outside our windows so I can watch them.  I keep the three hooks many feet apart, but within sight of each other.  That gives the birds a chance to get away from a bully on one feeder, if necessary.  They like to be somewhat close, but not crowded.  But they still can visible find another feeder. 

As to preferring one feeder over another, mine do that too.  My feeders are all the same, so it's not the feeder style itself.  The one they prefer is actually on a double hook, so there's an identical feeder within 6" of the one they like best.  They just tend to flock to one in particular.  Also, during the season, they'll change favorite feeders from time to time.

You can pretty much train your hummies to wherever you want them to be.  Move your feeders gradually from the area they come to now.  Once you get the feeders to the places you want, keep them there at the end of the season.  Next year they'll be back at the same place, so make sure you really want to keep feeding them because they do get dependent on us.

Happy Hummy-ing!

[Nataliesgramma]

I bought a new one at Home Depot and they went to it right away....still not a one at the one I got at Walmart....I still have my receipt, so I think I am going to exchange it. It is a top fill one, and maybe it isn't working right. The hummers love the other 2 feeders.......

[AnikaBrodie]

I have always heard at least 10 feet apart since hummers are so territorial.  I have two feeders in my back yard.

[Nataliesgramma]

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@geezerette wrote:

Congratulations on your hummies!  They're such neat little things to watch.

I have four feeders now.  I used to have quite a few more, but I actually ended up with too many birds--I mean almost a hundred!  It was just too much work for me to keep the feeders filled and it actually became a hazard to walk outside because the little guys buzzed so fast and close to our heads. 

Anyway, I have two double shepard hooks with two feeders each, and one single hook with one feeder.  They don't mind being close on the double hooks.  I've found that more feeders work better than trying to have one big one, as most of the birds do not like to share the feeders.  Some will, but most avoid them if there are too many other birds already there.  I have all the feeders around the front of our house, right outside our windows so I can watch them.  I keep the three hooks many feet apart, but within sight of each other.  That gives the birds a chance to get away from a bully on one feeder, if necessary.  They like to be somewhat close, but not crowded.  But they still can visible find another feeder. 

As to preferring one feeder over another, mine do that too.  My feeders are all the same, so it's not the feeder style itself.  The one they prefer is actually on a double hook, so there's an identical feeder within 6" of the one they like best.  They just tend to flock to one in particular.  Also, during the season, they'll change favorite feeders from time to time.

You can pretty much train your hummies to wherever you want them to be.  Move your feeders gradually from the area they come to now.  Once you get the feeders to the places you want, keep them there at the end of the season.  Next year they'll be back at the same place, so make sure you really want to keep feeding them because they do get dependent on us.

Happy Hummy-ing!

---

Well...I took the one feeder back to Walmart....it was a top fill one and I am thinking it just wasn't working right filling up the bottom with nectar. I then went to Home Depot and got 2 more of the style they like....I have 4 feeders now. I put 2 on my double shephard hook and the other 2 are about 9 ft away, but on their own hooks. I've seen the hummers using all of them already!!

[ValuSkr]

I have only one feeder but have read you should place additional feeders out of each other's line of sight.  That's because hummer's are so territorial; I suppose one could try to monopolize them if he could keep an eye on all at the same time.

[silkyk]

I have 5 feeders up...one on each side of the house, in front of the windows (to avoid conflicts and feeder bullies) and another in the window in front of the kitchen sink that's a four seater. They've been up for at least 15 years so and I can always tell when one of the feeders is empty because little "wars" break out at one of the other ones. The little guys will also fly up and just hover in front of the window if the feeder is empty giving me the hairy eyeball utill I get that snack bar filled up again. I did purchase that beautiful red garden fountain at K mart that some other hum bird lover posted pics of here and a big THANK YOU to the poster! Have mine set up and the little guys are SO enjoying it in this hot weather. Highly recommended to other lovers of these beautiful little birds!

[rosehill]

Can anyone please help me to find the thread mentioned here on how to attract hummers? I put feeders out every year, but only see hummers now and then. I had two feeders up, but took one down, because it was still filled and I throw away so much nectar. I could sure use some ideas about attracting hummers.