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Took me 3 tries to figure out why the chickadees stopped coming to my feeder
I spent like 4 weeks last spring wondering why my usual morning crowd of chickadees just vanished. First I thought it was the seed, so I bought a fresh bag from a different store, nothing changed. Then I moved the feeder to a different tree branch, still no birds. Finally I realized the sunflower hearts had gotten damp and clumped up at the bottom of the tube feeder, they were probably tasting mold. Has anyone else dealt with birds avoiding a feeder for no obvious reason?
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tara7933mo ago
Moldy seed got me too last fall. The worst part was the birds knew right away but it took me forever to figure it out. Cleaning the feeder with hot water and vinegar fixed everything for me. Also started buying smaller bags so the seed stays fresher. Now I dump out any leftover seed every couple weeks just in case. Store the seed in a metal trash can with a tight lid too. Keeps the moisture out and the squirrels away.
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drew_reed623mo ago
That vinegar trick works way better than bleach, less harsh on the birds too.
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grace893mo ago
I switched to smaller bags too, that made a big difference. Usually buy the 10 pound bags now instead of the big 40 pound ones, and I go through them in about three weeks so nothing sits around long enough to get bad. The metal trash can is a must, I learned that the hard way after a mouse chewed through a plastic bin one winter. Also started wiping down the inside of the feeder with a bleach solution every few months, just a capful in a gallon of water, to kill any mold spores that might be hiding in the cracks.
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