FINCHforum

Haven't been on here in quite a while...just been too busy, but what else is new? So, I have a very cute little seed hopper for my bird feeder right now. It looks really cool, but I'm tired of watching half of the seed fall on the floor!

I'm looking for an alternative, but I have some limitations. The aviary is enclosed with black plastic mesh aka garden netting, so you can't hook anything to the sides like you can with a wire mesh or other metal enclosure. The seed hopper is actually hanging from the ceiling of my screen porch. The twine just goes through the plastic mesh on the top of the cage. So I was looking at other feeders that would be less messy, but also that can hang from the ceiling rather than attach to the side of something.

I found these things called "finch feeders" that look like tubes with little openings on the sides where birds can access the seed.
Here's one:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

And another:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

Would this work for a couple of parrot finches? Would it be less messy? Any other suggestions for a feeder in my situation?

Hi Steph!

Was wondering where you had been. We have missed you and I have wondered often about those parrot finches of yours. Any babies yet?

I have often looked at those and wondered could you use them. I don't think it would be a problem with the finches eating at them. I am not sure the mess would be less....

I have mine in an open dish on a little food bar. I have tried every method I could think of to avoid so much seed and hull mess and have give up and just sweep it daily.

I will be watching this thread so new ideas.

Thanks! My finches are doing great! No babies yet, but they have laid eggs several times. I'm still suspecting that I may have two females, but I've been reluctant to carry out the DNA test. I have the kit...just not looking forward to catching them and plucking the feather!

As for the feeder...I would be fine if I just had to clean up the hulls, but the way my feeder is they end up kicking half of the food on the ground uneaten! I know its my own fault. My feeder choice was based almost entirely on its "prettiness". Here's what I have...

http://www.porchscapes.com/index.asp?Pa ... ProdID=433

I think the tube feeder would be a big improvement just because they couldn't land on the food and kick it around!

I can see why you chose that feeder Steph, very purty.

I'm not sure if the other feeders would really help. I think you'll find with any funnel feeder like that, the birds will still kick the seed out - particularly to get to their favorites.

I had a generic gazebo bird feeder in one of my flights, and I converted over to using flat terra cotta dishes on the floor of the flights and cages almost exclusively.

I use open containers mostly. Most all funnel type will result in the birds trying to get to thier favorites...not only is this wasteful but not the best nutrition. Like a kid knocking the spinach off the plate to get to the french fries It is best not to refill untill they have consumed most of the varietyof seeds/pellets.
I have melamine ashtrays (can be droped doen in the bleach and left to soak without any harm) White ones hold seed, black ones hold eggfood, fruit, etc., green ones hold mineral grit. These ashtrays offers a ready made perch in the center and helps keep the finch from the middle of the dish.
I also use planter trays. If you really like the look of the gravity feeder, you can always set it inside of a large plant pot saucer. This way the seed they kick out is contained in the saucer. You can refill with this seed as long as it is not soiled.
Glad to hear from you..... Is your passion vine gone nuts this year? The frittilaries are just now arriving here For those who don't know ...Frittilary butterflies fly across the gulf on thier yearly migration. They seek out passion flower vines to breed. They mate,lay eggs, die...then the eggs hatch into catterpillars, eat the vines , grow, morph, emerge and fly away. I have litterally 1000 butterflies in my yard at one time for weeks and even more catterpillars and cocoons dangling everywhere. Each year more and more come. I have people stop in front of my house in amazement at the sky alive with these beauties. They can become a nusiance... but I can tolerate the mess afterwards just to be graced by thier beauty.

Beautiful Candace. Is there anything more beautiful than mother nature at her best?

Steph, the feeders sold as 'finch feeders' in the wild bird section of stores are designed to dispense niger, or thistle, seed, which is very small. I don't know if those slits are large enough to let millet, or a finch mix, come thru.

Thanks for the responses, everyone! I ended up getting this feeder:

http://www.petco.com/product/105372/Bir ... escription

The openings are big enough for the seed mix, and there is a little tray to catch some of the hulls (I'm sure not all!). The local cardinals will appreciate the old feeder!

Cando: my passionvine has seen its fair share of butterflies this summer! I should have protected the plant a bit more from the onslaught. There are no leaves left on the vine at this point, but I'm hoping it will come back. I just really like butterflies and didn't want to kick them off the plant! Your vine is gorgeous!!

Nice feeder
Your passion vine will come back. Mine gets eaten almost completely and each year it comes back bigger than ever. It covers the entire pergola and half of the garage roof. I think I will be having a lighter butterfly invasion this year or else they are behind schedule. I always let them eat the plant. It will only die back in the winter anyway.

Thanks! That's so good to know about the passionvine! I really love it! I just planted mine this past spring, so I wasn't sure how it would be year to year.