How To Choose The Bird Feeders From Your Garden Shed
By deciding to live in a residential garden shed and therefore in a natural environment, some individuals express a desire to rub shoulders with greenery and animals. Birds are often the primary beneficiaries of this interest.
The inhabitants of the garden shelter thus strive to install elements that will improve the living conditions of the birds without taking away an inch of freedom. These are shelters where birds can come and warm themselves and even cover their eggs; they are also feeders where birds will find the food they need to survive.
If this idea tempts you, then you must first ask yourself about the type of birds that fly over your wooden house to choose the corresponding accessories.
Criteria To Be Established
In order for birds to settle in your winter garden shelter to be successful, you need to know their breeds and eating habits. This will provide nest boxes and feeders at appropriate locations and provide food suitable for these free-living animals.
Disseminating Feeders:
There are different feeding models. They can be placed on low walls or suspended from branches. On some, food can be placed directly on the feeder while others are equipped with a dispensing mechanism with controlled flow. |
There are even complex and more elaborate feeders that are similar to “restaurants” offering menus of the day. You can choose to install a variety of bird feeders; By arranging them wisely all around your garden shed, they will allow you to attract multiple varieties of birds.
Maintaining Your Feeders:
Whatever types of feeders you select, you should always make sure that each feed is clean. You should clean them regularly to avoid any risk of disease transmission from droppings or leftover food. Once winter is over, you can take your feeders back into your garden shed.
If they are wooden, you can apply a protective treatment that is not harmful to birds.
Types Of Feeders
The Tray Feeder is the simplest feeder model. Just place it on the floor of the deck of your wooden house or, if it is equipped with chains and hooks, hang it from the branches of a tree. You just have to place the seeds on the tray and leave as well.
This type of tray is compatible with all breeds of birds, from the smallest to the largest. Some more design models are available with a roof that protects food from rain. Nevertheless, tray feeders must be cleaned daily, as birds feed on them with the same ease as they deposit their droppings.
The Silo Feeder: it has the shape of an old lantern with its long transparent body and its small tray in which the seeds pour out as they are consumed. Grain feeders are usually equipped with a hook on the upper part, which makes it possible to fix them in height.
They allow birds to adopt a natural position while eating. This long tank also allows mixing different types of seeds. The silo feeder will attract tits and goldfinches near your garden shed.
The Hopper Feeder: it often has the shape of a small wooden house whose interior is filled with seed. This reservoir regulates the flow of food into the base which is narrow. The seeds are therefore protected, which reduces the risk of soiling and alteration.
The hopper feeder has 2 other advantages: you can prepare a mixture of seeds and you can ensure a regular distribution of the feed for several days.
The Feeder With Fat Balls: The fat balls are items you will find in supermarkets. These plant reserves are rich in lipids and therefore provide energy supplements to insectivorous birds such as tits, nuthatches, troglodytes and magpies. Rich in apples and pears, fat balls will attract blackbirds and thrushes, while fresh coconut will enchant the tits. Some mornings, from the window of your garden shed, you may see alder taffins, goldfinches or starlings.
Add-Ons And Accessories
To ensure that birds always have access to convenient, clean feeders in your garden shed, you will need to use specific accessories:
The Cleaning Kit: it will consist of an extensible brush ranging from 30 to 50 cm (ideal for silos) and a small brush that will allow you to clean the corners and the corners of the nest boxes and drinking troughs. You can complete this kit with a spray containing disinfectant and a scraper for feeders.
Suspension Cables And Hooks: To ensure that the feeders are perfectly suspended and stabilized, an assembly comprising a stainless steel cable covered with a cladding and hooks type carabineers is recommended.
A Grain Shovel: To easily take a good amount of seeds in a large bag and pour the food in a smaller feeder without losing these seeds in the vicinity, a shovel that also has the shape of a funnel is ideal.
By paying attention to the environment of your garden shed and distributing feeders adapted to the needs of the birds that live in your area, you will offer them a haven in winter. They will come to feed in your garden and fill the space with their melodious songs.
