Hummingbird Supplies

Ferestien Feed & Farm Supplies carries a wide range of Hummingbird Supplies. Whether you are a seasoned bird warcher looking for a new feeder, or just getting started and need tips to attract new birds, we have the expertise to help you. Call or come on in to check out our supply and talk to our experts to learn about our perfect hummingbird food recipe!

Hummingbird SuppliesHummingbird Feeders
Hummingbird Supplies Four Flower FrolicFour Flower Frolic
Hummingbird Supplies HummZinger FancyHummZinger Fancy
Hummingbird Supplies Antique Hummingbird FeederAntique Bottle Feeder
Hummingbird Supplies Hummingbird FeederJubilee Hummingbird Feeder
Hummingbird Supplies Hummingbird Window FeederHummingbird Window Feeder
Hummingbird Supplies HummingbirdsRoyal Hummingbird Feeder
Hummingbird Supplies Shop All Oriole Feeding SuppliesThe Best Oriole Feeders
Feeders: Choose feeders that are easy to clean such as the Perky-Pet’s Hummingbird Oasis, or Droll Yankee hummingbird feeders. It is essential that the feeder comes apart so that you can clean all surfaces thoroughly.
The “Hummingbird Oasis” feeders have moats in the middle to hold water to keep out ants. Another feature of these feeders is they provide unobstructed views of hummingbirds at all feeding ports on the feeders. 

Cleaning Feeders: Change the sugar solution often. Clean and put only enough fresh sugar solution in your feeders to last one to two days in warm weather, or sooner if it looks cloudy or develops mold. Keeping feeders in the shade slows down fermentation and mold growth. But, feeders placed in the sun are more easily seen and seem to attract more individual hummingbirds.Use only vinegar and water to clean feeders. Soap or bleach traces left in feeders, even after thorough rinsing, can harm hummers. A specially designed sponge or brush can help. If you use bleach as a last resort, follow-up by cleaning the bleach out with a vinegar and water solution.

Ant & Bee Control: An ant moat above the feeder will drown most ants. You can also spray cooking oil around the hanger but this makes a sticky mess and will have to be repeated throughout the year.The best way to avoid bees is to deny them access to the syrup. Feeders built to be bee and wasp-proof where the syrup level is too low for insects to reach, but easily in range of the shortest hummingbird tongue work. Keep the bee guards on your feeder at all times, and don’t burp your feeders. If you are in an area where orioles pull off the bee guards or if bees or wasps persist, try moving the feeder, even just a few feet. If that doesn’t work, take the feeder down for a day, or until you stop seeing wasps looking for it. You’ll see hummingbirds looking for it, too, but they won’t give up nearly as soon as the wasps.
Perfect Hummer Food Recipe: 

  • One part sugar to four parts water – stir until sugar is dissolved.
    • Measure examples:
    • One cup of sugar to four cups of water
    • 3/4 cup sugar to 3 cups water
    • 1/2 cup sugar to 2 cups of water.
  • Bring solution to a boil to kill bacteria and slow spoilage – allow to cool.
  • Fill feeders just enough for a day or two of use. Extra solution may be refrigerated if used within one week.

If feeders are cleaned and filled with freshly-made, hot water, sugar solution every day, then it may not be necessary to bring the solution to a boil. If you plan to store solution for two or more days, boiling is a must.

Do not use: raw sugar, agave syrup, brown sugar, molasses, artificial sweeteners, or anything other than white sugar; these cause various problems for hummers. Adding red food-dye coloring is unnecessary. The red on a feeder is enough to attract hummers. DO NOT USE HONEY as this can kill hummingbirds.

When to stop feeding: Birds migrate based on instinct, weather and resource availability. Since the sugar water is a supplemental food and NOT the main food source for hummingbirds, they will leave when the insect population drops below what they need to survive. Do not leave hummingbird feeders up when during hard freezes unless they are heated (use summer cleaning regimen for warmed feeders with 1-2 days maximum before changing nectar and cleaning feeder).  If you still have hummingbirds coming to your feeder then by all means keep feeding them. As autumn changes to winter, depending on your area, the hummingbirds may disappear altogether or one or two may overwinter. Of course, you only need put out a tablespoon or two per day when there is only one hummingbird present.