what do you put in a hummingbird feeder?
We just bought a hummingbird feeder and are wondering if sugar water and food coloring is OK. The instructions said to buy a proprietary liquid that cost $$$. What would the ratio of sugar to water be?
Mix 4 parts water to 1 part table sugar in a pan. Do not use red food colouring. It is unnecessary and can harm the little hummers even in low concentrations because they eat so much nectar. If your feeder isn’t red, tie a red ribbon on it. Do not add anything else.
Bring to a boil then remove from the heat. Stir it while it is heating until all of the sugar is dissolved. Don’t boil it for long because that will change the ratio as water is boiled off. The reason for boiling is not to make syrup, but to drive out the chlorine in the water and to kill mold and yeast spores that might be in the sugar. This will help make the nectar last longer both in the feeder and in your refrigerator.
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Comments
Comment from Courtney
Time October 18, 2010 at 1:53 pm
I would not recommend making it at home. it could seriously hurt the hummingbirds, from all of the extra chemicals that is put in water and sugar. Try shopping online for cheaper legit hummingbird food/liquid
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Comment from HOOK
Time October 18, 2010 at 2:15 pm
You can buy commercial Nectar at any major retailer like Lowe’s, Walmart, etc,
I have been using both, store bought Nectar and home made Sugar water as you describe for many years now, The Ratio is not critical but I use about one Third of a cup of Sugar to one Quart of water and just a drop of food color, ( don’t worry if you use more sugar, I have never had a Hummer complain that the water was too sweet ) My Hummers seem to love Red or Green , but it really does not matter they will gladly sip from the feeder,
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Comment from Freedom
Time October 18, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Mix 4 parts water to 1 part table sugar in a pan. Do not use red food colouring. It is unnecessary and can harm the little hummers even in low concentrations because they eat so much nectar. If your feeder isn’t red, tie a red ribbon on it. Do not add anything else.
Bring to a boil then remove from the heat. Stir it while it is heating until all of the sugar is dissolved. Don’t boil it for long because that will change the ratio as water is boiled off. The reason for boiling is not to make syrup, but to drive out the chlorine in the water and to kill mold and yeast spores that might be in the sugar. This will help make the nectar last longer both in the feeder and in your refrigerator.
References :
Comment from Karen L
Time October 18, 2010 at 3:27 pm
You don’t need the food colouring. Neither do the birds. I hope you got a feeder with some red on it, most of them have that since that colour attracts the birds. It attracts them so much that I’ve seen them checking out red stuff hanging on my clothesline, and once, when I had my hair dyed a very bright red, one came very close to my head to check it out. Yellow is next best.
Mix four parts of water to one part of sugar, bring it to a boil and then take it off the heat and let it get to room temperature before putting it in the feeder. In early spring if the weather is cold you can use 3 parts water, 1 sugar to give the birds a little extra food. If the weather is warm or hot, change the food every second day or every day if they don’t eat it all, and open the feeder to give it a good rinse and make sure there’s no mold in it. Vinegar is a good rinse for a feeder, but rinse with lots of water before refilling.
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Comment from Soldier Magee
Time October 18, 2010 at 1:44 pm
put 3 parts crack cocaine and 2 parts water
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