Ideas for Feeder posts?

[toughguy]

I want to put in a post or poll to hold up at least 2 bird feeders in my back yard. Ideally I would like to have 2 finch socks and an open feeder for cardinals. I use a shepherds hook now but I want to get something that's a little more solid. I'm thinking of a 4x4 with a concrete base or a metal poll of some kind. Anybody have and ideas or pictures of what you used?

[Steve Foss]

The 4x4/concrete is a good idea. That'll be very solid, and if you put 2 feet in the ground with 6 feet above ground, it'll be a good height. I'd switch to a round treated wood post, though. That way if you want to try to deter squirrels, it's easier to wrap sheet metal around the post.

[B. Amish]

i've got an old metal wagon wheel with metal spokes mounted horizontally on a metal pole that i pounded in the ground like 5-6' with a post pounder. it's quite solid and you could easily add a squirrel guard to it, but i haven't yet.

it's kind of neat. i've got a matching wheel that i will add somewhere in the yard when i finish some landscaping.

[B. Amish]

here's a picture.

[toughguy]

Thanks for the ideas. I think I'm going to go with the rounded off 4x4 with some sort of metal hook on it from a bird food store in my area. Anything's going to be better than my floppy old shepherds hook.

[eyeguy 54]

I just use the double plant holders from the hardware store. A feeder on each side on 2 poles then in the summer an extra one with a hummer feeder on one side and a plant on the other. I use one of the house type feeders for the Cardinals and 3 tube type feeders. Oil sunflowers in all the feeders. Freshly filled for the pic. The birdies love me. :>)

[eelpout1]

The 4X4 is the best Idea, and yes wrap it with tin.....or do like I do, use 5" or 6" snap together galvanized round air duct 4" will not fit around the 4x4, 5" is a nice fit, if you can find it, 6" is more common. make sure to finish all the exsposed edges by bending them over, even thought critters are not welcome on our feeder, we dont want to injure them.

[toughguy]

I finally put up the new feeder today. Used 4x4 cedar post in cement. The birds were on it within hours. I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

[MN Shutterbug]

The 4X4 is the best Idea, and yes wrap it with tin.....or do like I do, use 5" or 6" snap together galvanized round air duct 4" will not fit around the 4x4, 5" is a nice fit, if you can find it, 6" is more common. make sure to finish all the exsposed edges by bending them over, even thought critters are not welcome on our feeder, we dont want to injure them.

Yep, the 6" stove pipe works good. The squirrels will stand on their hind legs and just look at it. They realize there isn't much they can do about it. I use 4" vent for the shepherd poles. They'll climb as far as the vent and know there is no farther they can go.

I didn't cement my 4 X 4 in. I just drilled a deep hole in the bottom and drove conduit as far into it as I could and then drove the conduit into the ground. I also drove wooden stakes in around the bottoom of the post. It's been sturdy enough.

[LeeKen]

I put up a little different type of feeder post. I cut an eleven foot oak branch, bored a hole in the wide end and drove a metal rod into the ground where I wanted the "feeder". I set the piece of oak upright on the metal rod. Then I bored a few feed pockets into the side away from my view. I made the pockets the same size as the commercial suet plugs, but I also fill them with seeds. I also place some screws below the feed pockets for places to perch. The screws turned out to be a good idea for the wrong reason. The birds didn't need a perch but the screws keep them from hiding behind the oak while they eat.

It has worked out pretty well. here are a couple of visitors.

[MN Shutterbug]

Cool idea.

[harvey lee]

I put up a treated 4x4 and cemented it in. About 2ft in the ground. Then at menards they have lighted brass pole caps for the top of the pole and it looks very nice.

I ended up putting up another as I had 5 different kinds of feeders on that pole. Some birds did not want to feed there when there were so many other breeds there at the time.

I put my cardinal and another feeder on one and left 3 on the other. Now all the different breeds will feed when they would like if other birds are there.

I enjoy all the birds that feed but my orioles are the best for me.

[toughguy]

Here is the final result. I purchased a new feeder for the top. I already had the feeders on the hooks. I noticed Juncos for the first time this fall. Winter is on its way.

[MN Shutterbug]

I love your new bird feeder. My cousin tells me that a person can never have too many bird feeders. We've had juncos down here for at least 3 weeks already. Does that mean we're going to have an earlier winter in SW MN? I sure hope not.