I don't know where you live, but if you are in a hot climate, only fill your feeders 1/2 full and clean and refill them every few days to prevent mold from getting a foothold.
I make my syrup on the stove,making sure it boils for a while, then bottle it up in a very clean bottle and keep it in the frig. I let a cupful (the amount my feeder holds) come to room temp, then empty, clean and wash out the feeder with hot soapy water before filling with fresh syrup. A tiny brush, like a mascara wand is perfect for scrubbing out the tiny feeding holes!
Do not boil the sugar in the water together. It changes it and it's not good for them. And if you store it it won't be good for more than a week. Please don't take my word for it, do some research. I belong to a hummingbird website so we get all this information daily.
What works for me is filling the sink and add some detergent and a few tablespoons clorox, the feeder will soak (sometimes I'll do it before going to bed and rinse it in the morning.) It prevents mold from forming and the smell goes away in no time. They don't seem to mind.
I have been feeding humming birds for years. You have to keep the feeders clean. In the hot of the summer sometimes I clean them twice a week. The cloudy water is not good for them. I make my own food 1 part sugar, 4 parts water, bring to boil for one minute, let cool. I keep the extra in the fridge and use later when I clean out the feeders. I buy feeders that have a perch for them to sit while drinking and comes apart for easy cleaning. I found some really great feeders that I twist apart clean the inside out and then twist it together. The fancy feeders are sometimes not the best for keeping clean which is very important in feeding hummers. I also get a lot of Orioles at the hummingbird feeders.
No, you shouldn't be boiling the water with the sugar in it. And it doesn't store very long. I know you've been doing it for years but I've been long to some websites that talked about this daily. Don't take my word for it do some research.
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Do not boil the sugar in the water together. It changes it and it's not good for them. And if you store it it won't be good for more than a week. Please don't take my word for it, do some research. I belong to a hummingbird website so we get all this information daily.
No, you shouldn't be boiling the water with the sugar in it. And it doesn't store very long. I know you've been doing it for years but I've been long to some websites that talked about this daily. Don't take my word for it do some research.