The constant rotation of a bird feeder can discourage most birds from perching on it to eat, but it also poses a danger to smaller birds that may be feeding at the feeder in your garden.
You can prevent a bird feeder from spinning by securing it to anything other than the feeder itself, or by tying a rope around the point of attachment. Better still, think about using bungee cord, which has hooks at both ends for a more secure fit.
You are reading: How To Fix Twirling Bird Feeder
Don’t let a wobbly, obstinately spinning bird feeder prevent you from providing food for birds; fixing it is easy and won’t cost you much.
Hanging a hummingbird feeder or seed feeder the best way you can will keep it from spinning. Then, find a place on the feeders where you can slip a hook, and secure two or three separate lengths of rope or cord there.
Drill your own hole or use a suction cup shower hook to attach to the flat surface of a plastic feeder if there is nowhere to construct a stable hook link.
A rope tied at both ends of the feeder may prevent this from happening.
Bungee cords can be used in place of rope to make a more secure, spin-free feeder since they can be stretched to the desired length without the need for any splices or knots.
Hummingbirds and even a bee have no trouble taking advantage of this fast-spinning hanging feeder, which may be slowed or stopped by securing it with a hanger or rope.
After determining where to tie, knot, or screw the hook onto the feeder, the opposite end must be hooked on at a 45° angle.
Whereas, all that’s required is a tent peg, a few large potted plants, or a fence or railing.
Only by taking the precautions outlined can you ensure that a bird feeder won’t spin out of control when swarmed by hungry birds.
In order to prevent the birds from avoiding your feeder because it spins, you should secure it as best you can.
In addition to preventing spilled hummingbird nectar, which attracts insects, a stable, non-spinning bird feeder can keep the yard neat and tidy.
Tie rope around hanging point
The use of a single length of rope is essential for keeping a bird feeder from spinning as birds flock to it.
Now this rope must be external grade, but an unused shoelace is fair game as long as it is replaced when it wears out.
Then, just take some rope, maybe the length of a single shoelace, and secure it around the point at which the bird feeder is suspended.
If you want to hang your bird feeder securely, you should tie a knot between the feeder’s hanging hook and the corresponding bracket on your bird feeding station or Shepherd’s hook.
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A longer length of rope may be required to counteract additional tie arounds if the bird feeder is hung from a stout branch that tends to spin during use.
A tight knot would be left, which could be untied, but the feeder would no longer be able to rotate at its point of suspension.
Loop rope ends around feeder
Another option is to ignore the point where the feeder is suspended and instead focus on tying the rope around the feeder itself.
To hang the bird feeder, you’ll need two lengths of rope, such as a pair of shoelaces, with one end tied to a matching object nearby and the other end looped through the feeder’s eyelets.
To keep the feeder from spinning, you’ll need at least two lengths of rope.
One length of rope secured to a nearby branch, hook, or bracket will prevent the feeder from spinning, but without a second tie point, the feeder may rock violently because it is now taught.
It’s not that the bird feeder looks bad with two ropes attached to it, but the placement of the loops around the feeder may be jarring if you decide to go this route.
A bird feeder’s loop can be an annoyance to birds trying to eat, so it’s crucial to maintain the length of the loop out of the way so it doesn’t catch birds.
Connect two bungee cord lengths
Here, therefore, is the more visually and practically significant method of fastening a bird feeder prone to spinning about.
Although, I will say that it can be a little more pricey and difficult to set up.
This method is quite similar to what I described earlier, wherein two lengths of rope are used to secure a feeder to the ceiling.
If you look closely at the featured image, you’ll notice that there are three separate strands of cord attached to the seed feeder. These strands of cord each have hooks at their ends to secure the feeder.
What you’ll do now is secure a needed but separate object to the feeders using two or three lengths of what act like elastic bungee cords, so stabilizing the bird feeders.
The ideal length of cord required to stretch out over two connecting points is shorter than the length of bungee cord, hence bungee cord is required to make up the difference.
Two bungee cords with hooks on either end are required for this to work, and adding a third bungee cord merely serves to further stabilize the setup.
The success of this method depends on the hooks at the end being large and deep enough to prevent the object from becoming dislodged. If a cord on your bird feeder ever gives out, the seed will fly everywhere, and your feeder will probably be broken in the process.
Position cord on 45° angle
You’ll need to do more than just hang two or three pieces of bungee rope from the bird feeder’s chain in regular intervals without touching them.
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If birds aren’t perching on the bungee cords, they can’t work loose the connection points, which will keep the bird feeder in place.
You’ll need to position your two or three bungee rope lengths at a 45 degree angle, or thereabouts, to any available object in order to secure them.
Having the chord at a 45-degree angle makes it more difficult for birds to perch on it, effectively discouraging the heaviest, most disruptive species from ever touching it.
As it occurs, a 45° angle is significantly more safer than say a rope positioned horizontally, as the hooks can stay connected far better at this angle, without falling loose.
Again, please refer to the image up top to get a feel for the proper slant at which to use the cord or rope.
Let’s examine what it means to “attach the connection to a secure location” when someone says that to you.
Creating own link points
In order for the cords to be positioned at a safe 45° angle, its necessary you setup the connection via the bird feeder to an untouched, secure two to three point link lower down.
Although it is preferable to establish your own link points closer to the ground, this will necessitate the purchase of more equipment.
- The bungee cord hooks may be easily attached to tent pegs, and the pegs will not move about on the ground.
- Two or three shepard’s hooks are recommended for use as upright supports because of their height.
- Planters in the ground can be used to anchor rope, or the ends of the rope can be trapped under the pots.
- Railings – belonging to decking would be appropriate for a hanging bird feeders installed, or set on an actual wooden deck
- Fencing – bracket or hooks can be nailed or screwed to a fence, making life easier for you to stop a feeder spinning, but feeders must be in a corner of a fence.
WARNING: Don’t believe you can depend on a pile of boulders, bricks or even substantial garden furniture, as the bungee cord has a lot of force that can come away unless its actually hooked on.
Alter bird feeder type link points
Now that I’ve covered every possible connection between link points using a bird feeder, let’s talk about how the feeders themselves can help or hinder your efforts.
You know, not all feeders allow you to hook one end of a bungee cord to the feeder twice or three times, so you have to improvise.
- To make a seed tube feeder, simply drill a cup hook into the bottom of a plastic seed tube. If a hole is made in the base of the tube that isn’t needed, it’s fine, too, because it will allow moisture to escape.
- It is possible for things to go wrong while using a mesh peanut feeder, which requires the use of wire cutters to open the steel gaps so that up to three bungee cord hooks can be attached.
- When using a hummingbird feeder, you can attach nectar-filled loops to the feeder’s hooks on the perches.
- Hook the bungee cord through the perches that orbit the body of an oriole feeder.
- You can make a coconut feeder that won’t spin by drilling two holes in it and threading a screw through them, then tying a piece of rope between the screw and something that sits on the other side of the feeder.
- Bungee cord and a long, dual-perched dried mealworm feeder.
- Large steel cage gaps in suet feeders allow for a plethora of hooking chances, whether the feeder is designed to hold blocks of suet, fat balls, or a wreath.
- The suction cup shower hooks can be used to attach the feeder to a glass or plastic window, or you can use the open perches on the hexagonal or panoramic feeder.
- Feeders can be easily tipped over by pests like squirrels, but this one is squirrel proof since it has a cage built in that can be snapped shut anyplace the rope hooks can reach.
To summarize
A surefire method to prevent a bird feeder from spinning is to secure it to a stationary object using two or three lengths of rope or cord.
Where a feeder falls short, you may need to drill a hole to install a hoop for a hook or resort to a makeshift solution like a shower curtain hook.
Two or three lengths of rope tied to and from the spinning bird feeder should do the trick for keeping it steady. You should instead watch the matching tie ends to make sure they don’t come undone or become tampered with.
To prevent the hassle, just secure the bird feeder to the bracket or branch it is hanging on by tying a rope around the two.
Bungee cord is the tool of choice for me when I need to stop a spinning bird feeder. The feeder is attached to an external item by means of two or three lengths of rope.
If it turns out to be too short, you can always add some bungee rope, but it would be much more solid if there were two more points of joining somewhere.
Tent pegs, hefty plant pots, or fences can be used to make your own connecting points, but you’ll need to make sure the length of cord or rope you use is angled at 45 degrees.
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Category: Birds
