Heritage Farms Bird's Choice Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder

Comment: We needed a bird feeder that discouraged grackels. I know they need to eat too, but please NIMN!They still hang out on the ground, but oh well -- keeps the seeds from sprouting. This is a good choice to keep out larger undesirable birds.
Now if someone could just tell me how to keep rabbits from eating my pansies :-)

Comment: Worthless, as is. There are three holes for adjusting the spring tension on the bar. These are large enough for squirrels to eat from all day long. Solution: Simply put a galvanized or stainless steel bolt, washer, and nut through the holes, all three on each side. (They will fit if you pry off the metal flaps for the holes you don't use, and work the bolt in the hole that supports the spring tension by prying the flap up a bit and then back down.) Then you are good to go. Squirrels will climb up any length pole you will use, or jump onto it. It seems to be squirrel proof once these large holes are capped off.

Update: Worthless even after plugging the holes. The squirrels simply perch on the top of the pole and reach under the bar from below (in the space between the feed and the bar), grab seed with their hands/claws, and munch all day. The Squirrel Wars continue. Darn furry rats!

Comment: It fun to watch the frustration of the squirrels trying to get into the feeder when it closes on them.

Comment: This was a Christmas present for my mom. We suspended it from a tree branch. So far, it has made it through a very rough, snowy, icy winter and has worked just fine. This replaced a similar one that wore out after several years.

Comment: We purchased this product to replace another squirrel-proof, metal-construction product of a similar design that had finally worn out after about 15 years. This one won't last that long.

First, the metal is a lighter grade.

Second, the bracket for overhead hanging is attached to the housing by tension of the bracket only. It's come loose twice already as a result of squirrel activity on the roof. It will be necessary to attach the hanger to the housing with the addition of metal brackets and screws or bolts.

Third, the closing of the feeding tray is controlled by a flimsy spring on each side. The springs can be changed among three placements to accommodate different bird weights but still close on the weight of a squirrel. One of those springs has come loose once, requiring a resetting.

Fourth, large holes were created in the sides of the metal housing to provide slots for attachment of the hanging brackets and spring adjustment settings. These holes are large enough to allow leakage of small seeds, and at least one on each side is large enough to provide temptation for squirrels to work on getting larger sunflower seeds through the slot.

The first truly squirrel-proof bird feeder we owned had a counter balance on the side opposite the roost for accurately adjusting the tension on the closing mechanism. That concept was much better than the use of the springs here.

This unit does have the advantage of a metal perch for the birds. The roost on the older unit we had was made of wood and had to be replaced twice in its 15-year life, but overall this "squirrel-proof" bird feeder is a poor design.

I intend to look for a better one.

An update: I installed brackets to secure the hanger. Then, using an assortment of machine bolts, washers and nuts, I secured the chosen tension setting and filled all six holes in the side of the bird feeder. Hopefully, it's now squirrel-proof. Time will tell.