For best results, please read our instructions prior to filling your feeder for use. Our hummingbird feeders are made with quality workmanship & designed to last a lifetime. These directions will give you all the helpful hints to let you & your hummingbirds enjoy your feeder to its full potential.
We suggest that you pick a place just outside your window, a little above your line of vision, but within your normal view. Allow several inches between the feeder & other objects (such as a window, wall or post) to avoid any impact from movements. You can easily hang your feeder with an ‘S’ Hook using a chain or shepherd’s hook while allowing easy access for you to remove & replace when it’s time for fresh nectar. You should have your hook ready before filling the feeder.
We recommend a 1 to 4 mixture of white granulated sugar & tap water*. Mix 1/2 cup white granulated sugar to 1/2 cup of boiling water & stir until sugar is liquefied. Add another 1 1/2 cups of cold water. Let cool to room temperature before filling.
The clear & healthier nectar we suggest will also bring out the brilliance of the hand-blown glass, creating amazing reflections of light & color.
You will want to see this spectacle of art in nature with your own eyes!
The key to holding the nectar in your feeder is to fill it completely full before inserting the plug. This will make a vacuum pressure seal to best hold the nectar. Practice with cool or room temperature water the first time.
Place a soft cloth on your counter next to the sink as a cushion for the feeder so you can rest it & protect your glass from any hard surface.
Prior to filling with nectar for the first time you will need to rinse the feeder with water thoroughly (room temperature water is best for your glass feeder). This is to remove any residue from the glass blowing process. You may also want to first practice filling the feeder with water to be comfortable with the process prior to filling with nectar. We suggest keeping your feeder over a sink for the filling process.
First you will want to gently remove the flower. Now gently twist to remove the plug. You will want to rinse both with water, then place on a flat surface near your sink.
To Fill: Hold the feeder by the reservoir base & gently cover the lower hole with your thumb or finger. This should feel comfortable & will seal the feeder in order to let you completely fill it. Using a dispenser with a pour spout for your nectar, pour in the cooled nectar through the top-hole. When the feeder is about halfway full, remove any trapped air bubbles by tilting the feeder upright to allow the air to escape out of the top hole. Now you can continue filling until completely full & there is no air inside the feeder. Next you will insert the rubber plug by gently twisting as you push it into top hole of the feeder. With a slight turn you can push the plug to become snug. It is best to leave about 1/3 inch or more of the plug outside the glass for easy removal. The rubber plug will seal the feeder hole & form a vacuum pressure seal, holding the nectar inside. You can now rinse off any residual sugar water on the outside of the feeder with tap water & then dry the feeder with a soft cloth. Now it is time to hang the feeder on its hook outdoors, then gently place your glass flower in the bottom hole.
When you first introduce your hummingbird feeder, you may choose to tie a red ribbon at the top of your feeder. Food coloring has been found to be harmful to the hummingbirds, so we suggest only filling your feeder with clear uncolored nectar (recipe is included). Red coloring is not necessary once the feeder is known to be good source of nectar.
Rinsing with water alone is not enough to clean the feeder. We recommend adding 1 (one) teaspoon of rock salt to the water for cleaning. Gently cover both top hole & bottom hole so you can carefully shake or swirl the rock salt & water inside. This will scrape off the bacteria & prove to be a natural cleanser. If stubborn spots are still visible, they can be removed easily with the soft curved end of a pipe cleaner. Be careful not to use any rough metal to clean as this may scratch the interior glass. Rinse feeder with cool water until salt & bacteria have been removed thoroughly.
Please note: You will need to remove the glass flower & plug while you clean & fill your feeder. Rinse or scrub the flower & plug with a pipe-cleaner to remove any potential bacterial growth. Always place flower into feeder gently, making sure that the rubber tubing is in place to act as a buffer between the two pieces of glass.
*Hang your feeder from its’ hook (unless you need to clean & refill).
*Use the box with the bubble wrap to rest in safe place when you or your birds are traveling (we suggest to clean the feeder first to make this an easy refill when you’re ready).
*Place your feeder over a fountain, garden area or pot to absorb any nectar condensation that may escape due to fluctuations in the outdoor atmosphere.
*Our feeders are aerodynamically designed but will need to be taken down if wind gusts of 20 mph or more are expected.
* For those with hard water issues, distilled water is suggested in nectar recipe.