NFR Hummer Hearth - (hummingbird feeder heater)

[Josh]

Just thought this might be of interest to some of you after seeing @Brian Miller post a photo of his hummingbird feeder with lights keeping it warm on the weather thread.

For the past couple of years we've used a clever WA made product called a Hummer Hearth that clips onto the bottom of the feeder and uses a little incandescent bulb to keep the liquid from freezing. Ours came with a little 7w bulb, but now I see that the company includes a 7w and a 15w for colder temps. They even claim that a 24w can be used in extreme temps.

Hummingbird Feeder Heater, Hummer Hearth

Keep the nectar flowing in your hummingbird feed this winter with the Hummer Hearth, hummingbird feeder heater! Easy to attach and use. Ensure hummingbirds can feed even when your neighbor’s feeders are frozen.

www.hummerhearth.com

They don't sell online, so you have to track down a local dealer. But they are made here in WA, which is cool. There are knock off versions around, but I'd rather support local and skip a couple beers to make up the difference.

Here's ours in use (we set up the heat lamp for this week's very cold temps, the birds seem to like it).

 

[Brian Miller]

They're sold on Amazon. I wanted to buy one but it appears the feeder has to have the perch ring across the bottom? Our feeders don't have them.

 

[Josh]

They're sold on Amazon. I wanted to buy one but it appears the feeder has to have the perch ring across the bottom? Our feeders don't have them.

Amazon ones are the knockoffs. Not saying folks should or shouldn't buy them. Just that they aren't the ones made here in WA. They are the china made copies.

 

[Brian Miller]

But do need the perch ring?

 

[Josh]

But do need the perch ring?

I think it depends on the feeder. One of ours doesn't have a ring (the one in the photo) and we just clip the elastic to the perch loops. It makes it a little hard to keep it perfectly centered, you can see it's crooked in the photo. But it seems to work.

 

[Brian Miller]

Ours don't have a perch ring or loops. LED Christmas lights don't get warm enough to provide the heat, and I think that's our last string of incandescent lights .

 

[M_D]

Just thought this might be of interest to some of you after seeing @Brian Miller post a photo of his hummingbird feeder with lights keeping it warm on the weather thread.

For the past couple of years we've used a clever WA made product called a Hummer Hearth that clips onto the bottom of the feeder and uses a little incandescent bulb to keep the liquid from freezing. Ours came with a little 7w bulb, but now I see that the company includes a 7w and a 15w for colder temps. They even claim that a 24w can be used in extreme temps.

Hummingbird Feeder Heater, Hummer Hearth

Keep the nectar flowing in your hummingbird feed this winter with the Hummer Hearth, hummingbird feeder heater! Easy to attach and use. Ensure hummingbirds can feed even when your neighbor’s feeders are frozen.

www.hummerhearth.com

They don't sell online, so you have to track down a local dealer. But they are made here in WA, which is cool. There are knock off versions around, but I'd rather support local and skip a couple beers to make up the difference.

Here's ours in use (we set up the heat lamp for this week's very cold temps, the birds seem to like it).

View attachment 46318

Man, look at you go. I bet they’re luvin’ that heat lamp.

What a good landlord you are. I’m evidently a slum lord cuz I just used a rubber bands to hold a couple 6 hour hand warmers snug to the sugar water bottle

 

[Matt B]

Man, look at you go. I bet they’re luvin’ that heat lamp.

What a good landlord you are. I’m evidently a slum lord cuz I just used a rubber bands to hold a couple 6 hour hand warmers snug to the sugar water bottle

Forgot to bring mine in last night. I had to chip it free this morning to defrost it.

 

[Scott Salzer]

Skip a couple beers, say it isn’t so! I bring them in at night, have a beer or two. Put them out on the morning.
Thanks for taking time to help the hummers.
Bird seed on covered areas really helps the seed eaters. A lot of varied thrushes on the covered porch and under the cedars.

BTW - don’t buy the red nectar stuff, waste of money and the hummers don’t care. One part sugar, four parts water. That’s it.

Thanks for taking care of our feathered friends !

 

[Divad]

I could use that, I ran the propane heater from afar to waft warm air at them. Obviously most would say this is a waste and not safe, I too, but when it was sub 25 I felt too bad. Warmed water every morning for a few days there before work.

I was thinking to go the coil route and wrap the feeder with a line heater but bottom up is probably enough heat transfer.

 

[M_D]

BTW - don’t buy the red nectar stuff, waste of money and the hummers don’t care. One part sugar, four parts water. That’s it.

Atta boy, I bring mine in at night too…but I like to build my client base….equal parts sugar to water so those hummers keep hittin’ the juice…

who’s your sugar daddy???

 

[longputt]

Just thought this might be of interest to some of you after seeing @Brian Miller post a photo of his hummingbird feeder with lights keeping it warm on the weather thread.

For the past couple of years we've used a clever WA made product called a Hummer Hearth that clips onto the bottom of the feeder and uses a little incandescent bulb to keep the liquid from freezing. Ours came with a little 7w bulb, but now I see that the company includes a 7w and a 15w for colder temps. They even claim that a 24w can be used in extreme temps.

Hummingbird Feeder Heater, Hummer Hearth

Keep the nectar flowing in your hummingbird feed this winter with the Hummer Hearth, hummingbird feeder heater! Easy to attach and use. Ensure hummingbirds can feed even when your neighbor’s feeders are frozen.

www.hummerhearth.com

They don't sell online, so you have to track down a local dealer. But they are made here in WA, which is cool. There are knock off versions around, but I'd rather support local and skip a couple beers to make up the difference.

Here's ours in use (we set up the heat lamp for this week's very cold temps, the birds seem to like it).

View attachment 46318

This did not work for us at 25oF or less...we use a cheapo aluminum shop light with a 60W bulb attached with twine, we've had hummingbirds below zero...pretty amazing they stay around.

Robot or human?

www.walmart.com

Here's our set up:

 

[Josh]

This did not work for us at 25oF or less...we use a cheapo aluminum shop light with a 60W bulb attached with twine, we've had hummingbirds below zero...pretty amazing they stay around.

What wattage bulb did you have in the Hummer Hearth? The 7w bulb does kinda crap out in the lower 20's. The FAQ on their site claims (optimistically I think):

- A 7-watt bulb will work down to about 20F (-7C)
- A 15-watt bulb will work down to about 10F (-12C)
- A 25-watt bulb will work down to about 0F (-18C)

 

[longputt]

The first one we bought was 40W and it didn't make 20oF. Maybe results vary...our 60W light (for $6 plus twine) works great.

 

[Josh]

The first one we bought was 40W and it didn't make 20oF. Maybe results vary...our 60W light (for $6 plus twine) works great.

Whatever works!

 

[longputt]

Whatever works!

Hopefully I'm helping with does not work!

 

[Shad]

I could use that, I ran the propane heater from afar to waft warm air at them. Obviously most would say this is a waste and not safe, I too, but when it was sub 25 I felt too bad. Warmed water every morning for a few days there before work.

I was thinking to go the coil route and wrap the feeder with a line heater but bottom up is probably enough heat transfer.

View attachment 46340

Blows my mind seeing that many hummingbirds at one feeder, considering the recent experience I've had. Perhaps the sheer numbers (or maybe the cozy confines of the heater?) force them to be kind to each other?

I have three hummingbirds around that I know of. One of them (the lone female among them, oddly enough) is a psychopathic bully, and she's completely hogging the feeder now. The other birds never get a drink, and she is getting grotesquely obese from overeating. She literally stays on or within 20 feet of the feeder from dawn to dusk, and the only exercise she gets is from charging the other birds any time they get close, which is getting less and less common every day. Unhealthy situation for all involved.

I did some research today and read that bully hummingbirds are fairly common, and that the most effective way to prevent them from terrorizing everything around is to put up multiple feeders, in places where they aren't visible from one another. I only have my balcony, and there is no way to place two feeders so they won't be too close, so....

Back on topic for a second, my nectar never froze up during the past few days (I brought it in at night), but either way, it looks like I won't be needing any heaters, at least for a while. This afternoon, I came to the regretful decision to take down my feeder until the bully loses some bulk, moves on, or gets itself killed by another bully. I don't think I'm doing these particular birds any favors by trying to feed them at this point. Makes me sad, but I can't in good conscience feed one hummingbird to death while others, struggling just to survive the winter, are wasting precious energy running from the glutton. The bully wins, yet everyone loses....

 

[Peyton00]

Shad

The birds have survived and will survive with or without your help/feeder.

Don't lose sleep.

 

[longputt]

Sorry I brought tihs up....I'll back off...Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

[Shad]

Shad

The birds have survived and will survive with or without your help/feeder.

Don't lose sleep.

I'm not too concerned about that; they are amazing survivors. I was concerned the bully was going to eat itself to death or eventually kill one of the others over protecting something I introduced into their environment. That's what I meant when I said I had decided I wasn't doing them any good by feeding them.

I'm just upset that I have to give up the cheap, reliable entertainment they provide, at least for a while. Indeed, I'm being deliberate about impacting the natural balance behind my place as little as possible....