What you will need:
- White granulated sugar
- Tap Water
“Do not add red dye” it is not necessary and is harmful to hummingbirds. Red dye 40 is associated with hyperactivity and various types of cancer and Red 3 is associated with causing thyroid cancer and chromosomal damage. If these are the potential risks is causes in consumption in humans than I don’t want to feed that to my lovely hummers. Although hummingbird associate red with food, it is safer to buy a feeder with red coloring. Red glass feeders are recommended because it reduces the risk of BPA toxins getting into their food source.
Nectar Batch Sizes (4:1 ratio):
Small 8oz. Batch: 1 cup water; ¼ cup sugar
Medium 16 oz. Batch: 2 cups water; ½ cup sugar
Large 32oz. Batch: 4 cups water; 1 cup sugar
Recipe:
- Boil water on medium to high heat
- Add sugar to boiling water
- Boil for an additional 2 minutes (to create a syrup); stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar crystals
- Once the sugar is dissolved; remove from the heat and let cool
- You are ready to fill your feeder once the nectar mixture reaches room temperature. You can speed this process up by placing it in the refrigerator
- Store the additional nectar in a airtight container in the refrigerator; recommend to store no longer than 10 days, checking the quality before using is always a safe rule of thumb
- 60-70 degrees change weekly
- 71-80 degrees change every 3-4 days
- 81-85 degrees change every 2-3 days
- 86 degrees & up change everyday to every other day
Feeders should be placed in a shaded area, cleaned often with water and vinegar or a mild soap, and rinsed thoroughly. Be cautious cleaning your feeder with bleach, if not washed properly it can leave a film on feeder and be harmful to hummers.
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