How to hang bird feeder on fence

Seeing as you can put a bird house on a fence when a safe environment allows it, with no pests and pets about, to hang a bird feeder off a fence can be made possible.

How to hang a bird feeder on a fence can be achieved in seconds with what is a detachable metal bracket that hooks over a fence post or anywhere along the fence panel. Permanently installed metal bracket can be mounted to the post whereas an home made wooden bracket can be considered.

Unless the bird feeder that you intend to hang off your own or a neighbors fence that divides both your backyards - will provide a foot of clearing between feeder and fence post - then you will rely on a bracket to provide this clearing.

Bird feeders can be flush against the fence if you like which can benefit larger birds with a more stabilized feeder.

Of which this could result in a leaning bird feeder which risks spilling bird feed unless its hung to keep it the right way up.

To hang a bird feeder on a fence is a good idea without trees or vegetation to take advantage of... but there are safer options to consider before I go on.

With lack of places to hang a bird feeder safely consider taking full advantage of your roof overhang, as the eaves can provide a place to hang a bird feeder under the soffit, or if you like hang bird feeders on an accessible gutter bracket.

While bird feeders are safe to use in general, its their owners who can make bird feeders unsafe, in this case hanging a bird feeder too close to the ground, on a fence.

Despite that, it still can be super safe if you take care of hanging a bird feeder on a strong fence post with a concrete foundation, as oppose to a weak fence panel.

Rules still apply when attracting wild birds to a bird feeder that happens to now be hung on a fence; like making sure bird feeders are hung in the sun, or remain in a sun lit area with bird feeders often going a miss, when located in the discreet shadows.

Hook over hanger

How you'd go about hanging your bird feeder of any kind up on a fence with little trouble on your part, is to rely on what is a detachable bird feeder bracket that simply slots over the fence post or panel.

What you get is a made in iron or steel bracket that appears to be screwed on to the fence, when in fact it can simply be removed by lift it up and off the fence top.

Why you would prefer this kind of bracket to hang bird feeders on a fence, will allow you to keep bird feeders mobile; meaning if one section isn't working out, then re-position the bracket, and therefore the bird feeder somewhere else along the fence.

Primarily available and sold in the UK - but certainly can be sold in USA - with an example of this detachable bracket for a fence can be found on folksy.com.

As you can see if inspecting the product images, the bracket simply hangs over the fence panel while the metal bracket is stabilized at the bottom with a cross bar.

With a wider metal piece fixed to the bottom section this will help balance the bracket, because without this cross section the bracket would fall to either side.

To hang a detachable bracket on a concrete or metal fence post that is a little wider than a panel, refer this product on Amazon.co.uk where the item is listed.

It has all the benefits of a metal bracket that is mounted to the fence with screws, only this type can be re-positioned or taken down with no trouble at all.

If you like you could also attempt to hook on a deck mounted bird bath plus bird feeder bracket if you can, as the tightening bolt could provide a compatible mount.

Install metal bracket

Rather than depend on a detachable, mobile metal bracket to hang anywhere along a fence panel or to hang over the fence post, why not make it permanent.

How you will normally hang bird feeders off a fence would rely on mounting a metal bracket on the fence post, so the bird feeder can be suspended off its available hook fixed to the end bracket arm.

Buy a wrought iron or cheaper metal bracket to compliment the decor of your yard, while black in color brackets tend to blend in well with all environments.

You'd need to screw in the metal bracket as far up the fence post it will go, to provide you a safe 4-6 feet clearing off the ground.

Trouble with bird feeders hung off a normal backyard fence, is this fence can be no taller than 6 feet, thus the tip of the feeder risks being far too close to the ground.

If no cats visit your yard or indeed you don't have a squirrel issue, then thankfully hanging a bird feeder on a fence will be super convenient to you.

You must use the fixings that are supplied with the bracket to securely screw deep into the fence post only - which will now be suitable to hang heavy bird feeders - whereas the fence penal will be too flimsy and thin to screw into, or hang a bird feeder on.

Build a wooden hanger

Back on the topic of mounting a proper heavy duty metal bracket on to a fence post, no need to buy a bracket when you can make it yourself.

Why you'd make it yourself is because if you are any good at woodworking - while you have some timber to hand - you can quickly build your own custom wooden bracket.

Made in wood bracket is recommended to build a bracket that compliments the fence the bracket its mounted to. Why, because it will paint or stain well which means it will color match your wooden fence beautifully.

If you aren't any good at woodworking projects mind, then head to a garden center with a wooden bracket for flower baskets in mind. Say no to the flower basket as you just need the bracket to screw on to your fence for now.

Wooden bird feeder bracket built by your own hands within the yard or workshop does have its benefit, like rectifying issues on commercially available metal brackets.

For one thing, seeing as your building the bracket yourself, you'd want to expend the back panel the bracket is mounted to, as high up as you can spare.

That way you can suspend the bird feeder far beyond the reach of nuisance pests or pets, stood below the bird feeder on the ground.

Similarly, you can extend the bracket that is stretched out horizontally where the hook for hanging the bird feeder is mounted, on the underside. Why you'd extend its reach is so the clearing between the hung feeder and fence is set at a safer distance.

Prioritize fence post over panel

On terms of safety issues, there's plenty of them when it comes to common backyard pests, including your own pets or strays that wonder in throughout the day.

What you might not of thought about thus far is what part of the fence the bird feeder must be hung on. And with a bracket mounted to the fence, it will only be compatible for one bird feeder at a time, thus you can think about grouping more together.

Why that is because bird feeders work best when they're in close proximity, and that is how bird feeders are found by birds, because its a large feeding area to notice as they pass overhead or briefly rest in your yard.

I'm going off topic a little so allow me to explain the difference between hanging bird feeders on the fence post, or the fence panel.

Panels being of course the 6 feet or so long sections in between what is the fence post that would normally be buried into the ground with a concrete foundation.

Well, I can't emphasis it enough where to hang bird feeders on a fence, with the fence post being the strongest section and therefore the place to hang bird feeder on.

Bird feeders can get a little on the heavy side which can begin to fracture a weaker fence panel that are often replaced every several years. Fence posts remain in place because they provide a solid structure to the lengths of fence panels.

Not just bird feeders either, to hang a bird house on a fence will also rely on a fence post section, and so will an heavy soil-filled suspended flower planter.

Dangers on other side of fence

Honesty, to hang bird feeders on your fence won't always be the best course of action, as a fence is often accessible to neighbors cats or fully accessible to pests who will wonder in to your yard - such as squirrels to chipmunks, to bears and coyotes.

Imagine now a bird feeder hung only 4 feet or less off a fence post that will surely be within reach of all these nuisance animals, and many more.

Why you want to keep bird feeders far off the ground in many cases would be to deter animals who will quickly plunder the feeder.

Worse than nuisance wild animals who tend to leave birds alone, are indeed your neighbors cats or strays, who will kill wild birds in what cats believe to be play.

Well, I can guarantee there is no possible way to keep cats away from bird feeders, if the bird feeder is hung up on a standard size backyard fence.

Cats, or indeed other pets like dogs can eat bird feeder food which can result in them falling ill.

Whereas cats are sure to set themselves up to pray on visiting backyard birds - who are attracted to the bird feeder hung on the fence - unbeknownst to wild birds a cat is ready to pounce on them any time.

Similarly, a bird feeder hung anywhere along the fence will of course provide a blind spot behind the fence panels - in your neighbors yard or public property - of which this is where cats could be waiting for their arrival.

Summary

You can hang one bird feeder at a time on a detachable or permanently mounted metal bracket, of which the bracket must be screwed on to the fence post.

When a wooden fence post to screw on a bracket isn't available to you - as fence posts are also made in metal or concrete - then its time to rely on what is detachable bracket that can be hung over the fence post or panel.

Either choice is a good option though to mount a metal bracket on a fence post will be awkward if birds can't find it, thus your forced to re-position the bracket by unfortunately unscrewing the bracket move it elsewhere.

To hang a detachable bracket on the fence panel or post, just hook it over the top of the fence where the bracket will be made in such a way, it will be stabilized on the fence.

If you enjoy a bit of DIY or woodworking then of course you can substitute a metal bracket for an home built wooden bracket to hang bird feeders on.

Why you'd want to do that is to make your own wooden bracket taller with a longer bracket arm... that will provide more clearing for the bird feeder and provide much more distance off the ground.

Dangers do lie on the other side of the fence mind with unforeseen pests or worse, a cat ready to pounce on your feeding birds.

It isn't really possible to mount squirrel or pest deterrents on a feeder hung off a fence, that will truly be sufficient enough to protect wild birds or the bird feeder food.

Instead you must find an alternative location to hang bird feeders if pests or pets can't be avoided as long as a bird feeder is hung on a bracket, mounted to the fence.

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