Is it safe too hang bird feeder from gutter
Where people hang up a bird feeder can result in invention and imagination, so hanging a feeder off a length of guttering is a sure fire solution for your feeder hanging needs.
It is safe too hang bird feeders from a gutter fixed to a house or outbuilding, but in doing so the made in plastic gutter would need to be in good condition. Even so, it would be best to hang near to a joint or bracket as its a tougher spot. Likewise, if the guttering in question is metal, hang away with impunity.
It must be up there as one of the more imaginative places for hanging a bird feeder, but the guttering can be a safe place.
Guttering is most often decades old, unless its a brand new build, in which case a plastic gutter can be considered.
But only if its a ground floor building where a ladder is not needed to climb up to the roof height.
However, the house might not be ideal so a structure in your backyard, such as the brick wall shed can be used.
Low buildings with only a step or stretching out to switch the feeder for replenishing or cleaning is ideal - too much bother and you'd probably find yourself not making the effort to do either.
Feeding wild birds while using all types of wild bird feeders hanging off the guttering is a genius idea, but it must be done in a safe and secure environment.
Do inspect your gutter to see if can withstand the weight of a feeder; be it if its filled up with lots of heavy feed or if the feeder is a heavy one to begin with.
Safe if secure, tough guttering
When hanging up a bird feeder of any kind, you can only hang it off the common 'made in plastic guttering' that is more likely to be at to risk of breaking.
If said guttering you intend to use to hang a feeder off is made in aluminium or steel, then its less so a problem.
But not so if its made in plastic, as the risk of a collapse is a huge possibility.
While never being replaced since the building was constructed many years ago - then it could be on the brink of falling apart - only adding weight can cause such a collapse.
So get on a ladder to be sure the intended spot on the gutter is safe enough, by pulling on it with your hand.
Location of hanging a bird feeder off guttering is never in the middle of the guttering, so hang it next to what is known as a union brocket or physically over a bracket.
Toughest area on any type of guttering are these parts as they not only use thicker material, but the brocket or bracket tend to be made in tougher material, like metal.
No fixing to brittle gutter
Brittle guttering is a real problem when it comes to using it for any other purpose than maintaining the flow of running water.
So to hang what is going to be a heavy bird feeder off it is going to test the stability of the gutter under pressure.
In plastic guttering the cause of any issues would be when the plastic gutter goes brittle.
It can go unnoticed for many years if not inspected up close, but to disturb it by touching it by hand or attempting to hang something off it - would only cause cracks or pieces of guttering to snap off.
You really need to give the intended spot on the length of guttering you wish to use for your feeder a really good look over.
Not a problem now but a crack can go unnoticed right now while falling apart later on.
And while you might be lucky enough to avoid any breaking of guttering at first, the weight of wild birds - who are very light by the way - can cause the feeder to fall to the ground.
What that can mean is injury to the birds while risking the safety of structures or people below it.
Hang off low fixed guttering
What better way to hang a bird feeder than doing so where its easily within reach, yet offers that all important height requirement when hanging bird feeders.
I therefore recommend hanging a bird feeder off the guttering around the low brick or wooden shed - as oppose to the guttering high up on the house roof.
To site a bird feeder on a two-story house is an absolutely no-no; only hang a feeder off a house - or bungalow or cottage of sorts - with a ground floor only.
Not only should you benefit with ease of use to hang a feeder on a shed gutter by simply stretching up - but in time you can move the feeder around to a better, yet hopefully a more successful spot.
In hanging up any type of bird feeder, safety of the wild birds is your first priority, so where there are birds congregating, along comes the neighbors cats.
I must tell you to only use a shed or backyard building where cats don't bother to visit or access the roof at all.
Cats can pray on the feeding birds from above where birds won't even know what hit them, until it does.
Use light-weight feeder only
Having mentioned not hanging bird feeders off a flimsy plastic gutter, or one that at least is past its best, do avoid using heavy bird feeders.
This could be heavy-duty bird feeders to steel hanging feeders, all of which are going to put so much strain on the guttering.
Reserve ultra heavy duty, filled to the top large bird feeders for use on metal guttering only.
Do use small bird feeders for seeds or only half fill a peanut bird feeder for example.
To maintain a lightweight feeder, the material the feeder is made out of, will have its say, so made in metal feeders are out of the question.
But with the bird feeder size, it might be best to avoid using the fancy lantern bird feeders or the heavy made in wood hanging platform feeders that would cause trouble, yet lack the space that is needed for hanging.
If you intend to use multiple feeders on the gutter at one time, be sure to space out each feeder to reduce the weight load on a single spot.
Feeder requires clearing
Generally speaking, guttering sits under the overhang of angled roofs to catch falling rain water as it drops off the end.
This overhang of the roof will have its say if you can or cannot use a feeder on guttering.
You see, every type of hanging bird feeder needs clearing to hang to prevent it bashing against a nearby wall or fence post. Maybe with the exception of a compact suet feeder that shouldn't really hang at all - but instead lean against a nearby object.
In this case a little bit of wind or if the bird feeder twirls and rocks as its being used by a ton of birds, can bash into the adjoining building - which can be only inches apart.
Long, common tube, mesh or suet cage type bird feeders will cause little issues, but going for a wide lantern, an hopper style seed feeder or a wreath bird feeder could result in bumping against the wall.
Most people probably won't experience this issue as guttering is often positioned far out, but hanging a feeder with use of its corresponding hook on the end can offer a little more clearance that is so desperately needed.
Conclusion
It is safe to hang bird feeders from metal guttering but to hang them off a more delicate gutter, made in plastic like PVC requires an up close inspection to view its robustness.
Flimsy, brittle guttering is not going to hold much weight of a feeder, but a final collapse could be when wild birds land to feed.
If using plastic guttering to hang a bird feeder, only hook the hanger over what is called the union brocket - part that lengthens guttering - or the fascia bracket, which is used to fix the gutter to the house or building.
I also recommend to hang the feeder as close as possible to the stop end or if you can, the angled guttering area which tends to be a bit more tough and secure.
Do avoid filling the bird feeder to the top if its a big one, but if you can a small, lightweight feeder would be the better option.
Bird feeders need room to hang as wind or birds can swing the feeder with force, so lack of clearing will see the feeder knock into a nearby wall.
Share this article:
