That is a GREAT idea..wonderful for you to be so handy, and to share your inexpensive solution to a very common problem. Nice clear, instructive photos, too

Hi jiggreen -

Your baffle is terrific. Ingenuity, I love it!

Thanks to your inspiration, I tried making a weather dome for one of my feeders, to keep the nyjer seed dry, and used the bottom half of a plastic gallon milk bottle.

If you just cut all the way around the bottle halfway down, turn the bottom over, there are grooves, like the grooves on your baffle, where water will run off. If I make an opening just large enough to go over the feeder handle, it's ready to go.

I am so happy to have recycled something rather than gone out and bought something new. And it was fun. Thanks again to you and your husband for the inspiration.

Your baffle looks great. It goes well with the 4x4 construction.

My feeders are pole-mounted and I use black "stove-pipe" style baffles, purchased from Wild Birds Unlimited (they are designed to hang on poles). They are 2 feet long and work great - keep squirrels, raccoons, and chipmunks off the feeders.

They were about $20 each, but then I haven't spent anything on the feeders themselves. I made a home-made suet log, and the BOSS feeders were hand-me-downs. In any case the birds don't care what it looks like!

That's great! It's always a pleasure to make something yourself, especially from inexpensive "re-purposed" materials. I know what it's like, because I have been battling squirrels for years, often with home-made solutions. The squirrels seem to be clever, but I've found that they are actually very slow thinkers, making up for it by patient persistence.

Because of this slow thinking, IF they can find a way around your new baffle, it will take a while, so don't declare victory quickly. But don't be discouraged if they find a way around your baffle -- you will just need to make adjustments, after watching how they do it.

They may try jumping up unto or past the baffle. The edges look smooth, so just reaching the edge probably won't be good enough. If one of the squirrels is athletic enough to jump and get all four feet on top of the square platform without slipping off, he may be able to jump from there to the feeders. In that case, raise the height of the platform/baffle. But raise it too much, and they will jump from below the baffle to the feeders.

I'm wondering if the corner supports are good or bad. It depends on how stiff the plastic tray is. If the corners are unsupported, the tray may collapse and dump the squirrel if he manages to get on it. If it is stiff enough to support small birds but not a squirrel, that would be great.

Let us know if it's still working after a few weeks. Wishing you success!

Thanks for the responses and compliments on the squirrel baffle!!! I am quite pleased to say that the squirrels have tried their darnedest, but still have not managed to get up onto it. It's funny to watch them run up the post, stop when they realize they can't go any further and jump off...then they just scrounge around on the ground for dropped seeds. I almost feel guilty!! (but not too guilty because I do have a squirrel feeder out for them) And the greatest part is, I am saving so much money in bird food..especially the woodpecker cakes!!!! The birds really enjoy the big "platform", and one thing I've noticed is that the fishing line that supports the corners is helping to keep the larger birds off of the platform. The blue jays have tried to land on there, but they always change their minds.

chickadeemelrose ~ I'll have to try the milk jug idea...I have a couple of feeders that have no "roofs"...I'd like to make something to keep them dry.

james_m_clark~ The upside down tray is actually pretty thick and self supporting..the reasoning behind supporting the corners is the possibility of snow/ice weighing it down and cracking it around the center. I thought this would help distribute the weight.

terrene~ I do have a feeder pole that somehow the squirrels manage to run up, I'll have to try the stove pipe style squirrel baffle for that.

I'll post back in a couple of weeks and let you know if the squirrels have managed to outsmart us!

Nice work Jiggreen.

I wish you success but I agree with James, dont be too quick to say victory. Squirrels are sometime astonishing creatures.
I know someone who trapped and released a few squirrels 3 kilometers from his home. Before the next night they were back! I know it was not so fine from me but when he told me that I laughed. Anyway, he is still my friend and he doesn't trap the animals any more.

Luc

Ypur observation "I've noticed that the fishing line that supports the corners is helping to keep the larger birds off of the platform" is interesting. I've noticed that the lines of "sparrow spookers" have a similar effect on larger birds. Apparently, with their longer wingspans, the place looks/feels crowded.

I wanted to share an update on our homemade squirrel baffle/feeding platform.... It's still working great and I am so thrilled!!!!! Prior to installing it, we were being over run with the sneaky critters, now I rarely see any squirrels, just one persistent fella' who comes around a couple of times a day and checks things out. It is unbelievable how much money I have saved on seeds, as well as the time involved in filling the feeders....I never realized quite how much the squirrels were stealing!

I still haven't declared victory, but things are looking quite hopeful at the moment....that is.....until the squirrels show up with a little ladder and get up there and mock me! lol!

Plastic soda bottles and milk jugs are short lived...the pesky critters just chew them until they can get through or around them!

Can they SEE the fishing line? I'm wonering if maybe colored poly twine might be safer...

Sowngrow - perhaps it gets old for YOU, but think of the amusement value for the neighbors!

I’m bummed to say that my rabbit tray baffle did not work as well. Squirrels conquered it with in 3 days and the raccoons solved it shortly after. I have to admit I did not use the fishing line. They were able to grab the ridge line of the tray and pull them selves up the tray. I’m going to cut the ridge line off the tray and add the line to see if the extra support will keep all the buggers out. If not I’ll see if there is a larger tray out there that they won’t be able to reach the edge of.

juliet799 quit spamming these threads. You've been reported. all of your posts link to your business. that's not allowed here