DE9303103U1 - Mixed and fat feed feeding house - Google Patents

Description

Mixed and fat feed feeding house

Feeding facilities for various species of birds and other small animals, with which various types of loose food and fatty food or only fatty food can be offered.

State of the art technology

Commercially available devices for feeding birds

(see Appendix)

The commonly known "bird feeders" and other feeding devices for birds are usually designed like a house and are open to the birds on different sides. The food is scattered on the floor inside.

There are also feed silos in which feed that can be fed later (e.g. grains) can be fed.

The third form to be mentioned is the so-called "fattening balls". Here the food enriched with fat is in a net.

The disadvantages of these previously known devices:

Proper winter feeding is a great help for birds and other small animals when it is freezing cold or the ground is covered in snow. It also offers a great opportunity to observe native bird species up close, which in some people creates a positive feeling of being close to nature, which unfortunately needs to be remedied.

However, many bird conservationists are now convinced that more birds die due to incorrect winter feeding than due to famine 1

In the house-like structures, the birds run around in the food and unfortunately also drop their droppings, which can lead to the transmission of diseases (especially salmonellosis and other bacteria) and mass deaths. The birds often sit around apathetically and become easy prey for cats, who are then wrongly described as the biggest bird killers. However, a cat only very rarely catches a healthy adult bird in the wild.

Another disadvantage is that the field of vision in the house-like structures themselves to spot possible enemies is very small. When the birds are inside to feed, the

The shape of the house - with its walls and roof that obstruct the view - turns it into a trap-like structure. In addition, the birds are hindered and restricted in their take-off and take-off speed. Cats and the sparrowhawk (a bird of prey that mostly lives on weak, old or sick small birds, an important nature regulator that is becoming rare) like to take advantage of this and often specialize in such bird feeders.

Feed silos are preferable to bird feeders because the birds generally do not poop on the feed and their visibility is not too restricted.

The disadvantage is that such feeding facilities, in which only feed can be added, are primarily suitable for grain and seed eaters, which are still relatively common, in contrast to insect eaters. There are also omnivorous species that (eat plant and animal food) adapt their diet and food spectrum in times of need and depending on the season. Experienced ornithologists are not too impressed by the feed silos, because:

Unfortunately, some people tend to exaggerate - silos with a capacity of 200 litres have been seen - an oversupply of grain, seeds, etc. only promotes the population-damaging reproduction of certain bird species - makes them forget how to find food naturally - it is increasingly observed that young birds die in the nest because their parents fed them grain (which was sometimes available in overfilled silos until the summer) instead of insects (lack of essential amino acids, animal protein, etc.) - example protein values: forage millet 5%, broken corn%, rice 7% - grasshoppers 19%, caterpillars 16%, beetles 20 % , etc. Grain eaters, such as sparrows and pigeons, like to appear in flocks, and in territories that are promoted in such an unnatural way, overcrowding, food disputes and unrest occur, which the sometimes shy insect eaters do not like and thus avoid these areas - in addition, there is a lack of insects, because the granivores also need insects for species-appropriate rearing.

3.) So-called "tit balls" (nets filled with fatty food).

Feeding fat is a very good thing, because it is suitable as an energy feed for both grain eaters and insect eaters (fat has about twice as much energy as protein and carbohydrates). With suitable mixtures you can even create an approximate insect substitute, e.g. meat meal, bone meal, beef tallow (saturated fatty acids), cracklings (connective tissue - rich in collagen), sunflower margarine (unsaturated fatty acids, rich in linoleic acid), various seeds, cereal bran (rich in fiber), if necessary special vitamin, mineral and trace element premixes.

A suitable fat food feeding technique is, for example, when the fat food is pressed into tree and wood cracks, small cavities, bark cracks, knotholes, natural stone dry wall joints, etc., where many bird species will happily take it without smearing themselves with fat.

The fat balls, which swing and become greasy when approaching, are, as the name suggests, only flown to by a few bird species (specialists). In addition, they smear and

When they hold on to their breast feathers in this difficult way, they become stuck together, which can lead to heat loss when they fluff up, because no warming air cushion can form between the feathers in these places.

Every year, many birds are found that have died a painful death because their claws got caught in the net (often nylon) and they were unable to free themselves. This danger arises especially when the net becomes wrinkled because it is only partially filled. There have been reports of cats tearing a bird from the branch with its fat balls attached and dragging it away.

The empty plastic nets, which no one takes down anymore, are also an unsightly sight, sometimes even in the forest. Not to mention the environmental impact, because when you consider that these products are sold by the pallet in every supermarket etc. (according to expert estimates, between 30 and 50 million DM were spent on bird food in the former Federal Republic of Germany alone), you can easily calculate that many tons of plastic are needed for this, which are then discreetly distributed in nature in small quantities. In addition, the production of plastic and the energy required for this means that chimneys somewhere are smoking heavily, with their well-known environmentally damaging consequences.

Net feeding is unsuitable and should be rejected for many reasons.

The innovation is based on the task of creating a device for feeding birds (and small animals) that is suitable for many species:

different types of food should be offered - which are protected against the effects of the weather - be sized so that for example, in remote places (forest edges, hedges) that cannot be supplied daily, larger amounts of food can be deposited. The device itself should last for many years - be manufactured without great technical effort - easy to fill (also with liquid, warm fatty food) - easy to clean - easy to hang up or attach - easy to remove (for cleaning, filling with fatty food, exchanging empty for full food, for example) - offer a wide field of vision for the birds and be designed so that the birds do not smear their feathers when feeding on soft and fatty food. In addition, the device should be designed so that the birds have places to land and feed, but the distance to the food is so small that the birds have little room to move apart from eating and therefore do not make any mess in the food - in addition, it should prevent food disputes between different species as far as possible.

The solution to this problem is the balcony or manger-like mixed and fatty feed feeding house in a shelf construction, with individual - adapted to the species - small or large compartment depth, height and width, in which loose feed and fatty feed or only fatty feed can be fed and offered to wild animals or to animals in human care.

Before this solution was found, over a longer period of time, at common feeding facilities and many other

i te

Models, the behavior of various birds and other animals when feeding was observed. The knowledge gained here led, after many experiments, to the development of various forms of mixed and fatty feed feeding houses, which can improve the life cycle of many species in times of need, but also in livestock farming, e.g. chickens.

The various mixed and fat feed feeding house types are shown in the attached drawings and the following descriptions.

The feeding house, Figure 1, has a shelf-like shape with a small depth, a back wall (2), two side parts (1), a floor (3), a roof (5) (different shapes) and one or any number of intermediate floors (4) to which railing-like parapets (6) are attached:
which 1.) serve as landing and feeding seats (6), whereby 2.) balcony-, crib- or drawer-like compartments (8) are created into which different types of food can be filled.

A compartment depth and a distance to the next trough of 3 cm to a maximum of 5 cm have proven to be useful for small birds, which gives the birds little room to move apart from eating and holding on; this means that they do not contaminate the food with droppings; on the other hand, there is still enough distance from the food so that they do not smear their feathers with soft or fatty food.

If only fatty food is offered in the MIXED AND FATTY FOOD FEEDING HOUSE, Figure 5+5a, the wider railings (6) are replaced by narrower perches (6A) (square or round) if necessary (because the hard or soft fatty food cannot roll out like grains, for example). If soft and hard fatty food is offered, intermediate floors (4) are installed to prevent the soft food from slipping. If only hard fatty food is offered, intermediate floors are not required because - after cooling - the binding force and the floor part (3) prevent slipping.

Such MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSES are ideal as long-term fat feed depots, e.g. for hard-to-reach areas. Special hard and soft fat feed mixtures are popular with many bird species. It is intended to be an alternative to fattening balls. For bird lovers who cannot or do not want to make their own fat feed, the trade could offer ready-made mixtures, e.g. fattening balls without a net, which can be warmed up, in liquid or soft form, and filled into the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE. The industry could then dispense with the environmentally unfriendly plastic net production.

The concentrated clinging required to the railing (6) or the perch (6A) when feeding largely prevents food disputes from occurring. We have often observed several different species of birds peacefully enjoying the MIXED AND FATTY FOOD FEEDING HOUSE at the same time. Even blackbirds, which are normally very quarrelsome and drive every other bird away from the usual feeding houses, refrained from their aggression (see photos).

To facilitate cleaning, several types can be made: Figures 2- the railings (6) or perches (6A) are individually

removable
Figure 3: all railings or perches can be removed at once like a ladder (7).

Figure 2- the railing (6) and the shelf (4) are connected and can be pulled out like drawers (8).

If the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE is also to fulfil a silo function, two railing-like parapets 6+9 are installed in one (Figure 4) or several compartments, <or over the entire housing) (Fig 4a), one behind the other, with a short distance between them, whereby the rear railing (9) (of any height, possibly made of glass, for better visibility) is offset upwards, creating a gap at the bottom through which, for example, grains can roll up to the first railing, which in total creates a storage silo (10) for feed that can be slipped in; the movable or removable roof (5a) enables filling.

The MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE can be made of various materials, such as wood (painted with warm linseed oil, non-toxic paints), weatherproof boards, wood concrete cast, or mixed materials, e.g., the housing made of rustproof sheet metal, weatherproof plastics, etc. and the seats made of wood. When using the above materials, the facilities will last for many years.

The simple shapes of the individual parts do not require too much technical effort.

If the bird feeder is set up with the opening facing the protected southeast, the feed is largely protected from the weather and weather influences from three sides and from above. This is achieved by the weatherproof parts: rear wall (2), overhanging roof (5), overhanging side walls (1) (Fig. 1).

With the usual bird feeders, where the roof usually stands on 4 posts, the wind, rain and snow can blow through from 4 sides and penetrate and spoil the feed.

We have come up with a simple way of fastening the devices so that they can also be installed in the wild (nails or other iron parts should not be hammered into trees). In the upper part, exactly in the middle, there is a round hole of about 2-5 cm (12), Figure 9.

If you want to attach the bird feeder to a tree (Figure 9)

Take a wide strap or belt (string or wire would grow in) and loop it around a tree where a branch prevents it from slipping, attach a sturdy hook to it, with which you can hang the bird feeder in the hole (12), where it is safely supported by its own weight.

a bush

It is usually difficult to hang something heavy in a bush that does not yet have any strong branches. But sometimes there are simply no trees (new plantations, heaths, raised bogs). But there is a possibility here too. You tie several branches together in the shape of a tree, which, if there are enough branches, creates a stable support structure. Here too, you can use the belt holding technique already mentioned or attach a thick cord (with a wire end if necessary) to the bush so that a loop sticks out. This loop is then put through the holding hole (12) in a U-shape and a small piece of wood (thick nail, etc.) is put through from the inside in a bar-like manner (crosswise). The weight of the feeding device also ensures a secure hold here.

a wall or wooden post

To do this, simply hammer in a bracket or curtain hook. Or drill a hole for a dowel with a hook screw. You can also use a strong nail, but you have to attach it at an upward angle so that the bird feeder doesn't slip. Thanks to its flat shape, it can then be easily hung up like a picture in the hole provided (12).

All described types of attachment allow for quick removal and re-attachment (cleaning, filling with warm, still liquid fat food, exchanging e.g. empty fat food bird house for a full one; very useful in remote areas).

with own stand

If there is no tree, bush, wall, etc., then there is the MIXED AND FAT FOOD FEEDING HOUSE with all the different possibilities, as a solution with its own stand, Figure 6, e.g. tree-like (buried in the ground), tower-like (anchored with tent pegs, etc.), etc. For balconies, gardens, lawns, etc., you can also use weighted feet (similar to those on parasols). In such MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSES or trees and towers, you can also easily integrate different nesting and wintering places for: birds, beech, etc. (11); insects (drill holes of different thicknesses, cracks) (HA); and small animals, e.g. amphibians, reptiles, hedgehogs, mice, etc., (caves and crawl spaces) (HB).

All MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE types are easy to fill on site with different types of feed. Loose feed can be filled by hand or with a small child's scoop. To fill with liquid or warm, not yet solidified fat mixtures, it is hung down, laid on its back and then the selected compartments are filled with water or pressed full.

Birds burn a lot of calories quickly. Especially in the early morning, in harsh winter weather, they need a boost to get going again after a long night (where they spend many hours in the dark and without eating in their hiding place). Birds that cannot eat for 24 hours in cold weather are often at risk of dying. If the food is carefully filled, the MIXED AND FATTY FEEDING HOUSE can be used in different sizes to create a storage depot.

which will also help over a longer period of emergency.

We have had the best experience with the MIXED AND FATTY FOOD FEEDING HOUSE with at least 4 compartments in order to do justice to the different bird species and their tastes.

1st compartment: Hard fatty food = long-term depot, mixture of e.g.

Beef tallow, meat meal, bone meal, cereals, bran, fine seeds, etc.

2nd compartment: Soft fatty food (mixture of margarine, oat flakes,

Grass seeds, linseed, shelled sunflower seeds, etc.

3rd compartment: grains, wild herb seeds, forest bird feed,

Winter loose feed, sunflower seeds, hemp, poppy seeds, etc.

4th compartment: (left half) = dried insects, meat bone meal,

Ant eggs, mealworms

(right half) = dried berries, apple pieces, nuts,

Beech nuts, berries collected in autumn and frozen from elderberries, rowanberries, hawthorn, etc.

Anyone who offers such a varied table setting will be rewarded by the appearance of a variety of different birds.

You can see at the bird feeder:

(mounted at eye level):

House and tree sparrows, great tits, blue tits, marsh tits, willow tits, fir tits and crested tits, nuthatches, blackbirds, starlings, dunnocks, bramblings and chaffinches, yellowhammers, greenfinches, great spotted and green woodpeckers, siskins, grosbeaks, goldcrests, bullfinches, collared doves, robins, jays, magpies, carrion crows, crested larks, linnets, mice, squirrels and others; even wrens and a kingfisher came when we offered mealworms.

(placed on the ground):

Partridges, pheasants, pigeons, wild ducks, several of the above species, fieldfare, traces of raccoons and other animals. In the case of early frosts in autumn, you can also help hedgehogs by offering hedgehog food mixes, fatty foods, pelleted cat food, pieces of fruit, etc.

(covered with straw on the ground)

Birds of prey also often suffer from a lack of food in winter. With the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE you can create a good natural feeding place for birds of prey. To do this, a 4-5 m long post with a cross seat attached to the top is dug into the ground about 1 m deep. 1-2 large bales of straw are spread around this, in which a MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE protected with roofing felt is placed, which is regularly filled with grain and some fat food throughout the year. The MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE is always covered with straw so that the birds cannot see it. After a short time, birds nest in the straw or in the MIXED AND

FAT FEEDING HOUSE (Fig. 7, HB) and in the surrounding area, wild mice (field voles, owl voles, yellow-necked voles, bank voles) attract, among other things, those who create tunnels and burrows in the straw pile and enjoy the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE. It is ideal if you take precautions by creating warm air cushions, small caves and natural crawl spaces under the straw using branches, old wooden pallets, etc. The thicker the layer of straw, the greater the heat development (similar to a compost heap), which melts away some snowfall. This feeding facility is particularly beneficial for nocturnal owls and little tawny owls, which only eat live food. For buzzards, falcons, corvids, etc., you can also drive in a stake onto which you nail a board like a table. A tree stump (foresters are happy to give one away) serves a similar purpose (it also offers a hiding place for small animals). Slaughterhouse waste can be placed on it, and it is readily taken. And soon birds of prey can be seen there.

Another variation is the mixed and fatty food feeding house for birds of prey and other larger birds, Figure 8, which is attached at a height of approx. 1.50 m. In this case, an additional perch (6B) is attached in front of the possibly enlarged feeding trough variants so that the birds of prey can land and feed more easily due to their size. Ideal trough depth 7 cm, railing height 3 cm, distance to the trough above 14 cm, distance to the perch 8 cm. The advantage is that the food - e.g. finely chopped meat - does not get snowed in and, in addition, is not carried away in flight or eaten by foxes, cats, dogs, etc., as is often the case with table feeding. In this MIXED AND FATTY FOOD FEEDING HOUSE, you can also offer a good combination of coarse and fine, special fatty food mixtures, which are also gladly taken by birds of prey, corvids and others.

The flat, not deep shape of the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE gives the birds a large field of vision. If it is attached to a wall, almost no enemy has a chance of catching a healthy bird. In the test, we attached a MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE, at a height of approx. 1.30 m, to an animal shelter, where approx. 20 cats are being given a pension and can run around freely. For three days, at the beginning, several cats sometimes lay in front of it, lurking and ready to pounce, and made countless unprofitable attempts to jump and stalk one of the many house sparrows that flocked to the food with increasing boldness. But cats are very capable of learning; when they realized that there was no prey to be found there, they looked at it with boredom at most when birds flew over afterwards.

As a further test, we set up a MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE and a conventional bird feeder at the same time, about 2 m apart, and filled both with the same food. While the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE was regularly visited by several bird species, only very few birds flew into the bird feeder (about 10%), only sparrows, blackbirds and great tits. The birds are probably reluctant to fly under a trap-like roof that obscures their view if food can be found elsewhere.

Correct and varied winter feeding is a positive aspect that can alleviate the suffering of some animals, and possibly even save them - but it can also motivate people, especially children, and introduce them to nature. Only a few other nature conservation activities offer such an emotionally appealing opportunity to come into close contact with the wild animal world. A rare, deep and peaceful feeling of harmony and closeness to nature will arise for those who take the time to observe and help . We should also not forget the many old people for whom the appearance of birds at the feeding place is a pleasant change in life. Even most bird conservationists would not want to miss out on this opportunity to observe. It is also possible to explain to those interested that the best winter feeding is of no use if the environment is not right. Biotope and habitat protection and the creation of new natural islands should be promoted and strived for.

Bird protection means (in brief):
First comes food =

iBsects: these mainly need nectar and pollen to survive = preservation, cultivation and promotion of native flowers, blossoms and grasses - at the same time produces seeds and grains f.utt,er etc.

K.nosp.e_n etc. ⁼ preservation, cultivation and planting of native shrubs and trees (euonymus, elderberry, hawthorn, blackthorn, dog roses, snowberries, privet, dogwood, wild cherry, rowan, beech, alder, standard fruit trees, etc.) - simultaneously provides shelter, hiding places, nesting and living spaces

Then comes the living space =

Maintaining and creating: hedges, branch protection castles, brushwood piles, benjesheckes, field groves, bush groups, edges, reed belts, wet meadows, evergreen trees and hedges (winter protection), rotten wood places (hiding, nesting, feeding places), stone piles, small caves, dry stone walls, steep walls on bodies of water (swallows, kingfishers), earth tubes, embankments, small water islands, protection of old and hollow trees, uncovering buried tunnels, wall climbing plants (ivy, knotweed, vines), building nesting aids etc.

With the campaign: "Nature islands for endangered small animals and plants", Tier- und Naturhilfe Oberwesterwald e.V. (Environmental award winner 1988), 5439 Eisoff, we have been practicing such nature conservation activities for many years and are always amazed at how rich the flora and fauna is and becomes when you help them, or simply protect them and leave them in peace.

Claims (8)

Liane Pitz Hüblingerstr.100 , 5439 Eisoff Telephone 02664-5922 Protection claims 1 . Mixed and fat feed&mdash;feeding house Feeding enclosure for feeding birds and small animals with soft and hard fatty feed mixtures as well as loose and other scatterable feed types, characterized: that the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE can be made of different materials, e.g. wood, plastic, mixed materials (metal + wood, wood + concrete), etc.; that the view can be varied, e.g. square, rectangular, house-shaped, tower-shaped, tree-shaped, etc. (Fig.1+6+9); that the MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE is similar to a shelf (with a small depth), consisting of two side parts (1), a rear wall (2) in which there is a special holding hole (12) approx. 2-4 cm thick, a base (3), with one or any number of intermediate floors (compartments) (4) over which a roof (5) with different shapes, e.g. flat (Fig.l), pent (Fig.6), saddle (Fig. 9+6) etc. is built. that at the front, at the height of the intermediate floors (4), over the entire width of the compartment, balcony railing-like parapets (6) are attached, creating balcony- or crib-like structures (4+6). that all dimensions are individual for small and large birds and other animals may be modified or adapted. 2. MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE according to claim 1, characterized in that that the arranged railing-like parapets (6), which are held by various connections (plug-in, latch, hinge, etc.), can be removed individually (6) (Fig.2) or in a ladder-like manner (7) (Fig.3). 3. MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that that the shelf-like intermediate floors (4) together with the railing-like parts (6) can be removed like drawers (8) (Fig.2). 4. MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that that in one (Fig.4) or several compartments (or over the entire housing) (Fig 4a), two railing-like parapets 6+9 are mounted one behind the other at a short distance, with the rear railing (9) being offset upwards, creating a gap at the bottom, the roof (5a) is removable or movable. 5. MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that that the shelf-like housing (1+2+3+4+5) is equipped with or without intermediate floors (4) (Fig.5+5a) and the railing-like wide parapets (6) (which also serve as seating and feeding places) are replaced by narrow - round or square - perches (6A) which can be removed individually or in a ladder-like manner (7). 6. MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that that the shelf-like housing can consist of one piece, e.g. tree trunk, plastic block, cast concrete, other cast materials, etc. (Fig.6). 7. MIXED AND FAT FEEDING HOUSE according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that that in or on the housing (Fig.7) or e.g. in the tree trunk, tower etc. (Fig.6) there are one or more nesting places for: birds (nests) (11), flying insects (boreholes) (HA), small animals (caves) (HB). 8. MIXED AND FATTY FEEDING HOUSE according to claims 1 to 7, characterized in that that in front of the railing-like parapets (6), additional sitting, feeding and approach bars (6B) are attached.