Customer Reviews

Gardman USA 0280019 Wild Bird Feeding Kit

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This is a versatile product and a great value compared to similar products I have found. I put a seed feeder, hummingbird feeder and a decorative bird house on the three hooks. I didn't use the bird bath because I already have one. You can use all of the incuded hooks and accesories or remove the ones you don't need. I highly recommend it as an addition to any garden or backyard.

This feeding station has made such a wonderful addition to our back yard! It was easy to assemble and set up, looks nice in the garden, and has attracted many birds. We hung two seed feeders and a hummingbird feeder. In the winter, I plan on replacing the hummingbird feeder with suet. I also like how the attachments (bird bath and seed tray) can be removed if you don't plan on using them. I am very happy with the quality of this item for the price. And, since I read the product details carefully, I didn't expect it to come with bird feeders...

The only reason I gave this 4 stars was because there is only one spike at the bottom instead of 2 like a sheppards crook, so there are some balance issues to be considered when hanging your bird feeders. Otherwise, I really enjoy this product and ended up purchasing a second one. You can't beat the price when compared to other comperable feeder systems.

I assembled and installed according to directions. I found the joints to be somewhat weak causing a problem with leaning at the joints. I tested stabilizing the lowest joint by inserting a dowel rod I had handy. Since that corrected that problem, I will be inserting two dowel rods when I move it to a different location. If you have this problem, just insert a 5/8 inch dowel rod into the center pole after putting the bottom section into the ground to the recommended depth. Once the second section is added, you can put in the next piece of dowel rod to stabilize the rest of the pole. I don't know if I will have to trim the second dowel to a shorter length or not but that's not an issue. The birds love it as do the squirrels. One squirrel has mastered shinnying up the pole and hanging upside down to access the feeders. Not what I had planned but that's wild life for you!

This is a great concept however I found the design to be very unstable. The main pole consists of several sections of tubing that connect together and are held in place by inserting self tapping screws in pre drilled holes. Unfortunately after assembly the pole sections are extremely loose and wobbly. The pole leans slightly because the sections are loose. The pole is very flimsy as a result and I would not recommend this product.

Great idea and doesn't cost an arm and a leg; perhaps just an arm....
This unit is very easy to assemble, looks like it will not be a fast corrosion problem. The birdbath, tho small will freeze in the winter, so shallow is a good thing for this year round product.

The birds seem to be attracted to all of the items I've hung on it [the feeders are NOT included], and they like the wire mesh open tray feeder very much and THAT IS a part of the feeding station you purchase.

All in all, it's the best all around feeding pole I've purchased... and oh yeah, it's tall so it can be seen easily out the windows, even up close to the house!

This feeding station kit is a great value. Easy to assemble, and very sturdy. The birds love the birdbath, as well as the feeding tray. We put bread scraps and cookie crumbs in the tray. You do have to drive the bottom piece into the ground as far as they say. I have had no problems with the feeding station tipping or swaying,even with squirrels raiding the feeders. I highly recommend this product.

Instruction pictures could be a little more detailed which would have saved me from putting it together not quite correctly the first time... but it was no big deal.
As to balance: if you put it in the ground as deeply as they suggest you won't have a problem. We have very rocky ground and ours is only in the ground half as deep - but it's still ok and the birds love it anyway.
Just one thing: put the bird bath dish as high up on the pole as possible to avoid getting it all dirty with bird poop and seeds. We had to take it apart and change the order after we figured that out - and hadn't paid quite enough attention to the instructions.
All that said: we and the birds love the feeding station: I have one finch thisle sock, one feeder with shelled patio mix and one "cake". Also use the bird bath and pan for worms for my bluebirds. Would definitely buy it again!

Living in an apartment complex, one is somewhat limited in terms of a bird feeding apparatus. I needed a of pole system I could zip tie to balcony railing in limited space with a wide array of feeder hanging option. While the appearance and soldering job on this pole system is mediocre compared to more expensive pole systems you will find at birding stores, it sure holds together and beats the competition in terms of value for the price. To construct this same system using more high-grade metal and with perfect joint soldering would have cost me at least three times as much as this system.

One of the things I really like about this system is the inclusion of the tray feeder. This is just perfect for putting out odds and ends for the birds to feed on such as fruits or crumbled up stale bread.

I can't attest to the stability of this system in the ground, however, so my rating is given strictly for using it as a zip-tied-to-the-balcony pole system. It looks like that you stake the single prong at least a foot into the ground though, so I imagine it wouldn't be a problem in most soil types or wind conditions. If you're looking for a good, inexpensive feeder for your apartment balcony you can't beat this pole system!

EDIT: I wrote this original review in 2008, and I thought I would revisit it in 2011. I still have this pole system, and it still works great on my apartment balcony. There is only one thing that has broken: the plastic water dish. The plastic quality wasn't high enough to stand up to wear and tear, even though I did not leave it out during the winter season. It is no big loss; the birds didn't use it much for its intended purpose and it became dirty very quickly due to its proximity to my tube feeders. Now the empty metal ring where the plastic dish would sit serves as a bird perch for the hoards of winged ones waiting for their turn.

THIS PRODUCT IS VERY FLIMSY WHEN PUT TOGETHER. I HAD TO REMOVE THE BOTTOM STAKE THAT GOES INTO THE GROUND JUST SO IT WOULD NOT LEAN AND WAS A LITTLE MORE STURDY. WAS NOT PLEASED AT ALL WITH THIS PRODUCT AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND. ALSO, THE PRE-DRILLED SCREW HOLES DIDN'T LINE UP VERY WELL AT ALL.