Slow feeder insert for window bird feeder - updated 3/4/22

thingiverse

A "slow feeder" insert for window bird feeder... This feeder was designed to slow the consumption of soft suet (suet dough), peanut butter, lard or other similar feeds when feeding wild birds. I like to load it in thin layers: fine ground granular feeds on the bottom, then lard and/or peanut butter squeegeed flat to fill, then finally after dropping it into the feeding tray, a final layer of loose granular feed. Feeding strategies to slow down consumption allows more birds to have a chance to feed while extending the length of time between refills. I've also found that such techniques keeps the interest of birds long after the bulk of the feed has been picked clean, as there's usually always some amount left. This was inspired by the popular "lick feeders" for dogs and cats. The design itself was inspired by the random appearing nature of QR codes. allowing for a varying mix of shapes, spaces and crannies to hold the feed. My intention for its use is to spread a softened suet, peanut butter and/or lard onto the plate, pressed-in with a flexible spatula. The size and shape itself was made to fit a popular and widely available window bird feeder. ** Note: 2022-03-04 -** updated the "trick version" to beef up the barriers. In testing I found that the birds could too easily navigate their way around it from the front of the feeder. Also added a new small feeding station on the very top of the middle barrier. This was done in order to improve the "discoverability" of the feeder, while still providing an initiall challenge as this feeding area goes quite deep. ** Note: 2022-02-21 -** added a new window feeder version called the "trick version". This version adds increased difficulty for the birds to challenge them. This is done via a the following new mechanisms: 1) In three new "challenge" area for the birds, the elevation of the "mesas/plateaus" surrounding the canyons where the suet is hidden has now been strategically altered to add 2 new elevations. One elevation lies somewhere in-between the old hole depth and top surface, while the second elevation extends proud of what used to be the top surface of the slow feeder. 2) Barriers were erected above these three "challenge" areas, the middle one being a simple vertical wall to limit feeding only from the front edge of the feeder, while two L-shaped corner walls protects the corners from feeding from the outer edges, while also forming a bit of a roof. Both of these mechanisms rewards the birds that are willing to feed form the surface of the feeder itself in order to access these more protected spots. Note that the middle "challenge" area will no longer be easily filled flat with the rest of the feeder, which is intentional. This allows for a thicker layer of feed to fill the center "challenge" area, However the two corner "challenge" areas should be able to be filled flat along with the rest of the slow feeder plate. ** Note: 2022-02-21 -** realized the STL for the 2x version of the window feeder was one rev. behind and didn't match the rendering; the latest version of the STL has now been uploaded ** Note: 2022-02-08 -** a suet cage version has been added. Note that the features in this version tilts slightly upwards in order to help trap any dislodged suet or granular feed. Like the 2x version, this variation uses a coarser pattern roughly 2x the size of the original design. Unfortunately when I originally laid out this design I extruded the features "upside down", as you may note when viewing the STL. Please reorient the STL when slicing and printing such that these features face up. ** Note: 2022-02-04 -** the original has been revised to remove any isolated (single square) "towers", called the rev. 2 version. These were found to be weak and susceptible to breaking off. Also any openings with feature sizes much less than a square were eliminated, as these were prone to trapping feed.. A version using a larger grid, called the 2x version, has also been made. This should allow for feeding w/less trapping when using granular feed. Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLUi8q462w0