Safely and effectively prevents growth of disease-causing mold to ensure your feeder stays clean, dry, and healthy for birds.
What is Feeder Fresh used for, and why should I use
it?
Feeder Fresh is a
bird-safe moisture trap and seed preservative that can be used in feeders and
seed storage containers to reduce the negative effects of moisture, such as
caking, mold and aging.
Feeder Fresh will
promote the health of wild birds by keeping their feeders dry and reducing the
incidence of mold and harmful mold toxins. One of the common sources of
mycotoxins is poorly maintained backyard feeders. Feeder Fresh™ helps birding
enthusiasts easily and continuously maintain their feeders in a dry and
mold-free condition.
You can also use
Feeder Fresh in your main seed storage container to reduce moisture-related
seed aging and keep seed fresher longer.
Is Feeder Fresh safe for wild birds?
It is absolutely
safe.
• Feeder Fresh is non-toxic and made
from sand, it is simply very absorbent.
• The essential elements of Feeder Fresh
are already consumed by wild birds and needed for their shell strength. It is
actually safer than sand and one of the safest materials on Earth.
• Feeder Fresh has been developed with
bird safety in mind. Extensive literature research has been done to show that
the product is not harmful to birds, and will actually promote the health of
wild birds. Feeder Fresh has been endorsed by Dr. Kirk Klasing, University of
California Avian Physiologist.
• Birds recognize that the Feeder Fresh
granules are not seed and when they encounter one, they just toss it aside. If
they were to eat one, the particle would act the same as the sand that birds
normally eat for their gizzard. Feeder Fresh does not swell or clump.
• Does not contain crystalline silica.
How does Feeder Fresh work?
Feeder Fresh has the
internal structure of a microporous sponge. That is, it contains billions of
nanometer-sized pores that readily absorb water and humidity. These pores
absorb water directly, or pull excess water from the air and seed, and create a
dry enclosed space.
What kinds of feeders
can use Feeder Fresh?
How do I use it in a
tube feeder with diverters?
You can use Feeder
Fresh in any type of feeder that has an enclosed structure. The more enclosed
the feeder structure the more efficiently Feeder Fresh works.
• Tube feeders have a very enclosed
structure, and commonly have moisture problems. Feeder Fresh works well on
these feeders to keep them dry. Use Feeder Fresh on the bottom. If the tube
feeder has steep diverters, blend Feeder Fresh 50/50 with seed in the bottom
few inches of the feeder.
• In hopper feeders Feeder Fresh can be
used to eliminate the moisture problems that occur on the low-flow sidewall
areas of the seed dispensing enclosure.
• In open tray feeders or the tray of a
hopper feeder the Feeder Fresh is less helpful, since it will absorb moisture
from the open air until it is used up. But adding a layer of Feeder Fresh to a
hopper tray can provide a physical barrier to keep the seed from caking and
sticking to the tray.
How do I use the Feeder Fresh?
Best performance is
achieved by placing Feeder Fresh in the exact location in your feeder that has
the worst moisture or spoiling problems. This is usually the bottom of the
feeder, especially in low flow areas. If placing product on the very bottom of
the feeder is not easy (such as in a tube feeder due to seed diverters), the
product can be layered with seed or blended heavily with seed on the bottom of
the feeder (see next section). Or as an alternative, the product can be placed
evenly through the seed column.
General Usage
Directions:
1. Start with a clean
and disinfected feeder.
2. Pour a 1/4 to 1/2
inch layer of Feeder Fresh on the bottom of your feeder if possible. Amount you
use depends on the extent of the moisture problem, and the size of the low flow
areas of your feeder.
3. For best results,
also sprinkle product on top of seed each time you fill the feeder.
4. Replace product if
needed, when you clean and maintain your feeder. Amount of product used over
time depends on the weather conditions and the amount of moisture entering the
feeder. Continued moisture problems indicates that you are not using enough
product, replacing it often enough, or placing it in the right location.
You can also use
Feeder Fresh in your main seed storage container to reduce moisture-related seed
aging and keep seed fresher longer
Made in the USA
How much Feeder Fresh should I use?
The general guideline
is ¼ to ½ inch at the bottom of your feeder each time you clean it, and for
best performance, a generous sprinkle on top of the seed every time you fill
the feeder. Adjust the amount of product you use to your climate and the
season. The actual amount depends upon a number of factors:
1. The size and style of the feeder
2. How exposed your feeder is to rain and
the size of the feeder hole
3. The amount of rain and humidity
4. How often you plan to completely empty
and clean your feeder.
How often should I change it?
Change the Feeder
Fresh in the bottom of your feeder if...
• It has been in the feeder for over a
month
• It has been in the feeder for over a
week, and it has rained heavily
• Immediately change it if the Feeder
Fresh has been looking darker or translucent from absorbing moisture
What is the composition of Feeder Fresh?
Feeder Fresh is a
form of amorphous silicon dioxide, a compound which is non-toxic, inert and
chemically similar to sand. The only difference between Feeder Fresh and the
silica sand grit that birds normally consume is its water absorptive
properties. Feeder Fresh has a porous structure containing billions of microscopic
holes that readily absorb water and humidity. The material does not swell when
it absorbs water, and the particles do not bind together when wet or dry, and
therefore it does not clump or form aggregates. Once the Feeder Fresh absorbs
its own weight in water it will discontinue absorbing, and be identical to the
silica grit that birds normally ingest.
How can Feeder Fresh make wild bird feeders healthier?
You may know that
some of the most toxic compounds on earth are created by molds. Even trace
amounts of these mycotoxins can cause harmful or even lethal effects to birds.
One example is Aflatoxin which is a particularly harmful by-product of
Aspergillus parasiticus mold which grows on seed. Even amounts as low as
0.0001 mg can be lethal to small birds. The more time seeds are exposed to
moisture, the greater potential for Aflatoxin production. Feeder Fresh keeps
the seed and feeder dry, keeps molds from forming, and thus reduces the chance
of Aflatoxin and other mycotoxins.
It is common wisdom
that birds will avoid moldy seed, but studies show that birds do not always
avoid seed even when contaminated by mycotoxin levels that could cause harm.
Better to avoid mold from the start by using Feeder Fresh to keep feeders fresh
and dry.
Tags: Feeder Fresh, Feeder Fresh, Nyger Feeder