On Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:58:31 -0500, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>On 18/01/2013 9:22 AM, jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> I can't keep a bird feeder around here. Raccoons have destroyed every
>> single one I've tried to put up. Configuration (baffles, wire cages,
>> etc.) doesn't seem to matter. They just take 'em down. Raccoons are
>> very smart *and* they have opposable thumbs.
>>
>> I had a very pretty terra cotta feeder. It hung from three chains
>> joined by a ring at the top. I had it hanging from a shepherd's hook.
>> They knocked it down and stole the chains! What raccoons would want
>> with chains, I don't know. Picture little biker raccoons wearing
>> leather jackets toting chains in their pockets I tried a cheap
>> plastic feeder which was smashed within 24 hours. Then a wooden feeder.
>> No luck there, either. They even stole the suet feeder!! One evening
>> I heard a noise and turned on the patio lights. I found FIVE raccoons
>> right outside the glass door, looking at me like "What, the restaurant
>> isn't open?" LOL
>
>
>
>I used to hang a bird feeder in our back yard. I didn't have a problem
>with other animals because our cats used to keep the squirrel population
>down. It was nice to be able to look out the kitchen and dining room
>windows and see a variety of birds at the feeder. However, I got tired
>of them crapping all over the patio furniture and the laundry on the
>line. I don't use the bird feeder anymore. Instead, I have planted a
>number of flowers around the yard that will provide enough seed to feed
>some of them over the winter.

After a black bear got my feeder I simply toss bird seed out my window
onto the ground... birds naturally eat off the ground anyway, all
those bird feeders are just for us humans.