Use smaller amounts to begin with. When to use your feeder Hummingbirds generally begin arriving in mid-April, so that's a good time to have your feeders up and ready. Leaving your feeder up until the end of October will help birds that live north of us get a quick high-energy snack to help them along the way. It's not true that leaving your feeder up will tempt the hummingbirds to stay too long. Migration is triggered by the changing day length, not the availability of food.
Honey spoils easily, and can make the hummingbirds sick.
Put the water in the saucepan, and cook it on the stove until it boils. Add the sugar, and stir the mixture until it boils again. Boiling helps keep the mixture fresh longer. Make sure the mixture is cool before using it in your feeder. Store what's left in the refrigerator.