Make a Homemade Bird Feeder

March 31, 2006
By Jules Dugan 
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JULES DUGAN
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Attract birds to your yard and garden for year-round enjoyment by making a simple bird feeder with a plastic milk jug.

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To make a homemade jug feeder, use a utility knife to cut a window out of the jug, about 2 inches up from the bottom. Poke several small holes in the bottom so rainwater can drain. Add a small stick just below the window for a perch. Some birds will feed inside the jug while others stand on the perch.

In addition to putting seed in feeders, you can also drop several handfuls of seed on the ground for the ground feeders. High-quality black-oil sunflower seeds are great as basic wild-bird food. Cracked corn, millet and thistle also are favorites of our feathered friends.

To make special bird treats, gather large pinecones, dip the cones in honey and then shake them in a bag full of cracked corn and white millet. Peanut butter also works, but honey seems to appeal to the largest number of birds.

One of the benefits of creating your own seed treats is that you can avoid commercial mixes that include less attractive filler seed to bulk up the mix.

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15 Comments

  • cindy 3/28/2009 8:38:10 PM

    I would luv a pic of the feeder Ken..charson@twcny.rr.com

  • Mary Lou Haley 7/9/2007 12:00:00 AM

    I love feeding birds and watching them. I bought a feeder cap
    screw that fits over a 2 liter bottle and the birds love it. The
    only problem is I can't seem to remember where I bought it. I
    thought it was out of a Carol Wright Gift mazagine abut can't find
    it there. Does anyone know where I could buy more of this type of
    feeder? Thanks

  • A McCluskey 6/28/2007 12:00:00 AM

    Hello Ken: I hope you spot this email. The other posts were in
    April/May and it is the end of June. Could you please send me a pic
    of your listerine bottle bird feeder too? Much
    obliged.anniemccluskey@hotmail.comSincerely,Anne

  • Carmen Carnegie 5/24/2007 12:00:00 AM

    Hi Ken, would you add me to your list of people wanting a photo.
    . Please send to cwfi@bigpond.net.au. Cheers from Downunder.
    CC

  • Connie Ellinger 5/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

    Hi Ken,Could you please send me a picture of the birdfeeder to
    ditzyme1964@yahoo.comThank you!

  • M Snyder 4/30/2007 12:00:00 AM

    Hi ken,Thanks so much for the info! I would like to try it. What
    do you do with the sheet metal? If you could send a pic I would
    really appreciate it. My email is: mdhs107@bellsouth.net.Thanks
    again.Mar

  • KEN Baker 4/26/2007 12:00:00 AM

    All you need is a plastic bottle(I use a large empty Listerine
    bottle from Sam's club, a long drinking straw, a round piece of
    sheet metal (about 12" diameter) and a string or wire to hang it
    from tree. Drill a hole in the center of the cap to pull the string
    or wire through. On the slooped parts of the (Listerine) plastic
    bottle I cut a small hole about the size of a quarter on each side.
    I drill a hole about 1&1/2 to 2 inches below it on both sides
    to push the straw through so the birds can sit on them and eat.
    Drill a few drainage holes in the bottom, fill it up with black oil
    sunflower seed, the birds will love it and the squirrels will
    ignore it. Send e-mail adddress if you want a picture, I can't
    figure out how to post it on Mother Earth. Ken

  • M Snyder 4/26/2007 12:00:00 AM

    Hi Ken,I would also really apppreciate any info on your squirrel
    proof feeder. I've tried everything! Thanks so much! Mar

  • GENE BECKER 2/13/2007 12:00:00 AM

    TO K BAKER 12/3/06 AM REALLY INTERESTED IN YOUR SQUIRREL PROOF
    FEEDER, PLEASE SEND PHOTO THANKSG BECKER

  • KEN Baker 12/3/2006 12:00:00 AM

    I have been making home made "squirrel pruff" bird feeders for a
    few years now and have come up with a simple design using mostly
    household articles. I will send a photo of it to anyone that is
    interested.Ken

  • LEO & SHARON STAGE 5/19/2006 12:00:00 AM

    We used Cayan pepper mixed in with our bird seed to get rid of
    our ground squirrels that kept raiding them. This worked on them
    and may work on regular squirrels. The pepper does not bother the
    birds at all and is safe for them.

  • GARY Kroening Sr 5/18/2006 12:00:00 AM

    How can we stop the squirrels from getting into feeders are
    there any low cost or no cost remedies.

  • LEO & SHARON STAGE 5/12/2006 12:00:00 AM

    I would not recommend the honey part of it as hummingbirds could
    get attracted to the mixture and honey is fatal to them.

  • HILDA Johnston 4/10/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Please tell me how to keep the squirels out of this! Thanks,
    Hilda Johnston

  • D Sayles 4/10/2006 12:00:00 AM

    Great idea for a birdfeeder. Unfortunately, at our house, this
    would be called a 'squirrel feeder'. I've finally given in and
    purchased silo feeders to keep the squirrels out and they work
    really well. I really like the idea for the pinecones with honey
    and seeds, but our evergreens only produce small pinecones. Any
    suggestions for using something other than pinecones?

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