Wooden Bird Feeders
How To Make Your Own Wooden Bird Feeder
Author: Dave Everett
You can make your wooden bird feeder as simple or extravagant as you desire, according to your level of expertise. Those who are more adept with the tools of woodworking, may want to try their hand at making a wooden castle bird feeder. The idea behind this is to have all the stools on each side of the castle manufactured so as to stick out for the birds to eat their food out of. Or maybe you consider yourself to be talented enough to make a tube that spirals around, having a trough for the birds to snack away at. However, if you are not so talented and have never built one before, you may want to start with a simple step-by-step design.
You could try starting with a simple wooden tray feeder, where you just glue and nail a few pieces of wood together. As you become more experienced in constructing your wooden bird feeders, you'll be able to experiment a bit more until you feel confident enough to make the bigger feeders that call for a lot more talent and patience. As a child, perhaps you may have built your very first wooden tray feeders in wood shop. On the other hand, if you weren't fortunate enough to take the class you may have built your own bird feeder at home using a soda bottle or a coffee can. I can remember, back when I was a child, taking the empty coffee can, filling it up with my dad's sunflower seeds and hanging it from a tree just to watch the birds come to the yard Endless hours of pleasure!
Check out this quick and easy way to make a simple wooden tray feeder. Please keep in mind that if you are a child you will need adult supervision.
MAKING A WOODEN TRAY FEEDER
4 pieces of wood about 2 inches wide
1 square piece of wood
Nails
Use the square piece of wood as the base for your wooden tray feeder. Now take your four pieces of wood and prop them up on all sides of the square. Hammer each strip to the base until you have a small square dish with sides. Insert a newspaper into the base, making sure to flatten it down properly so it doesn't fly out. Pour in the seeds and you are set to go. On top of a large post or table would be a great place to position your tray.
Children love building bird feeders as well. Once they spot you making one they'll naturally want to do something to help. Try giving them a pine cone, butter knife and some peanut butter and have them spread it all over the pine cone. When finished, have them sprinkle seeds all over it. They'll be happy that they got to make a bird feeder too.
Hopper feeders are little wooden bird feeders that look like houses; birds love these because they keep the wind and rain off them.
When caring for your wooden bird feeders always remember that you need to empty them of food every night, unless you can somehow cover them. Rain can ruin bird seeds and make birds extremely sick, and I'm sure that's the last thing you want.
Bird watching has always been, and always will be, a fun hobby. By building your own wooden bird feeders, you can make this a time full of memories for you and your children.
Decide what type of feeder you'll use and where in the yard it will go. Location is a key item when it comes to wooden bird feeders. If you don't have it in the right place the birds may never find it.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/how-to-make-your-own-wooden-bird-feeder-153244.html
About the Author
Take a look at our video which shows you exactly how to make a wooden bird house. Loads more information at our website Landscaping For Wildlife.
Your local DEP (Dept. of Environmental Protection) web site or Aududon Society should have some ideas. Also BSA (Boy Scouts of America) web site offers some.
It depends on what type of bird you are trying to attract. If you want goldfinches, fill with thistle seed. Make sure your feeder is the type the birds you want to attract uses, like goldfinches, they want to perch and eat through a small hole and peck out the seed like they are gathering from a plant. Check out the link I have given you to give more detail for the birds you are wanting to feed.
Rinse them out with a water hose or pressure washer.
edit: hose not house LOL not sure why I didn’t catch that before.
You will need 6 pieces of wood all the same width – like 1×6, a couple of dozen 2″ nails, and a length of steel wire about 3 feet.
Two will be mounted in a V shape to hold the seed and set the length for the rest – make them 6″ for the first one you build.
Two will make the top and the bottom and must be at least 1.5″ longer than the first 2, make them 8″ for your first.
Two for the ends must be some what longer than the width of the boards to allow the V to be open at the bottom and the lid to rest on top. You can cut them to 6.0″ for 5.5″ wide 1×6 or use the boards for the V to set the length. If doing this, lay the length of board for the sides down flat and stand the two V boards on end in (ta! ta!) a V shape so one corner of the cut end of each V board is at the corner of the uncut board. Adjust the two V boards so they form a V with about 1/2-3/4″ gap between them and mark the uncut board around the V boards, then set them down. Using an already cut board or a square, draw a line across the board 1/2″ away the corner of the outline you drew this will be your cutting line – you are setting the gap for the seeds to fall through. With small seeds, you might want it smaller. Look at what you have measured and drawn to make sure you are cutting a piece somewhat longer than the V pieces are wide. Cut the board and then use it to mark a second board the same length and cut that.
If you wish, you can sand the ends where you cut to make them smoother.
To assemble, you first nail the ends to the V boards. Put a nail partway in the corner of a side board about 1/2″ in from each edge on the big flat side. Put a second nail at the corner opposite along the cut edge. Stand a V board on end, and place the end board so the edge of the V board is at the corner under the nail and roughly at the angle you were holding when you marked and hammer the nail into the corners. Take the other V board and position it under the other nail and hammer that one. The 3 boards should now stand on their own. Get down or otherwise look and adjust the V boards so they angle together with about a 1/2″ gap between the V. Sight across the end and put a nail through the end so it will go into each V board.
Turn the unit over and align the other end on the V and put 2 nails in the corners and 2 nails in the middle to match the first end.
Now turn the unit so the narrow gap of the V is up and set the bottom board in place – checking to see if you actually have a gap below the V boards for seed to get out – if not figure why – longer sides? misnailed? – and fix it.
Align the bottom so the same amount extends over the end boards (about 1/4″ if cut as I said above) and put 4 nails into the bottom and through the ends.
Turn it over and you can now, if you wish, put some seed into and check its action.
In order to hang the unit and keep the top in place, you will need to make two holes in the top and bottom boards on the center line about 1 inch inside the end boards. The easiest way to do this is to turn the unit upside down and align the top board on the bottom board and drill small holes (1/8″ is okay) through both in the right position.
Tip the unit sideways and position the top where it belongs and run each end of the wire through a hole in the top and then through the hole in the bottom (you can also do it from bottom to top) and twist the ends of the wire to join them. If you now lift with the wire above the lid and adjust it, you will be able to hang the feeder and by sliding the lid up the wire, get access to fill the feeder while keep squirrels and rain out.
You can paint this one. You can add another nail between each pair you put in.
Once you have made one, you can adjust the next for the size of seed and how it falls out the bottom and change the length for holding more or less seed. You can glue the units while assembling them if you wish and decorate afterward.
You could try this place… there’s one relatively near where I live, if you can’t find one in your area.
http://www.wbu.com/
I believe I got my dad an unfinished feeder from there a few years ago….
Does anyone know any good sites for DIY wooden bird feeders?
Must be wooden and must require only basic woodworking skills.
recipe for refilling wooden bird feeders?
i have a wooden bird feeder with holes and wondered what mixture to refill it with
best way to clean a wooden bird feeder?
I have a couple of wooden bird feeders that are attached to posts what is the best way to clean them for the safety of the birds
How to make a homemade wooden bird feeder?
I was wondering if anyone can tell me or better yet direct me to a website that gives directions on building a homemade wood bird feeder, preferably with dimensions of the wood, ect. ty.
Bird feeders…………….?
I want a wooden bird feeder that maybe the top comes off or rises so I can fill with seeds.I’ve tried a nearby craft store. They have ones that are basically decorative. I want an unfinished one so I can have my 2 yr old help me paint it. I tried The Home Depot & the lady said no. I know one can be built (didn’t really want to but I guess will if I have to).
I would like a simple one if it has to be built. Any good ideas how to go abt doing that or does anyone have any patterns to make one?
Thanks.