Introduction: Hummingbird Feeder Hanger and Perch (with Optional Ant Trap)

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My wife and I purchased a Perky Pet Antique Bottle Hummingbird Feeder. When we got home we brainstormed ways to hang it because it didn't come with a hanger or a chain that matched the metal hoop on the feeder. We came up with 3 or 4 lame ideas before my wife suggested we use the interwebz... Duh! She found very general directions for this hanger and another set of instructions for the ant trap, which I simplified. By complicating. Of course.

Step 1: The Tools

-old coat hanger pliers -I used vise grips *their beefy wire cutters are perfect for this -project * their clamping action came in handy while twisting and bending the wire *they're thin enough you don't have to fuss with them once you've clamped them into place -ruler

Step 2: Clip the Collar Off

The amount of work to undo the crimping around the hook is not worth the effort, especially since you already have more wire than you need, so snip, snip.

Step 3: Straighten the Wire

Get it as straight as you can by hand, then clamp the bends in your pliers and work the wire until it's as straight as you can get it.

Step 4: Add Your First Hook

This will be the hook that suspends your hanger from the rain gutter. Clamp your vice grips 3 inches from the end of the wire. Bend your wire, on both sides of the pliers, creating a roughly 45 degree angle. Make sure there is a roughly 1/2" gap between the 2 sides. This will accommodate the width of the side of the gutter.

Step 5: Add the Second Hook

Measure 1 1/2 feet from your first bend, clamp and create another hook. This angle should be a little less than 45 degrees, and it should be in the opposite direction of your first bend. There should be a slight gap, but this is not critical.

Step 6: Add the Perch

Measure 1" past your new hook, clamp and bend the wire perpendicular to the main part of the hanger. Measure out 8-10 inches and then snip the excess. My understanding is that a 12 gauge coat hanger is almost the perfect diameter for a humming bird's feet to perch on. Insert Napoleon Dynamite "talon" reference, here. ;)

Step 7: Your Finished Product

...should look like this.

Step 8: You Can Hang Your Feeder

Slide your feeder into the hook adjacent to the perch, hook the other side over your rain gutter, make minor adjustments and voila! Your humming bird feeder is ready to rock and roll... errr, hang there peacefully, until some of your fine feathered friends come by and feed on the sweet, sweet nectar of life you have provided them! OR! You can continue on to the next step.

Step 9: If Your Feeder Attracts Ants You'll Need More Supplies

-one feeder hanger -scrap of wire coat hanger, 3" is plenty -a small plastic cup -mine came out of a roll of pillsbury cinnamon buns, that little cup that they keep the icing in is just perfect!) -vise grips -again, you could do it with pliers, but the vise grips' clamping action is a plus here lighter, propane torch or even a gas stove -caulk

Step 10: Clamp the Wire

Clamp the wire at the edge and heat it up with your heat source. We're not forging weapons so the metal doesn't need to be red hot, just hot enough to get through plastic in a couple of attempts. If it's too hot you won't have a perfect diameter hole in the cup and this will complicate matters.

Step 11: Push the Wire Through the Cup

Centering the wire as closely as possible, push the wire into the cup. As I said in the last step, it may take a couple of tries, that's fine, just try to keep the hole centered and straight. Once you get the wire through, you're done with it. Pull the wire out and let it cool down before unclamping it.

Step 12: Unbend the Top Hook

Just enough to get your cup on. You don't need pliers for this step. As a matter of fact I recommend you don't use them; you'll have more of a tendency to go overboard with them.

Step 13: Thread the Wire Hanger Through the Bottom of the Cup

Push the hanger through the bottom of the cup, push the cup past the bend, it should be resting on the main body of the hanger. Bend the top hook back in place.

Step 14: Double Check the Placement of the Cup

Make sure you're happy with where your little cup is. Now's the time to adjust it. Make sure it clears the rain gutter and it looks nice to you.

Step 15: Waterproof the Hole

Caulk both sides of your cup's hole. This will help prevent leakage when you put water in it. It also helps hold the cup in place.

Step 16: Create a Little Drying Jig

I used a yogurt cup and my vise grips to suspend my project so it dried as straight as possible. I left for the afternoon ran some errands, and when I got back it was ready for action.

Step 17: Voila!

Hang your feeder and add water to the cup. Make sure you continue to add water to the cup as it evaporates. I have plans to paint my cup and superglue a glass bead under it, for insurance that the caulk doesn't give. You could make this little project pop. Or just leave it simple and functional. Enjoy your hummingbirds!