Super Cheap & Easy Bird Feeder With Roof

One of the problems I always had with bird feeders is they get all nasty when it rains. The seed gets wet and clumps and you have to take the feeder down, clean it out and let it dry before putting it back up.

This is my solution. Easy to make with almost no tools, very inexpensive, and the birds love it.

Step 1: Start Getting Your Feeder Parts

Start by getting a bowl or dish shaped bottom to hold the birdseed. It can be most anything you want. The one in my example appears to be a small jell-o mold. I picked it up at the Goodwill store for 99 cents. The top is a larger and shallower shape. It will be upside-down on the feeder, so make sure it will not hold rainwater. Other things you might try would be metal pot and pan lids or Frisbees – use your imagination and your feeder will be unique.

Step 2: Make the Center Support

Cut a support piece from a dowel or broomstick. It might be fun to use a straight section of tree branch for a rustic look. Eyeball the length of this support piece (no measuring required). It should be long enough for birds to get to the food tray, but short enough so that windblown rain won’t wet the seed.

Step 3: Drilling a Hole in the Feeder Bottom

The hard part is putting holes in the top and bottom pieces. In my example, the bottom green dish is soft plastic and I could easily drill a hole. I could also have just poked a hole with a hammer and nail, but I wanted to show off. Don’t make your hole too big – just large enough for your screw to go through.

Step 4: Put a Hole in the Top

My top piece was hard plastic. Drilling it would crack the plastic, so I just heated a nail with a propane torch and melted a hole. If you don't have a torch, a lighter will work. Just don’t burn yourself.

Step 5: Make Starter Holes for Screws

I used an ice pick to put starter holes in the top and bottom of the dowel. A small nail would also work to get the screw started. Like the nail I used to melt the hole in the top. Be careful not to stab yourself. You don't need to make a deep hole, just enough to get the screw started.

Step 6: Make a Hanger

You will need a hanger for your bird feeder. If you have a screw eye, you could just use that. I didn’t have one, so I made a hanger from a bit of wire using needle nose pliers. You could use a piece of a coat hanger for this. If you don’t have needle nose pliers, just wrap the wire around that nail you used earlier to punch the holes.

Step 7: Put It All Together

Now, assemble your feeder. Careful not to tighten the screws too hard or you might break the plastic

Step 8: Voila! You're Done!

Step 9: Enjoy Watching the Birds!

Fill your feeder with some seed (I used sunflower seed), hang it outside your window, and have fun watching the birds! I hope you try making your own and have fun with it.