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Finch Feedere

16 years ago

Finch feeder

1 90 degree PVC elbow

2 plastic tubes

1 chop-stick

{{gwi:138460}}

These tubes contained craft supplies my DW purchased.

"Any use for these", she asked?

So I cut a PVC 90 degree elbow as shown (to keep the small thistle

seeds from falling out).

Then cut a hole in the tube just big enough for the new PVC part

and insert with the opening down.

Make a hole big enough for the chop stick and push through the tube

(cut the ends to leave 3/4" sticking out). Glue those two parts in

place. Use one tube cap for the top to tie in the tree.

Fill with thistle seeds and use the second cap to seal the bottom.

Worked great

{{gwi:138461}}

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Comments (6)

rmlanza
16 years ago
Now that's what I call garden junk! AND trash to treasure! I love to feed the birds and have a few feeders but am always looking to add more. And they aren't cheap! Well, except now I have to go buy some craft supplies that come in tubes. Dang.

Thanks for sharing!
Robin
tehuti
16 years ago
I must have had a senior moment when I couldn't remember who I was - can't spell either.

This little "feeder" got me thinking and I have another idea in the works. I'll try to post it with the right user name. Geeze!
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mine was a plastic tube feeder with plastic perches about 1 1/2 inches long and almost any of the birds were perching on it. I took a hack saw and cut the perches off so they were just over 1/2 inch long. it stopped all the birds except the siskins and finches from perching. Last fall a hungry bear tore the feeder down and broke it, I'll have to buy another next spring. and hang it higher.
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Marg, I've been doing this for a little less than a year, so take what I say with a grain of salt! :) First, maybe you could put nyjer in the finch feeder only. Then if the finches want it, they will go there. That's if you want to continue with the nyjer. If you keep nyjer in the tray feeder they have no incentive to try the finch feeder. I do feed differently in the summer; I worry more about keeping up with the birdbaths because the birds seem to use them more. They have so much more food available to them (bugs, plants, etc.) But I do put out a fruit and jelly feeder, a no-melt suet, and nyjer and BOSS, and sometimes sunflower hearts, raisins,and berries. I do keep more food out in winter. When it snows they always come here for some seed or suet. The birds do like garden flowers and seeds even better than the foods we put out though. I came home one day to drive up and see a ton of goldfinches all over our large butterfly bush. And they love the sunflowers of course, and the bugs in the vegetable garden. I hope this has somehow been helpful. Hang in there! :) And good for you for putting the plants in - I am doing that too, and it's more work but it will be worth it. bandgsmom - thanks for your reply. All I can say is, that's the way our finches divide up at the feeders. It's been true for almost a year now. And when I put a goldfinch feeder away from the other birdfeeders last summer, they really loved that.
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I also have a tube feeder. I notice other birds and critters (chipmunks, etc.) eat the leftovers that fall to the ground. I would think it's a combo of hulls and seeds, unless the hulls are yummy for the other birds. I did put a tray on the feeder, and that was a disaster. I had a chipmunk who made himself at home in the tray, and once I saw the HOSPs in the tray, I took it down. Squirrels also tried to get in, but it wasn't big enough for them. So, I'm thinking it's more than just hulls dropping into the tray, but I could be wrong.
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Wow, bbcathy. Were the exclamation points really necessary? cruzmisl- do the golds and house finches gather at the same time? It would be great to see a photo. :)
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luna_llena_feliz
16 years ago
I have been wondering what you have been up to Robert. Great job on the innovative bird feeder! And I see the finches concur!

Here I thought Feedere was like the French word for "feeder" and you were just being fancy. lol!
kudzukween
16 years ago
Great idea...I have some tubes that bungee cords came in, but I have hundreds of squirrels and they've torn up so many feeders. You know you always see the "squirrel proof" feeders, I'm the lady that buys every one that comes out :P But I think I have all the pieces to make one of these and it won't hurt to try! Thanks for the "how-tos" and photos!
mad_about_mickey
16 years ago
I have made feeders for the finches using the clear tubes that the fluorescent lights come in. They come with caps on each end . I drill small holes for the perches and insert small dowel pieces in. Then using the dremel, I make small oblong holes under each perch( so the finches are the only one that can feed because they will turn upside down to feed.)I glue the cap on the bottom. Then drill two small holes near the top so you can bend some wire to use as hanger and fller up and put the cap on. These come in long sizes and sometimes I find them in shorter ones. You can get quite a lot of holes and it is neat to see the birds alight and then turn upside down to eat.
tehuti
16 years ago
I found some additional neat feeder ideas here.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plastic Mesh Thistle Feeder

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