Turn An Old Cooking Pot Into A Charming Hanging Bird Feeder

Homeowners put out bird feeders because the feathered creatures they attract add life and color to their yards and act as a natural pest control. But there's no need to waste money on a store-bought feeder when you can make your own out of an old cooking pot. There are two easy ways to make a bird feeder using a cooking pot: You can fill a pot with fat and hang it from a tree in the winter, or you can upcycle the lid of the pot to make a hanging feeder for the summer. 

Birds benefit from a fatty diet in the winter. So, simply fill a pot halfway with coconut oil and a large spoonful of lard and melt the contents over the stove. Then place a small stick (which will act as a perch) in the mixture, and allow it to dry. Lastly, you can hang the feeder from a tree by looping rope through one of its handles. This hack doesn't work as well in the summer, because the mixture can melt and stick to birds' feathers. Instead, during the warmer months, you can run a threaded rod through two pot lids (the top lid — the roof — should be larger than the bottom lid, which will hold the seed). Then, use an eye bolt and some string to hang the feeder from a tree. 

If you don't have an old pot, you can probably find one at your local thrift store. You can use a ceramic or metal cooking pot, so long as it isn't copper, which can be poisonous to birds.The pot can be any size or depth, but just make sure the branch or shepherd's hook you hang it from is sturdy enough to support the weight. For the contents of your wintertime feeder, you can crack open a coconut to cut the meat out, or purchase jars of coconut oil. For your summertime feeder, you may have to drill a couple holes in the bottom of your pot lid to allow it to drain properly, otherwise the seeds can rot. 

Coconut and lard will contribute calcium and protein to your birds' diets, but you can make the feeder even more appealing and nutritious by adding flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, millet, and buckwheat. These seeds are packed with protein, fiber, and minerals, including phosphorus, copper, and magnesium. 

In the summer, you can nourish your backyard birds with many of the same types of feed, but remember, certain feeds serve certain purposes. For instance, mealworms will attract bluebirds and millet will attract finches. You can also cut up bits of fruit and place those in your pot lid. But these are just a few of the best foods for attracting a range of stunning birds to your yard. If you enjoyed this DIY, you can also learn to make your own suet block to feed your bird friends.