Use A Simple Bundt Pan To Keep The Seed In Your Cylindrical Bird Feeder Dry

Keeping the bird seed in your feeder dry is important for a variety of reasons. Firstly, wet bird food — particularly seeds without a husk, such as sunflower seed chips or de-hulled peanuts — can become moldy, which is bad for the health of the birds that may eat it. Additionally, wet bird seed can harbor dangerous parasites for birds. So, while picking the best food will keep your feathered friends happy, having a roof or covering over your hanging bird feeder will also keep them healthy. But what if your feeder didn't come with a decent roof? Well, you don't necessarily have to go out and buy a new one. Instead, why not repurpose an old bundt pan you may have lying around to keep your bird feed nice and dry?

To do this, you will first need to source a bundt pan. Try checking your own kitchen cabinets for ones you no longer use, or asking friends and family if they have any leftover. If you're desperate, you can always check thrift stores or websites such as Craigslist or Facebook marketplace for people getting rid of kitchenware they no longer want. In addition to the pan, you will also need something to cover the hole in the middle and prevent water from spilling through it onto the center of the feeder. A single-use foil pie tin could be good for this, or you could try drilling a hole in a ceramic plate to keep the kitchen theme going and make the whole thing more durable. So, let's explore how exactly to attach a bundt pan to keep your bird feeder safe from precipitation.

Luckily, most cylindrical bird feeders are designed to be hung, allowing birds easy access and safety from predators on the ground. So adding a roof made from an old bundt pan is mostly about assembly. First, though, it's a good idea to clean out the pan to remove any food particles or rust. If the rust is stubborn, try rinsing out the pan and adding in some baking soda. Let that sit for about 30 minutes, then scrub at it with a rough sponge.

After the pan is clean and dry, follow the example set by HomeTalk on Facebook and thread the bundt pan upside-down through the wire or hook used to hang the feeder. Hanging the pan upside-down means that rain and snow will slide off and away from the feeder, rather than collecting in the pan. Then, you will want to add something flat with only a small hole in the center to allow you to thread it over the wire or hook, such as the aforementioned pie tin or ceramic plate. Whatever you decide to use, make sure it's flat — or, ideally, slanted out at the edges to encourage water to slide off. 

This quick and easy DIY prevents you from having to purchase a ready-made hood or covering for your feeder. It also adds bundt pans to the list of kitchen items you can reuse in your home to reduce waste, making use of materials that may otherwise been thrown away.