Reuse your canning rings and use them to make an easy bird feeder craft. This canning lid bird feeder is a cute way to feed your backyard birds. It's easy enough for kids to do, but it's still a fun craft for adults too!

Easy Bird Feeder Craft

I reuse my metal canning rings, but eventually they get too bent or hand little bits of rust that makes them useless for canning.

I hate to toss them, so I was looking for canning ring crafts. This canning lid bird feeder is a great way to repurpose old canning jar rings.

Since this is an inexpensive craft, it would be great for a scout troop or a homeschool group.

For more crafts with canning jar rings, lids, and old jars, check out these posts:

What Is The Best Bird Seed To Attract Birds?

When making an easy bird feeder diy craft, choosing the right seed is very important. You want the best seed to attract (and keep) the most amount of birds.

Many bird experts recommend using black oil sunflower seeds in your canning ring crafts. Black oil sunflower seeds are attractive to the largest amount of birds, thus increasing the efficacy of your bird feeder.

The best type of bird seed for you depends on what birds you have and what birds you want to attract. We have a pretty decent bird population, so I just go with a general blend.

I like Wagner's Deluxe Wild Bird Food. It's good for both ground and perching birds, and it has sunflower seeds.

What Can You Use To Make Bird Seed Stick Together?

This is one of the most crucial steps when making an easy bird feeder diy craft. The seed has to be able to stick together well in order to for the easy bird feeder craft to work.

You can easily make bird seed stick together by mixing water and gelatin and boiling them on low heat to activate the gelatinous properties.

You can use gelatin packets or buy bulk gelatin. I buy bulk gelatin because I use it for other crafts like a gel air freshener.

Is Gelatin Safe For Birds?

Yes, gelatin is safe for birds to eat. For the purposes of this hanging bird feeder diy, you can feel free to use gelatin.

It should be said that gelatin is not the healthiest option for your birds, so if you will be putting out several hanging bird feeder DIY crafts, or doing it for a long time, a healthier alternative might be preferred.

However, if you are at all worried, or just seeking a more natural alternative, there are plenty to be found. You can use natural gelatins such as arga arga in your homemade bird seed crafts as well.

What Color Bird Feeders Do Birds Prefer?

Typically, birds prefer bird feeders that are high in energy wavelengths, such as blue, purple and green. These are often the most recommended colors as they are the most enticing for birds.

However, there are other factors that influence whether or not a bird will prefer your feeder, such as the kind of seed used, the placement of the feeder, and the style of the feeder.

Acrylic paint is considered non-toxic for birds. If they peck at it and ingest some, they will be fine.

Where Should I Hang An Easy Bird Feeder Craft?

Your easy bird feeder craft should be hung in a tree or a shrub somewhere away from potential predators and human activity. Predators and human activity, such as noise or the mere presence of humans, can scare away birds.

If you are planning on hanging it in view of a window, make sure it is either really close (about five feet away) or decently far (about thirty feet away) from the window so the birds do not crash into it when trying to fly around the feeder.

It should be noted, however, that it may take a few days for your birds to discover the feeder. Do not be discouraged if the birds on your property don’t immediately flock to the mason jar ring feeder, as oftentimes they are scoping it out or simply have yet to find it.

It is important for the feeder to be in an open area so that your birds can find it and feel comfortable using it.

Do Birds Like Feeders High or Low?

The height of your bird feeder is very important for the purposes of this project. You will want to hang your bird feeder no lower than five feet in the air, and no higher than about ten feet.

Ultimately, the height of your bird feeder should depend on the birds to wish to attract. For instance, hummingbirds and sparrows prefer lower heights while woodpeckers prefer higher heights.

Hanging Bird Feeder DIY Tips

When making crafts with canning jar rings, choosing the right size ring is very important. I prefer widemouth rings in my crafts with canning jar rings. They work very well for this hanging bird feeder diy project.

Widemouth rings allow for a bit of seed without it being so heavy as to potentially snap off or hang too low on a smaller branch. At the same time, it is big enough that smaller animals, such as squirrels, have a harder time running away with it.

Mason Jar Lid Bird Feeder Supplies

While it may seem like there are a lot of materials, most of these items are fairly common in many kitchens.

Plus, these ingredients are cheap and easy to buy in bulk so you can make as many canning lid bird feeder hangers as you want.

How to Make An Easy Bird Feeder Craft

Step 1

To start, you will need clean mason jar rings. Make sure they are dry before continuing. I prefer to use wide mouth mason jar rings.

Place the rings onto parchment paper and paint them. You will want to apply two coats, with an hour of drying time in between coats.

Step 2

Once the paint has dried, use your Mod Podge to seal and protect the rings. You will want to let the rings dry for an hour before continuing on.

Step 3

Using the scissors, cut pieces of twine into 18 inch sections and tie them around the rings.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, combine your bird seed and flour and set the bowl aside.

Step 5

Then, in a smaller bowl, mix together one cup of hot water and the gelatin according to the instructions on the package. Add in the corn syrup and peanut butter, and stir the mixture until it is well blended.

Step 6

Add the liquid mixture into the dry mixture you had set aside before, and stir until it is all combined. It should feel like thick sand, and you can add more hot water if need be.

Step 7

Lay your mason jar rings (with the flat side facing down) onto parchment paper or onto a silicone baking mat.

Step 9

Now, spoon the bird seed mixture into each ring until it is overflowing. Then, use a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to firmly press the bird seed mixture into the mason jar rings.

The mixture should be flat and flush with the rings, and the mixture will have to dry overnight.

Step 10

When the bird seed mixture has hardened, it is ready to be hung up. Simply hang the mason jar lid feeder off of a tree to easily feed all of the birds on your property.

I hope you enjoy this mason jar bird feeder! For more bird feeder ideas, try one of these DIYs:

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bird feeder, hanging bird feeder

Yield: 6 bird feeders

Author: Cari @ Homesteading in Ohio

Estimated cost: $10

Hanging Bird Feeder DIY With Mason Jar Lid

prep time: 5 Mperform time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 H & 5 M

How to make a hanging bird feeder with a mason jar lid.

materials:

2 cups bird seed
1 to 1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 packet unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup of flour
3 tablespoons corn syrup
6 wide mouth mason jar rings
Non-toxic acrylic paint
Foam paint brushes
Mod Podge glue
Twine
Silicone baking mat

tools:

Scissors

steps:

Place the rings onto parchment paper and paint them. You will want to apply two coats, with an hour of drying time in between coats.
Once the paint has dried, use your Mod Podge to seal and protect the rings. You will want to let the rings dry for an hour before continuing on.
Using the scissors, cut pieces of twine into 18 inch sections and tie them around the rings.
In a large mixing bowl, combine your bird seed and flour and set the bowl aside.
Then, in a smaller bowl, mix together one cup of hot water and the gelatin according to the instructions on the package. Add in the corn syrup and peanut butter, and stir the mixture until it is well blended.
Add the liquid mixture into the dry mixture you had set aside before, and stir until it is all combined. It should feel like thick sand, and you can add more hot water if need be.
Lay your mason jar rings (with the flat side facing down) onto parchment paper or onto a silicone baking mat.
Now, spoon the bird seed mixture into each ring until it is overflowing. Then, use a spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup to firmly press the bird seed mixture into the mason jar rings. The mixture should be flat and flush with the rings, and the mixture will have to dry overnight.
When the bird seed mixture has hardened, it is ready to be hung up. Simply hang the mason jar lid feeder off of a tree to easily feed all of the birds on your property.

https://www.homesteadinginohio.com/2023/01/hanging-bird-feeder-diy-with-mason-jar.html

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