Recycled Milk Jug Seed Feeder

by Myra Lukens

Teach your kids about backyard birds and recycling, with this easy craft project that’s for the birds!  Recycle a milk jug and make it into a bird feeder!

All You Need:

A plastic milk jug with cap

A straight tree branch or a dowel rod 

Scissors

A wrapped wire or nylon cord for a hanger

Here’s what you do:

1.  Most milk jugs have two indented circles in them.  Cut them both out. 

2.   Turn the jug over and use your scissors to punch two or three drainage holes through the bottom.  In our weather, it’s always good to have drainage!   Here’s a tip:  If your milk jug is stubborn, dip the bottom in hot water and then punch the holes – it makes the plastic easier to perforate.

3.  Center small holes under the big circles you cut out, by punching through the plastic with the scissors.   Push a straight stick or dowel rod through one, and then the other hole to make a perch for the birds to land on.

4.  Find a way to hang the jug.  One way is to punch two small holes below the cap where the plastic starts to curve upward and is thicker. Screw the cap back onto the jug. Insert string or wire through the two holes and balance the jug.   Another way is to use the handle of the jug and let the feeder be at an angle – the birds won’t care!

5.  Now you can take your new feeder outside and fill it with seed!  (My mom makes me do this part outside so I won’t spill seed everywhere.)

6.  Hang it from a tree branch, and the birds will soon find the new feeder.