How to Make a Milk Jug Bird Feeder

Recycle Those Empty Milk Jugs into Dandy Bird Feeders in No Time!

Looking for a rainy day craft idea that is Eco-friendly as well as fun? Let's make a hanging bird feeder out of a plastic milk jug! This is an easy craft project requires some adult supervision, but is lots of fun to make and provides entertainment all year long for bird watchers of all ages!

Tools and Supplies Required

1 _ gallon milk jug with lid
2 _ wooden 1/2 inch dowel rods, each about 10 inches long
2 _ pieces of pliable wire, at least 8 inches long each
1 _ 2 to 3 foot length of rope or an old narrow belt
Marker
Box cutter or sharp knife
Scissors
Nail or Heavy Needle
Baking soda if needed

Wash and rinse the jug. If there is a strong odor of spoiled milk and/or stubborn milk residue, fill with hot water, add a tablespoon of baking soda and let sit for a couple of hours before proceeding. Rinse well and let the jug and cap dry.

Draw your doors on two opposite sides and where you want the dowels for perches. The perches should be centered beneath the doorways. The first perch should be about 1��‚�� from the bottom and the door about 1/2 inch or so above that. One side will need to be about 1/2 inch lower than the other so the perches have clearance to cross each other in the center.

Using the point of the knife, make a cut at the center of your door large enough to get a blade of your scissors through. This will make cutting easier. Cut outward and at an angle towards the line you've drawn. This makes following your outline, rounding the corners and getting the shape you want easier.