Well I wasn't sure where to post this article so I'll start here. I am CHEAP when it comes to making bird feeders and the such for my little feathered friends. They do not care what it looks like as long as they are fed. Soooooo here are my CHEAP suet cake feeders that anyone can make. All you need is a nice size tree. That's right a TREE as you can see from the pic's. The suet cakes I am using measure 4.5 inches by 4.5 inches. Ok to start I used 4-4inch screws, or nails if you prefer. Especially if you do not have an electric drill, nails will work as well. But if you do have an electric drill you will need a drill bit one size smaller in diameter than your screws for drilling starter holes in the tree trunk. Place them wide enough for your suet cake to fit into the wire with loops made one each end for the screws or nails to go through. Then on the bottom to hold the suet cake I used L-shaped screws. Again I suppose you could us nails as it just keeps the cake from falling through. I left the top part open as I have to remove the cakes each night and bring them in so the raccoons do not eat them. Any way. This works great and cost very little money. I actually used old metal coat hangers for the wire. Hope you enjoyed my little feeders on the Cheap tutorial. I look forward to seeing yours if your make one.
Two pieces of 6" scrap lumber with left-over hardware cloth stapled on and a suet slab dropped in. Like Tooty, we used coat hangar wire to hang the feeder. We have two of these, one hanging from a shepherd's hook and the other on this big ashe juniper.
Two great simple ideas,..i like both of them,..just today i was trying to figure out how to have some kind of Bird Bath,..one on top of a pole seeing i have cats,..still working on something?.
Marlin that is a great idea also. Real simple and cheap. Except for the sparrows helping themselves. The only thing I feed them is a 22 shell. They are such bad, bad, birds to other birds. But I like your suet feeder idea. Kildale- that is a really neat looking feeder as well. Love the Bark roof. I have been once again having trouble with Crows flying up and trying to get at the suet. They do not cling well to the tree. But they are still able to knock off a few pieces. When they keep at it they can really get quite a bit of suet. Makes me so
I don't worry about who gets fed, just that there is enough seed, suet and fresh water for everybody! We have grackles come to the platform feeder--not my favorite bird but we'd be knee deep in discarded potato chips at the Walmart parking lot without them. We have a good variety of birds, and some hit the seed feeder, some the suet, and some just hang around and serenade us. I'm looking for a nice piece of bark to make a roof for the suet feeder on the shepherd's hook. Great idea, Kildale, especially here where every living thing is looking for a bit of shade!
I put a roof on all the things I make. This is a material holder for when the nesting season comes around, then you can put the suet blocks in later on.
Kildale,..now i know why i see all those images of birds feeding from your hand,..they know that not only do you feed them but also place a roof over head and supply building material,..sorry nesting material,..well done Kildale
Here is another idea. Freeze a few, or lots, of berries in the fall. I made this berry and suet feeder and hang the berries up when the bad weather comes around and the berries on the trees etc. have gone. Note how a lot of berries have gone.
Love all of these. I have a wire grid suet feeder but the crows watch for it and can clean it out in under an hour Been looking for something that the little guys can get into and will keep the big ones out.
Islandlife glad you got some good ideas for a Crow proof suet feeder. The crows use to come and help themselves to my old suet feeder. But it seems that the ones I've attached to the tree they have a harder time with. So no more suet thief's. I do bring my suet cakes in during the night otherwise the raccoons would help themselves.
