Watch our step by step video!
I never understood how entertaining birds could be until I visited my in laws in Alaska when we were first married. They had platform feeders right outside their living room window and I’d find myself staring out that window like it was a television set---especially when the squirrels joined the party! A few years ago we had a little momma bird make a nest in our front door wreath. We loved checking on the eggs. Now we have chickens in the backyard and are even more entertained!
GELATIN BIRD FEEDERS
(scroll to the end for printable instructions) Wild birds and chickens don’t mix so we hang these gelatin birdseed feeders in the front yard for the wild birds, and make separate ones for the chickens and hang those in their enclosed chicken run. The chickens love them and it keeps them busy, pecking away at the seeds and bits of corn. They are a treat, not something they get on a regular basis. Gelatin birdseed feeders are made with unflavored gelatin, water and whatever birdseed mixes and grains you'd like to use. The types of birdseed you use will depend on the type of birds you'd like to attract. If you have cardinals in your area, like we do in our new home, make sure to use one with black-oil sunflower seeds. I used a wild birdseed mix for the ones in the photos. The video shows chicken scratch which is a blend of seeds, grain filler, and cracked corn.
BIRDSEED FEEDER INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES
- bird seed mixes or chicken scratch/grain
- unflavored gelatin
- bowl
- boiling water
- cookie cutters
- straws cut into 2” segments
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- string
DIRECTIONS
Step 1: We’ll start by boiling ½ a cup of water. Add the two gelatin packets to boiling water, and whisk until dissolved.
Step 2: Stir in 1 ½ cups of birdseed or chicken scratch.
Step 3: Cover a baking pan with parchment paper and place cookie cutters on top. Spoon birdseed mixture into cookie cutters. Add a straw and press down. This will create an opening when the birdseed has dried for the string. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Step 4: Carefully pop each bird seed shape out of the cookie cutters and let dry on the counter for another hour or two (can also dry out overnight). This helps the seeds dry out and makes it easier for our chickens (and other birds) to peck at.
Step 5: Attach a string through the hole, and attach to a tree. Watch and wait for a few hours, you’ll see birds come to nibble!
I’ve seen these made using peanut butter, karo syrup or unflavored gelatin. We chose unflavored gelatin because ants are always an issue in this area.
Gelatin Birdseed Feeders Printable Directions
Gelatin Birdseed Feeders
Make a gelatin birdseed feeder with only a few ingredients! Hang them in a tree and take notes on the types of birds who come along to snack on them!
Cost: $2
Equipment
- baking sheet
- scissors
Materials
- 2 unflavored gelatin packets
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 ½ cups birdseed or chicken scratch
- cookie cutters
- straw cut into 2" segments
- string
Instructions
- Add the two gelatin packets to ½ c. boiling water, and whisk until dissolved.
- Stir in the birdseed.
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place cookie cutters on top. Spoon birdseed mixture into cookie cutters.
- Add a straw and press down. This will create an opening when the birdseed has dried for the string.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Carefully pop each bird seed shape out of the cookie cutters and let dry on the counter for a few more hours (or overnight).
- Attach a string through the hole, and attach to a tree. Watch and wait for a few hours, you’ll see birds come to nibble!
Kharisha says
How many bird feeders does this recipe make?
Brandy says
4-6. It just depends on the size of your cookie cutters.
John clegg says
" gelatin packets " , can you reveal how much there is per packet, mine bought in 100gram pack?
Many Thanks
John
Brandy says
Each packet has .25 ounces (7 grams). Hope that helps!
Wrembel says
Bonjour 😊
Cela ne va pas fondre sous la pluie ?
Brandy says
Hi! Ours didn't last long enough to test that out. The birds ate them (and our chickens at them too) pretty quickly.
Marcy says
I'm making gelatin bird feeders for a shower in October, how should I store them now?
Brandy says
Hi! I would imagine they'd be fine stored in an airtight container, I just haven't tried storing them. They've always gone straight out to the tree, but they last fine outside in the weather until they've been eaten so I'd assume they'd be fine in a container.
Ryan says
How to keep them from molding after hanging, ours are molding rather quickly
Brandy says
Hi Ryan! I'm not sure. Ours were in the trees for a couple of weeks and I never noticed mold.
Jen McCandless says
Hi Brandy,
I have a single giraffe mold that I want to use for this project.Will the mixture stay set up in order to make each giraffe? I'd have to make the shape multiple times with the same cutter..will the gelatin set up too much? I don't know if you know the answers to this dilemma but thought I'd ask,thanks.
Brandy says
Hi Jen! I think you could make 2 before the gelatin would begin to set up too much. You may be able to form them into round shapes with your hands too!