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March 30, 2021 By Brandy 2 Comments

Home » Craft Tutorials » Kids Crafts

Make a Gelatin Birdseed Feeder (Video)

Filed Under: Home & Garden Projects, Kids Crafts

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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! This post was originally shared in 2017 and now includes a step by step video!

You might also like our dinosaur garden, easy science experiments for kids or our $1 soda bottle sprinkler! 

flower shaped gelatin birdseed feeder

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 a birdseed feeder right outside their living room window and I’d find myself staring out that window like it was a television set! Now we have chickens in the backyard and are even more entertained!

birdseed feeders hanging in tree

 

GELATIN BIRDSEED 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. They 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.

baking sheet with birdseed, cookie cutters, gelatin packets, string and a straw

BIRDSEED FEEDER INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES

  • birdseed or scratch
  • unflavored gelatin
  • boiling water
  • Cookie cutters
  • Straws cut into 2” segments
  • Parchment paper
  • Baking sheet
  • String

These cute feeders take just minutes to prepare and set up in the refrigerator. Once hard, simply pull them out of the molds and hang in a tree!

DIRECTIONS

hand holding open packet of unflavored gelatin

Step 1: We’ll start by boiling 1/2 a cup of water. Add the two gelatin packets to boiling water, and whisk until dissolved.

Step 2: Stir in 1 1/2 cups of birdseed or chicken scratch.

birdseed and gelatin setting up in cookie cutters

Step 3: 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 1-2 hours.
molded birdseed feeders on baking sheet

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

birdseed and gelatin setting up in cookie cutters

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! 
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Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Refrigeration: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Cost: $2

Equipment

  • baking sheet
  • scissors

Materials

  • 2 unflavored gelatin packets
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1 1/2 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!
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About Brandy

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!

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Comments

  1. Jen McCandless says

    April 16, 2021 at 2:25 am

    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.

    Reply
    • Brandy says

      April 17, 2021 at 1:55 pm

      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!

      Reply

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About the Author

Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you! Learn More About The Author

My Sewing Book for Kids!

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