DIY Bird Feeder From An Upcycled Chocolate Tub

We ended up with about 4 chocolate tubs after this Christmas and our various birthdays. And what do you do with these plastic boxes once the festive season or celebration is over? Well today I am going to show you how to make one into a DIY bird feeder.

DIY Bird Feeder From An Upcycled Chocolate Tub

this Idea!

I have several of these sweet tubs around the house already in use. They are great for

• storing things in. 
• transporting cakes and cookies
• keeping sweets out of my child’s reach.

But once you have some, they are quite difficult to find more uses for. And as with all plastic, they may just end up in landfill. So I decided to try to find an alternative upcycling use for one.

And in the winter season, why not use one as a bird feeder? The problem with some bird feeders is that they can be a little too small, or very accessible to cats, so this bird feeder is perfect for me. It can be hung on my washing line out of reach of the cats. Plus it is sturdy enough for quite a large amount of food. Which means I don’t need to be filling it every day.

What you need for your DIY Bird Feeder

• Old Chocolate Tub
• An old plastic jar – mine was from sugar substitute. One with a screw on lid – and wide enough to get your hand into – you’ll see why later!)
• Primer and spray paint suitable for on plastic and for outdoors – I had a tin of this stone effect paint left over from another project.
• Glue
• Screws and nuts – I used these as I didn’t think glue alone would be strong enough
• A piece of string for hanging

How To Make It

I primed and spray painted my tub. It needed 2 coats of the actual colour. You can leave the tub as it was, but for me, I wanted something a bit more aesthetically pleasing as a finished product.

I then bored a hole in the centre of the lid (which is now the base of the feeder) and the body of the tub (which is now the top of the feeder, and will act as a shelter)

At the same time I cut 3 holes around the bottom of the plastic jar in little arch shapes. This is where the seed is going to be dispensed from. I bored holes in the centre of the lid and in the centre of the bottom of the jar.

I glued the jar base to the lid of the chocolate tub, making a flat surface for the seed to flow to. At the same time, I used the nut and bolt to support and attach the jar base to the tub lid more firmly. (You need to be able to get your hand right into the jar to to this step, which is where the large sugar substitute jar is a good choice). Like I said before, I just didn’t think that glue alone is enough to hold the weight of the jar, bird seed and birds!

I then did the same for the jar lid, glueing the sugar substitute lid to the tub base, and threading the nut and bolt through the hole I’d prepared earlier to solidify the whole thing. I let this glue dry.

Finally, I made some small holes for some string or twine to act as a hanger. This is now perfect to suspend the bird feeder from my washing line.

You Have A Finished Bird Feeder!

I think it looks really great, and I love the stone finish in my garden. You don’t need to use the primer and paint, but if you leave it bare then everyone will know your secret!

Love This Post? Why Not Read Some Of My Other Upcycling Posts?

I love to upcycle and use up waste, especially fabric. So why not read these other posts I have written?

• How To Upcycle Greeting Cards
• What To Do With Your Fabric Scraps
• Ways To Upcycle Your Old Towels
• Zero Waste Projects For Your Home

I have loads of sustainable solutions on my site so why not go take a look?

What do you think? Will you be having a go at making this DIY Bird feeder? I love to see your makes, so please do comment below, or tag me in your makes on social media.

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