Hummingbird and Butterfly Gardening: Home-made Hummingbird Feeders, 1 by TexasPuddyPrint

TexasPuddyPrint wrote:
Howdy All,

Since a few of you asked about the feeders I've made I decided to start a new thread to post photos of them.

The south Texas summers can be brutal and the nectar in those 32 ounce jar feeders can really heat up and spoil quickly - so I have resorted to using these small feeders. I can easily hang them on my vine covered trellises, low hanging tree branches, the eaves of my back porch and well - just about anywhere :o)

They are made of small insulin bottles I recycled. Each holds 12 ml of nectar. I used copper wire, beads and stained glass to decorate them. I bought some PP Gem Series feeders that Lowe's had discounted due to damage and took off the feeder parts. I also purchased the yellow flower looking feeder parts from a PP distributor on the web. I've found the ones PP sells fit perfectly into the neck of the insulin bottle.

To refill them I use a syringe that came with an printer ink jet refill kit. I also snap off the feeder part to wash them out when needed.

I've got a couple of those 32 ounce jar feeders hung out as well...but the adult hummies that frequent my yard prefer these little feeders. I have 20 small feeders set out all around the front yard, back yard and both sides of my house. I have noticed the juveniles seem a bit more comfortable when they can perch and sip as opposed to having to flap their wings at these but they are getting braver and becoming more adept at using these feeders every day. It helps when the feeders are spread out and they don't have to worry about bullies :o)

I re-fill them twice daily as more hummies are showing up. Once the fall migration hits I will bring out the 32 ouncers again.

~ Cat