Making Homemade Hummingbird Feeders
- 1). Use a drip bottle, which is the type used for small caged pets such as hamsters, guinea pigs or mice. Glass bottles are best because they do not harbor bacteria like plastic bottles.
- 2). Wash it out thoroughly with hot soapy water and rinse very well to remove any soap residue that is harmful to hummingbirds.
- 3). Wash the bottle in white vinegar to remove other harmful residue.
- 4). Paint the bottle and water tube with two to three coats of nontoxic red paint.
- 5). Allow the red paint to dry completely between coats. Apply additional coats of paint if the finish appears streaky.
- 6). Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and dissolve 1 cup of plain white sugar in the boiling water. Do not use artificial sweeteners or honey, which offer no benefit to hummingbirds and are harmful.
- 7). Remove the sugar water mixture from the stove and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- 8). Fill the drip bottle with the sweet water.
- 9). Tie a green ribbon around the drip bottle and tie the other end around a tree branch, fence post or other location to hang; at least 4 feet off the ground in a visible spot so you can observe the hummingbirds. The tree offers some protection from dogs, cats and other predators.
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