Tea Cup Bird Feeder DIY

Do you love having birds in your yard? We’re just starting to get some feathered friends in our yard, and it’s still quite cold outside for the birds, especially the little birds. Easter and snow should not go together, but what can I tell you, it happens.

Every year we make suet bird feeders and hang them on the tree outside to help the birds through the end of winter. This year, instead of making them using a silicone mold, we made our own teacup bird feeders using a thrift store teacup and saucer. I also found a pretty handled vintage china soup bowl with handles, so I snatched it up as well.

I have an old teacup collection, but I recommend checking out your local thrift store for inexpensive ones. Although thrift stores are quite popular these days, pretty vintage teacups are still fairly easy to find for a dollar or two. If you want a somewhat cottage core vibe for your tea cup craft, look for something with a floral pattern or a bit of gold trim that seems a little bit fancy. They don’t even have to match exactly. Just something vintage and not too special, as we’re going to drill them and hang them outside.

How to Make the Tea Cup Bird Feeder

You have a choice here: you can either place your teacup flat on the saucer and drill holes to hang the bird feeder. Or you can tilt the teacup on its side a little bit and use the cup handle to suspend it from the tree. I chose to hang mine flat because it’s easier for the birds to use, and I know it won’t dangle at an angle. But if you don’t want to drill holes in your tea cup you can do it by hanging it from the handle of the teacup instead.

Supplies for Homemade Teacup Bird Feeders

Drilling Holes

We purchased an extra mismatched saucer at the thrift store to test the glass drill bits with. The special one we ordered from Amazon for the glass broke the larger plate. On his second try, Hubs used a Dremel with a cone bit, and it worked well. Once you’re confident your drill bit will work, you can start on the teacup (if the drill can punch through the plate, it is easier to punch it through the thinner teacup). Drill two holes in the top of your teacup. Drill one hole behind the handle and the second one directly across from it.

Not Using Holes

Instead of drilling holes, you can use the teacup handle to hang the bird feeder. Instead, tilt the teacup on its side a little bit and place it towards the back of the teacup saucer before gluing the side to the saucer.

Once you have the holes drilled (or the teacup tilted), the next step is to glue the teacup to the saucer. Add a thin strip around the outer edge of the bottom of the teacup and center it over the saucer.

Let the glue cure for a couple of hours before adding the suet bird seed mix.

How to Make Suet Birdseed Food

Place the suet in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on low for 30 seconds, then check to see if it’s soft. If not, continue microwaving in 10-second intervals until it reaches the desired consistency. Once the suet is soft, add the wild bird seed and mix well. Transfer the mixture to your teacup(s), smooth the top with the back of a spoon, and press an extra handful of wild bird seed on top, gently pressing it into the suet to help keep it from blowing away.

Before hanging the tea cup bird feeder outside, allow the glue to harden overnight, and add a thin rim of hot glue around the bottom edge of the teacup for extra security.

Adding Wire Hangers

Cut a piece of 12-gauge wire about 14 inches long. Using needle-nose pliers, bend the wire and inch from the end. Fit through the hole and twist around to hold in place. Seal with a dab of hot glue. Repeat for the other end.

Finding the Right Place to Hang the Bird Feeder

We need to hang our bird feeders in a safe spot for the birds. We moved ours to the front yard this year to avoid our dogs. You also want the bird feeder where you can see it, it’s fun to watch the birds come and go. To avoid the birds accidentally flying into the window, don’t place the bird feeder directly in front of a window.

Pick a thick enough branch to hold your bird feeder, it needs to hold the feeder and possibly a little feathered friend or two. I had a crow find ours the other day, he did his best to knock the feeder out of the tree, but it held in place. Mr. Crow had to be content with the suet he knocked out onto the ground.

Keep it where you can retrieve it when empty, at eye level or above, works best. It’s high enough to discourage pets, and low enough that you don’t need a ladder to refill it.

I strongly suggest hanging the bird feeder over the lawn, and avoid patios, as much as I enjoy them in the yard, they can be quite messy.

I am aware that with the northern weather, this little teacup bird feeder looks sparse compared to the lush green gardens of summer. All I can say is you can imagine how wonderful it is for the bird to find this nutrient-rich food source. I feel sorry for our little feathered friends who bring us a sure sign of Spring a bit earlier than they should have.

If you want more information about the benefits of using suet for your bird feeder, I wrote and earlier post about How to Make an Easy Suet Bird Feeder. It’s a great way to make sure you’re using the right type of food for your friends.

Here is a quick revamp I did of a Dollar Store bird feeder. I added a Dollar store pie plate to the bottom as a bird ledge, and a reader suggested I update it with holes. I did punch a few holes in the pie plate using a nail, and it helps to keep the seeds drier when it rains.