Crows are highly intelligent, social birds that can make fun and fascinating visitors to your backyard. If you want to attract crows, providing a steady food source is key. One of the best ways to do this is by building your own crow feeder. With a quality DIY crow feeder, you’ll be able to easily feed these clever corvids and enjoy watching their antics up close.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to build the perfect crow feeder
Why Build Your Own Crow Feeder?
There are a few key benefits to building your own crow feeder rather than purchasing a pre-made one:
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Customization By making it yourself you can create a feeder exactly suited to your space the number of crows you want to attract, and your budget. Pre-made feeders come in limited styles and sizes.
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Cost savings: Purchased crow feeders can be expensive, often $50 or more. Building your own allows you to control costs.
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High-quality materials: You can select durable, weather-resistant materials constructed specifically to withstand daily use by hungry crows.
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Easy to clean and refill: A DIY feeder lets you incorporate design features for quick cleaning and filling access.
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Fun project: Building your own crow feeder is an enjoyable, rewarding way to spend an afternoon. Plus, you’ll feel more invested in a feeder you crafted yourself.
Crow Feeder Design Considerations
When planning your homemade crow feeder, keep these key factors in mind:
Feeder Size
Crows are large, social birds who often feed in groups called “murders.” Make your feeder at least 15-inches long to allow multiple crows to perch and eat at once.
Feed Type
Crows eat both seeds and larger food items like peanuts, dog food, eggs, meat, fruit, etc. Choose a feeding design suited to your preferred crow foods. Platform feeders work well for a mix.
Weather Protection
Look for ways to shield food from rain and snow, like using a covered hopper or trough design. Ensure drainage holes prevent flooding.
Durable Materials
Use weather-resistant woods like cedar or plastic lumber. Metal hardware should be stainless steel or galvanized to prevent rust.
Easy Cleaning/Refilling
Incorporate removable catch trays, sliding doors, or lift-off roofs to simplify access for cleaning and adding fresh food.
10 Steps to Build Your Own Crow Feeder
Follow these 10 key steps to create a high-quality, customized crow feeder perfect for your yard:
Step 1: Select a Design
Consider the number of crows, type of food, and weather conditions in your area. Popular options are hopper, platform, or trough feeders.
Platform feeders work well for peanuts and other larger foods. Hoppers dispense mixed seeds/nuts and protect contents from weather. Troughs allow easy crow access.
Step 2: Gather Materials
You’ll need weather-resistant lumber, screws or nails, metal hardware, plus tools like a saw, drill, hammer, screwdriver, etc. Stainless steel mesh adds durability.
Cedar and plastic lumber are good options. For metal, use stainless steel, zinc-plated, or galvanized to prevent rusting.
Step 3: Cut Pieces to Size
Refer to your feeder plans and cut all wooden pieces to the proper dimensions. Mark measurements carefully and cut with a miter or circular saw.
Step 4: Drill Support Holes
Drill holes for screws/nails to connect the pieces. Check plans and drill holes before assembly to avoid splitting wood. Wear goggles for safety.
Step 5: Assemble Main Structure
Screw or nail together the main pieces as shown in your plans. Avoid overly tight connections that could limit wood movement as it swells/shrinks.
Step 6: Add Outer Siding
If your design calls for it, attach outer wood siding using screws or nails. Ensure edges align evenly. Leave small gaps between boards.
Step 7: Install Roof
Build or attach the roof section following your plans. An overhang helps protect food from rain/snow. Use waterproofing if desired.
Step 8: Add Feeder Tray/Trough
Screw supportive brackets into place. Install a wire mesh, plastic, or wooden tray or trough to hold food. Ensure it fits snugly.
Step 9: Attach Perches
Drill pilot holes and screw weather-resistant wood perches in place along the feeder for crows to stand while eating.
Step 10: Weatherproof & Finish
Sand any rough edges. Apply weatherproof stain/sealant if desired. Let dry fully before installing and filling with food.
Where to Place Your Crow Feeder
Once built, properly situating your DIY crow feeder will ensure crows can find it and feel safe using it:
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Near trees or power lines for natural perching spots
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Within view of sheltered areas for quick escape
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Away from bushes where cats may hide
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Not directly against your home to prevent damage
Try mounting on a pole with predator guard to keep food secure. Place in a quiet area protected from strong wind and rain.
What to Put in a Crow Feeder
Crows are omnivores and opportunistic eaters. They enjoy a wide range of foods:
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Nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts)
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Seeds (sunflower, millet, cracked corn)
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Small grains like wheat or oats
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Fruits such as berries, apples, citrus
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Table scraps like pasta, cheese, eggs
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Meats including suet, dog/cat food, chicken
Avoid spoiled or moldy food. Offer a consistent daily schedule for the best results.
Maintaining Your Crow Feeder
To keep your homemade crow feeder clean and functional:
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Check food and water levels daily, replenishing as needed
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Rake or sweep fallen debris from under perches
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Regularly wash feeder with mild soap/water solution
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Monitor for damage; repair loose parts or frayed mesh
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Apply fresh waterproof stain annually
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Store indoors or cover during extreme weather
With proper placement, filling and care, your custom DIY crow feeder will provide an engaging feeding experience, attracting clever, comical crows to your yard for years of enjoyment. Let your creativity soar – build the perfect feeder for your backyard flock today!
Set out crows’ favorite food.
Crows will eat anything, including bugs, worms, snails, frogs, snakes, shellfish, eggs, bird chicks, seeds, grain, suet, berries, corn, fruits (apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, and cherries), and even trash. There are a lot of different things that crows will eat. Leftovers like cooked or raw pasta, baby cereal, even meat can be left out. But you shouldn’t give most birds bread that has been soaked in water. Like many of us, crows enjoy a little junk food, such as unsalted popcorn, crackers, and chips. They’ll even eat cat food and dog food.
Crows like nuts, especially whole peanuts that aren’t salted and still have their shells on. They’ll also eat walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts. Avoid salty foods, dry uncooked beans, avocados, chocolate, onions, and pitted fruits.
Create a safe environment.
Before you invite crows to your yard, it’s important to ensure their safety during their visit. This can be done by getting rid of things that scare crows, like pets and predators (like owl decoys and scarecrows), noise, and big things like ladders.
To impress upon crows that your yard is a safe space, fake it ‘til you make it by adding crow decoys. Properly placed fake crows in a small grouping on a tree branch or bird bath might convince the real thing to investigate. It’s even better if at least one of the decoys moves.
Making a Crow Feeder [from start to finish]
FAQ
What kind of feeders do crows like?
How to attract crows to feed?
What is a crows’ favorite food?
What is a crow feeder?
It is an all-in-one automated crow feeder that includes the delivery of the food, waste disposal, sanitation, cage cleaning, monitoring for noise or birds on the roof. It is essentially a smart system that enables you to monitor how much food each bird eats, while also taking care of its needs automatically.
How to build a crow feeder?
Let’s start to see how you can build a crow feeder. 1. The first thing is to add some measure boards in such a manner that they will create enough fixed support for your corvidons house. I would suggest making the walls 10 inches wide and 8 feet long because after all, it’s going to be used as part of a roof cover where material large size matters.
Do crows like bird feeders?
So, if you want to attract crows, you must have enough room for them. I have found the ONLY type of bird feeder that fits these corvids are tray or platform feeders. True to their name, these feeders are simple and provide a large, open space for birds to feed. They are perfect for crows!
How to upcycle a bird feeder?
In less than a minute, you can take a mason jar and attach a feeder for the birds to enjoy. This is a wonderful upcycling project that will feed the birds all season long. This DIY bird feeder has a roof for shelter and also includes a perch. My Journey to Green suggests adding decorations to your bird feeder to make it your own.