I made this covered bird feeder from one cedar fence picket. The board cost $3.58, and with the assembly screws, the feeder came in under $5. The post, stain, and extra mounting screws were separate.
It’s a simple open tray with a roof over it. I used a leftover 4×4 for the post and two cedar strips underneath so I can take it down for cleaning.
Materials and measurements
My picket was 6 feet long, 5½ inches wide, and 19/32 inch thick. All the cedar pieces came from that one board.
Floor: one piece, 14 × 5½ inches.
Roof: two pieces, 16 × 5½ inches each.
Uprights: two pieces, 10 inches tall at the peak × 2 inches wide.
Long rims: two pieces, 14 inches long × 1¼ inches tall.
Short rims: two pieces, about 6¹¹⁄₁₆ inches long × 1¼ inches tall. Measure across the assembled tray to check the fit.
Mounting strips: two pieces, 5½ inches long × 1½ inches tall.
For assembly, I used #8 × 1¼-inch black truss head wood screws. Check the package for exterior suitability when choosing yours.
I also used a leftover 4×4, 2-inch screws to attach the mounting strips beneath the floor, screws through the strips into the post, and a little weathered gray stain for the roof.
Building the feeder
Fit the long rims.
I attached a 14-inch rim along the outside of each long floor edge. The bottom of each rim sits flush with the underside of the floor, with screws driven through the rim into the floor edge.Add the end rims.
I fitted the short pieces across the ends, covering the floor and the ends of both long rims. Picket thickness can vary, so I checked their length against the tray before fastening them.Add drainage and smooth the edges.
I drilled drain holes through the floor and lightly sanded the rough spots and splintered edges. I left the rest of the cedar’s texture alone.Shape the uprights.
I marked the center of each upright’s top edge and formed a peak with two 45-degree cuts. Each upright measures 10 inches from its bottom to the tip.Attach the uprights.
I centered one inside each end of the tray, with its broad face toward the end. Screws driven from underneath the floor hold them in place.Fit the roof.
The two roof boards rest on the peaked uprights, with one overlapping the edge of the other at the ridge. I centered the roof along the feeder’s length and screwed each board to the uprights.Add a little color.
I gave the roof a light coat of weathered gray stain—just enough color to let the wood still show. I left the tray natural and allowed the finish to cure before use.
Mounting the feeder
I found a leftover 4×4 from another project, so that became the post. A landscape timber rated for ground contact would have worked too.
Set the post.
I set mine with about 5 feet of post above ground and packed the soil firmly around it. The post needs to stand upright and provide a stable, level resting place for the feeder.Center and mark the feeder.
I rested it on the post and checked the overhang on opposite sides. Mine extended about 5¾ inches at each end and 1½ inches at each side. With it centered, I traced around the post on the underside of the floor.Position the mounting strips.
I stood the two 5½ × 1½-inch strips on edge beneath the floor, running lengthwise on opposite sides of the post outline. I left enough clearance for the feeder to slip onto the post and kept the drain holes clear.Fasten the strips beneath the floor.
I predrilled two holes through each strip from underneath, then drove 2-inch screws upward through the strips into the floor. That left about ½ inch of screw entering the floor. Check your wood thickness and screw length so no tips stick up inside the seed tray.Secure it to the post.
I set the feeder back on the post and drove side screws through both mounting strips into the post. For these screws, I predrilled through just the cedar, not the post, to help keep it from splitting.
Taking it down for cleaning
When it needs cleaning, I remove the side screws from both mounting strips and lift the whole feeder off. The strips stay attached to the tray, and the roof stays right where it is.
Once mine was mounted, I put seed in the tray. The birds found it the next morning.
I don’t know how they found it so fast.