At New Forest Bird Foods, we love hearing from our customers—especially when they share clever and practical ways to enhance the bird feeding experience. One inventive customer recently sent in photos and details of a simple yet highly effective DIY adaptation to their seed feeder using everyday garden items. With just two plastic plant pot trays, they’ve created a setup that keeps seed dry, reduces waste, and even supports some hefty feathered visitors.
Here’s how it works—and how you can try it yourself!
What You’ll Need:
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Top tray: A 12" (30 cm) plastic drip tray
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Bottom tray: A 17" (43 cm) plastic drip tray
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Bird feeder pole system with a wire mesh tray attachment
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Basic tools: Heated wire or drill to make drainage holes
The Upper Tray: A Smart Rain Shield
The top tray has been cut in the centre and pushed down over the top of the seed feeder, where it acts as a rain shield. This simple addition prevents water from entering the feeder, helping to keep the bird seed dry and fresh for longer—essential for bird health and for preventing mould. As a bonus, it also protects the feeder itself from rusting over time. A quick, low-cost modification with long-term benefits!
The Lower Tray: A Mess Manager & Pigeon Perch
The bottom tray serves a different purpose. At 17" (43 cm) in diameter, it's been installed well below the feeder—at least 15" (38 cm) beneath it, which is important. Why? If it’s placed any closer, larger birds like pigeons may be able to reach up and feed directly from the feeder.
This tray is mounted through a central hole (easily made with a heated wire or drill), and it rests securely on the wire mesh tray that comes as standard with many commercial feeder setups. This not only supports the tray but also adds extra stability. A few small holes (around 2 mm) were added to allow rainwater to drain, preventing pooling and soggy seed mess.
Our customer reports that the tray is sturdy enough to support two pigeons at once, who visit daily to clear up any spilled seed. It’s a neat way to reduce waste while keeping the feeding area tidy.
Why It Works
This setup does more than just look clever:
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Keeps seed dry – Less waste and less mould
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Reduces mess – Catching seed husks and dropped food
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Discourages pests – Helps limit access for larger birds if spaced properly
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Cost-effective – Makes use of inexpensive plant pot trays
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Environmentally friendly – Reusing materials is always a win
Try It Yourself!
This kind of feeder enhancement is a great example of how a little creativity can go a long way in improving your garden’s bird feeding station. Whether you're looking to reduce seed waste, protect your feeder from the elements, or just make your setup a bit more pigeon-proof, this simple DIY trick is worth trying.
If you've made your own custom tweaks to your bird feeding setup, we’d love to hear about it! Send us your photos and ideas, and you might be featured in a future blog post.
Happy birdwatching!