Does anyone have some ideas for a homemade hummingbird feeder?

nope sure dont. just buy 1 at wal-mart. comon stop being cheap

you will need to clean your feeder every few days, with hot water and a mild (10%) bleach solution to inhibit mold

Humming birds like red - that's why many people add the coloring. It's NOT needed if you use a red container!

They actually like all bright colors but they enjoy RED the best, as that's proven to be the tastiest overall *shrug* Or so I've re(a)d.

I'd be leary of using just a bowl of sugar water though...at least in Michigan as it'll also attract bees and while bees are good too many in a single location is likely not.

I found this on a site:

"Please, do not put honey, Jell-O, brown sugar, fruit, or red food coloring in your feeder! Honey ferments rapidly when diluted with water and can kill hummingbirds. The effects of red dye have not been not scientifically tested, and it is not necessary to color the water to attract birds to your feeder. Further, there are unverified reports that red dye can cause tumors in hummingbirds; this may or may not be true, but why take the chance?"

*shrug*

a few links to "make" a feeder yourself..

http://rubyglen.com/crafts/hummingbird.htm

http://www.birds-n-garden.com/hummingbirds_crafts....

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1978_July_A...

http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/how_to/how_...

http://www.yankeegardener.com/hummingbird_feeders....

Though, as an alternitive to the bowl feeder mentioned below they sell water feeders for small animals that have a "trough" at the bottom and house the liquid in a larger upside down bottle. Figure out a way to hang it and it'll serve the same purpose but last longer.

best of luck!

Q

www.kidsgardening.com this web site had some great ideas and they look pretty too. Of course the best thing to do is plant flowers that attract them, that way you dont have to worry about a feeder that is not clean enough and is making your new friends sick instead of feeding them.

Good luck !!