How to hang a birdhouse on a fence

Be cautious when hanging a birdhouse on a fence post as it can be within reach of cats or predators, but in doing so make sure its facing north, to avoid prevailing winds.

How to hang a birdhouse on a fence is off the fence post only. Secure hooks on the left/right side of the birdhouse, then loop the wire or rope over the extra length on top of the fence post. Options can also include a wall bracket or make it in wood. Create more hanging points to be sure the birdhouse can't sway.

I will say unless the birdhouse is hanging up in and among a tree on its branch, it can be difficult to attract birds in your yard to nest in a new birdhouse hanging off a fence.

It can happen mind you but you'd need to be as careful as you can be; hanging birdhouses can swing or spin, thus extra caution is needed to prevent this ever happening.

While you can put a birdhouse on a fence, birds will simply abandon a birdhouse that feels unsafe - so you will never get the chance to see birds nest.

To avoid this the birdhouse must remain stabilized at all times, so this is my favorite method for hanging a birdhouse: be sure to push the birdhouse up against the fence, with the birdhouse backing flush on the post.

If a birdhouse is hanging in a tree, the said birdhouse would normally be sat near the tree trunk, as a sort of place to lean, rather than hang fully.

If you do decide to hang a birdhouse fully off a fence post, then use an heavy-duty wall bracket, mounted to a fence post only. Doing so would require more than one length of rope or wire for hanging, to prevent movement.

Similarly, a DIY wooden bracket can be fashioned with a length of cedar wood, whilst allowing it to blend in on the fence - extra length can be used to be sure the birdhouse is at least 6-8 feet off the ground.

Be mindful of most bird house birds often responding better to a birdhouse that is stabilized to a fence using screws - as oppose to allowing a birdhouse to freely hang. Where this technique applies most is hanging a birdhouse from a tree limb, which will naturally push the wooden box against the tree trunk, to prevent it freely hanging.

Hang birdhouse flush against fence

How you would safely hang a birdhouse on a fence is by making sure the house is as stabile as can be.

Birds won't nest in a birdhouse that is seen to move about in the littlest of wind, thus are unlikely to move in if the house is seen to move.

What you must prioritize when hanging a birdhouse off a fence post, is to absolutely be sure it can't spin, sway or move like a bird feeder normally would with issues.

How to hang a birdhouse on a fence in the best possible way is to make sure the birdhouse is flushed against the fence. Flushed meaning the birdhouse would be pushed up against the post, as a way to support the house.

While making sure to create two tie points on the birdhouse with use of screws, or screws with hooks on the end - you must locate these screw points opposite sides of each other - on the left and right side panel.

How this will help the birdhouse be more flushed against the fence post rather than see it completely hang, is the hanging points further back can keep the house upright.

No pressure would be forced on the birdhouse if you locate the hang points on the upper rear end, on opposite sides - and so would remain safe to house wild birds.

What you can hang the birdhouse on can be over the top of the fence post, or drill in two screw center-points - 3 inches apart - on top of the fence post to allow the spacing to stabilize the hanging birdhouse.

Fix metal bracket

Birdhouses can be hung if that is something you want to do, but remember if a birdhouse isn't hung anywhere other than a tree branch, it would be rare to see birds nest.

That shouldn't stop you trying, so an heavy-duty wrought-type metal wall bracket is all you really need.

Wall brackets can hold heavy plant pots full of soil so of course they can take the weight of what would be a heavy birdhouse.

You'd need to mount this metal bracket on the fence post only, as a fence panel would simply give-way - as its not made to hold top-heavy balanced objects.

Fix the metal wall bracket to the top of the post whilst being sure the tip of the birdhouse is at least 6-8 feet off the ground - just because its a fence location that is not an excuse to place the birdhouse lower to the ground.

To hang the birdhouse off a metal bracket you will need to drill in a normal screw on opposites sides of the birdhouse; in a way that you can be sure the birdhouse is perfectly balanced as it hangs.

Rather than commit to screwing the points to hold the wire knot, use strong duck tape to allow you time to find the right balance.

Then drill in the screws, preferably with hooks in the end, on both sides of the birdhouse, with a big loop remaining that can be hooked over the wall bracket hook.

Where these screw wire tie points must be placed is on the upper, opposite sides of the birdhouse - or you'd find the wire digging into the birdhouse.

Commonly built into any birdhouse is going to be a roof overhang obstructing your wire to hang, but it shouldn't be a problem providing there's length to get around this obstacle.

Fashion DIY bracket

Are you any good at woodworking? Well you don't have to be because all you need is to assemble your own quick and easy wooden bracket, to hang the birdhouse off.

What you need is a length of wooden 2 by 2 inch square cedar post, cut into only three sections.

Rear section must be cut into 2 feet minimum, which is then screwed onto the fence post to create the the backing, whilst holding the support joint... while its only screwed on once the whole bracket is made.

With that you'll need to cut a one foot long post to drill onto the top of this backing post, to create an upside down 'L' shape.

Don't mount the backing post to the fence post until you have assembled the whole thing.

Now you'd need to cut off a post that is a 6 inches long, cut at a 45 degree angle on both ends - to be screwed on the L shape - to create support to the post that hangs over, and is therefore used to hold the weight of the birdhouse.

You can now screw the DIY wooden bracket to a fence post only via the back panel, using up to 3-4 screw points to be sure its nice and secure.

What you need to screw on at the end of the post that hangs over a foot or so, is to screw on a single metal screw hook - by screwing it deep to create a solid hanging point.

Be sure to paint this DIY wooden hanging bracket that matches the birdhouse, or indeed stain it to match the fence.

Mount on fence POST only

Where you decide to hang a birdhouse on your fence must only come at the few fence posts along the fence row.

Up to 5-6 fence posts could be present on your side of the yard, thus only these 5-6 points can be used to hang the birdhouse - via the wall bracket, DIY bracket or if you decide to hang the birdhouse over the top of the post, flushed against it.

Why you must hang the birdhouse on the post is because its the strongest point on the fence.

Fence panels can be tough for sure, but where they remain solid, they don't often have the depth to screw on a bracket.

Fence posts, or a stone fence post if you like, must be used as it offers the much needed depth - whilst most of you it still remains the strongest point on a fence.

It can be an issue if its a too short fence post, as it needs to be at least 6 feet tall in order to hang a birdhouse in a safe high point in the yard.

If that is the case, not a problem as I've previously mentioned a solution to this.

Where I detailed making your own DIY birdhouse wooden bracket to mount to the fence post - be sure the backing support post can extend the fence post. You can then use this extension as a way to hang the birdhouse higher up.

Drill two hang points

When hanging a birdhouse it can be very difficult to keep the house steady, thus to keep it completely still is a must if you want birds to move in.

Birdhouses must never move or else birds simply won't nest in it.

What you need to prioritize is to create points on the birdhouse where you plan to attach a wire or rope to - which must be strategically placed to prevent movement.

On the left/right side of the birdhouse is where the screws must be screwed in partially to the side panels - right in the center if the weight is balanced at this point.

To far back or forwards can see the birdhouse tilt, in which a level birdhouse is what you are looking for.

Don't commit to screwing just yet until you've demonstrated these hang points on both sides of the birdhouse remains perfectly level when its hanging.

What else you can do, and something I recommend the most - is to actually create four-screw points.

Again, on both sides of the birdhouse, this time you'd want to drill in screws on the upper top, in each corner. What you will then do is use two-independent hanging wires or ropes to loop around these screws - to then hang over the hook on the bracket or screw above.

Only use this method if hanging center point off a wall or DIY bracket, as this method won't work if pushing the birdhouse against the fence post.

It all now falls into place, as using one or two hanging loops, they will all simply hook over the bracket or screw with a hook attachment.

Use metal wire to hang

How you decide to hang a birdhouse on a fence relies entirely on your needs, but what you must prioritize is reliable, tough material for hanging.

Rope that can withstand exterior use for a long periods of time is suitable, but I can only recommend you use a length of galvanized steel wire.

You will need wire cutters or pliers to cut the wire where its needed, but as you can tie a knot in this thin but tough wire, it can be used to hang birdhouses safely. Extra length can be used to wind the wire around screws on the birdhouse, for more security.

Get a length of steel wire than and use this for all points of hanging.

You'd need to treat it like rope, so if a knot must be tied you'd need to do this with the wire. It can be done but you may need gloves, plus pliers to hold it as you tighten the knot as tightly as you can.

Steel wire is unlikely to snap during its use while being exterior graded, so the use on a birdhouse makes light work of it.

Little rust can be visible in due course, but its nothing to worry about. Remove rust if you get a chance with WD-40, with a wire brush.

Nothing can cut through steel wire, but the wire can come undone unless you've done a marvelous job of securing each end to the birdhouse as best as you know how.

Summary

How you would hang a birdhouse on the fence, is via the fence post only as this is the toughest, most stable point on a fence in the yard.

Best options to hang a birdhouse on this post is making sure the birdhouse hangs over the top of a post, if there's extra length you can use. If not you can drill in a screw on the top of the post, to hook over the rope or wire for hanging.

What this would do is force the birdhouse flush against the fence post, which is what you really need.

Screw in hooks on opposite sides of the birdhouse - on the left/right side panel - whilst making sure these points are further to the rear of the birdhouse.

Why make things complicated when you can simply buy a wall bracket for plant pots, to be used to hang a birdhouse. To go down this route would require more hanging points to prevent the birdhouse spinning or swaying in wind.

And if you want a bracket that blends in more with the post, then simply make a wooden bracket - extended if you must to give you that much needed 6-8 feet height - that is needed to hang most birdhouses.

Drill in screws to the birdhouse on the left/right side on the center top side to balance the whole thing while it hangs.

To be extra safe, you should drill in screws on the left/right side panels on the upper back and front - to create two hanging points to guarantee security, with no movement as it hangs.

Material used to hang a birdhouse should really be steel wire, although a tough length of rope can be used.

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