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fat balls or not fat balls?that is the question (1 Viewer)

dawny

dawny

Active member
Hi I've been puting out fat balls all year with little response from the birds until a couple of weeks ago when a starling found them . The number of starlings has gradually incresed to 10 - most in nests at neighbours houses. I've seen the rspb says they are a winter food only and now am not sure what to do as they do not seem keen on any of the seed i put out, so i'm reluctant to take this food source away from them . What do people think - is the fat bad for their chicks or wouldn't the parents feed it to them anyway?
Thanks
 
I am still putting out the large suet blocks. The visitors include a Great Spotted Woodpecker who comes to feed on it several times a day - he was there at 5:45am this morning when I got up! Starlings, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Robin, Tree and House Sparrows also feed on it every day. I have hung the feeder in a tree to try and keep the direct sun off it - I think that may be why the RSPB say not to feed fat/suet after winter - I seem to remember reading somewhere that the suet can get 'sticky' and a bit 'gluey' around a birds' beak, but I am not 100% sure - this needs a bit more investigation! Like you, I am reluctant to take this away at the moment.
 
I put home made fat balls (Lard, seed, apple bits) out all year round. I have Starling fledglings and juveniles in my garden every year, not seen one choke yet. I trust the parents to know best; I also trust the parents when it comes to peanuts at this time of year.

In the warmer weather the fat might go off, but just change it if it starts to smell before it's eaten.
 
At the moment, the suet block doesn't have the chance to 'go off' - they are eaten far too quickly! First thing in the morning I also throw out a handfull of the small suet sticks - the blackbird and his young are waiting, and they come down and feed on those, followed by a blue tit who takes the food back to his nest in the tree in the corner of the garden. These sticks are quickly eaten off the lawn. I also throw down an apple and a pear cut in half - the blackbirds and the starlings soon polish those off too. A couple of days ago a young carrion crow picked up a whole half pear off the lawn and flew away.
 
I too feed fat balls, suet blocks, suet pellets, peanut, sun hearts all year round and have never seen or had any trouble at all !
I even brought a pizza (large cheese) for them last night and in ten mins it was all eaten up LOL
 
Steve Lyon said:
I too feed fat balls, suet blocks, suet pellets, peanut, sun hearts all year round and have never seen or had any trouble at all !
I even brought a pizza (large cheese) for them last night and in ten mins it was all eaten up LOL
Click to expand...

lol, I always cook a few extra chips, Starlings quite like chips.
 
Skippy99 said:
At the moment, the suet block doesn't have the chance to 'go off' - they are eaten far too quickly! First thing in the morning I also throw out a handfull of the small suet sticks - the blackbird and his young are waiting, and they come down and feed on those, followed by a blue tit who takes the food back to his nest in the tree in the corner of the garden. These sticks are quickly eaten off the lawn. I also throw down an apple and a pear cut in half - the blackbirds and the starlings soon polish those off too. A couple of days ago a young carrion crow picked up a whole half pear off the lawn and flew away.
Click to expand...

Well it sounds like you are having fun, just keep doing what you are doing.|=)|
 
Yeah i second that ! birds will eat anything, anytime ! and if they dont they wont eat it !
Its like the old saying "you can take a horse to water but cant make him drink"
 
Thanks everyone,
The fat balls disappear too quickly to have time to go off/melt and I too use the suet sticks which are gobbled up instantly by a visiting magpie, who seems to know exactly what time I put them out - clever bird.
So I guess I'll carry on for now and stop using them if we get some hot weather this year here's hoping!
 
dawny said:
Thanks everyone,
The fat balls disappear too quickly to have time to go off/melt and I too use the suet sticks which are gobbled up instantly by a visiting magpie, who seems to know exactly what time I put them out - clever bird.
So I guess I'll carry on for now and stop using them if we get some hot weather this year here's hoping!
Click to expand...

As Steve said, if they don't want it they won't eat it. If you have healthy birds feeding in your garden, you are doing it just right.

Don't forget to post any pictures you take.
 
I find it interesting that many of you feed Starlings. In the states we work hard to figure out how to keep them away from of our backyards! They will come in huge flocks if you put something like suet or peanuts out for feed. I'm talking 50 to 100 of them! It can get quite messy if you know what I mean. They have over populated here and aren't a native species. Are they less plentiful in Europe?
 
CindyinAtl said:
I find it interesting that many of you feed Starlings. In the states we work hard to figure out how to keep them away from of our backyards! They will come in huge flocks if you put something like suet or peanuts out for feed. I'm talking 50 to 100 of them! It can get quite messy if you know what I mean. They have over populated here and aren't a native species. Are they less plentiful in Europe?
Click to expand...

They are on the Red list hear !
Many people try to keep them away from there gardens here too, but the way i see it is, when Starlings are about it gives all the other birds confidence to come to your garden.

I also feed many different things that the starling leave alone and the other birds get a look in.

I dont mind them at all.
And they keep an eye out for the Sparrowhawk too.
 
CindyinAtl said:
I find it interesting that many of you feed Starlings. In the states we work hard to figure out how to keep them away from of our backyards! They will come in huge flocks if you put something like suet or peanuts out for feed. I'm talking 50 to 100 of them! It can get quite messy if you know what I mean. They have over populated here and aren't a native species. Are they less plentiful in Europe?
Click to expand...

Some in the UK don't like them because they don't see them as "cute" or "pretty" (and they eat a lot of food).

I think they are great birds, they always do something that makes me smile, or even laugh out loud. Starlings are also very noisy, which upsets the neighbours, which is another reason I like them.|=)|
 
LOL i like you last answer LOL
I too like to pee the neighbours off !
They are noisy there way and i am mine LOL
 
Steve Lyon said:
LOL i like you last answer LOL
I too like to pee the neighbours off !
They are noisy there way and i am mine LOL
Click to expand...

Exactly, mine annoy me, so I annoy them back (I think I'm winning as the Squirrels are burying nuts in their garden, so when I accidentally cut down the food now and again, they dig them up again lol).

My neighbours have two children and a pet Elephant, they seem to enjoy chasing the Elephant up and down stairs all day (OK, they don't really have an Elephant, but it sounds like they do).

EDIT: On a serious note, please remember everybody that feeding Squirrels can upset your neighbours. Another good one is feeding the Pigeons.|=)|
 
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