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What's wrong with the fat balls? (1 Viewer)

deborah4

deborah4

Well-known member
Why won't they eat the Fat Balls?

Along with the usual seed feeders, I have two fat balls (well half coconut shells full of fat and seeds) hanging from line. The feeders are really popular so site isn't the problem. Last year, the starlings and blue tits loved exactly the same fat balls. This year they haven't even been touched. I thought they might be a bit hard so I gouged them a bit but it's made no difference.

What's wrong - why aren't they being eaten?
 
I had a similar problem with a fat filled half coconut I bought at Wilkinsons - not to knock them as we often buy the proper fat balls from them at a great saving over other sources and the birds love them.

The half coconut was never touched so it was thrown out in the end. I wondered if it was something in the mixture that put the birds off?
 
Hi Deborah,

I'm not sure from your post whether the birds are simply not going anywhere near the fat balls, or whether they are visiting them but refusing to eat.

If it's the latter, could it be that the fat balls are old stock not kept in the best of conditions and that the fat content has become rancid?

Anthony
 
Strange but we are experiencing exactly the same thing. I have a couple of cylindrical fat ball holders. I usually put 4 in each of them over two of the feeding stations I maintain.

Last year I couldn't keep up with the birds as they were munching through them at a fantastic rate. This year nothing. On top of that I also have a couple of those square suet blocks (one with a seed mix and one with an insect mix). Last year they were heartedly tucked into by the birds. This year nothing.
 
I found this too.

I read, somewhere, on one of the forums about giving the birds a little grated mild cheese so I put this out instead, with the Atora granules and they seem to have renewed interest.

I figured that on bitter mornings they want fast food rather than to hang around pecking away on fat balls so leaving loose stuff ( insects, fruit, Atora granules, chopped peanuts - all the stuff you would put in fat balls plus a little grated cheese) in the mix of seed would save them precious minutes in the cold.

Having said all that I am genuinely concerned at the drop in numbers and types of birds feeding in my garden at the moment. In the summer it was dozens of sparrows, starlings, magpies and other more commonly seen birds now it is a couple of jays and a handful of starlings. No sparrows at all and the robin seems to have gone plus the lone bluetit and goldfinch.
 
Hi all

It sounds like it could be a mixture of factors: As Ian says, it could be something in the fat itself, although this does not seem to explain why last year they were so popular unless they now contain a new additive. My first thoughts were as Anthony suggested and they are simply 'old' before they reach the customer - (I bought 6 of them at £6.99!) - I did think this recently as I had to cut down a very large net fat ball and leave it for the squirrels and foxes as that too remained completely untouched - so basically the birds have eaten no fat at all this year. Tiomet's suggestion sounds quite logical, I do recall the most popular time for the fat balls last year was early spring when the starlings were out in flocks so it may simply be the need for 'fast food'. What surprises me most though in this, is the starlings lack of interest - considering they were like gannets last year. In answer to your query, Anthony, I have seen several birds land on the fat balls then leave without eating, including a few starlings, a robin and a couple of blue tits, but not recently.

Tiomet, I do share your concern re: decline in garden visits - I've not see robins, wrens, sparrows, great tits or coal tits for a couple of weeks (since a very cold spell here). The Greenfinches are back and so is a solitary blue tit, a couple of ringed collar doves and ferral pigeons but that's about it.

I'll think I'll try scoping out the fat of a new batch of coconut 'balls' and adding some wild seed & sunflower with it as well as some porridge oats to make a crumble mixture. (I have an empty hanging bird bath to put the mixture in which I'll hang from the line instead!)
 
The fat balls the we put out are very popular with the Tits, we gave up on the blocks as they starlings gobbled them at a furious rate, which was pretty expensive and they left nothing for any other birds. However, some were more popular than others the peanut ones went in no time, the fruit ones survived a little longer. What we now do is make up our own mix of seeds and lard which the Starlings gobble, and they leave the fat balls for the others.
 
We use the church candle type of fat cakes and they go down a treat. During the last few weeks we've had our annual invasion of long-tailed tits who completely surround it feeding away. We also have large numbers of chaffinches (70ish) as well as blackbirds, robins, jays, blue great and coal tits, collared doves, pigeons and even an odd heron but no starlings or sparrows (we never get either of them).

Cheers, B :)
 
Cathy H said:
We use the church candle type of fat cakes and they go down a treat. During the last few weeks we've had our annual invasion of long-tailed tits who completely surround it feeding away. We also have large numbers of chaffinches (70ish) as well as blackbirds, robins, jays, blue great and coal tits, collared doves, pigeons and even an odd heron but no starlings or sparrows (we never get either of them).

Cheers, B :)
Click to expand...

That does it! I'm changing me fat balls! B :)
 
Our fat balls are gone, we go through 8 a week and the bird cant sem to get enough of them. We buy them in bulk now.

Incidentally has any one tried the dried mealworms? if so how do the birds rate them and how do you present them to the birds. I'm not sure what to put them in as if its raining they are likely to go soggy.

Suggestions would be greatly received.

Regards

Trevor

______________________

Growing up is mandatory, growing up is optional!
 
I think the squirrels eat the ones I put out... but the blocks of fat, those with berry / apple or seed mixed in, last a mere day or so, attracting starlings and all manner of tits. They're far more popular... but more expensive too.
 
I buy loads of the dried meal worms - the robins love them. One of the first things to disappear from the bird tables.

I just put them out as they are. The packet suggests that you can soak them in water to make them softer, but they get eaten just as quickly if you don't.
 
Trevor Lee said:
Incidentally has any one tried the dried mealworms? if so how do the birds rate them and how do you present them to the birds. I'm not sure what to put them in as if its raining they are likely to go soggy.
Click to expand...
I've been trying dried mealworms for some weeks now. At first I put them in a Robin nest box but none of the birds found them. Then I scattered them under the bushes where the Dunnock and Robin tend to forage, no takers. I've scattered them around about where the Tits group, no takers either. However, in the morning most of them are gone so something is eating them, but I don't think its the birds. At least during hours of daylight I've not seen any of the birds take any.
 
Duck_Pond said:
I buy loads of the dried meal worms - the robins love them. One of the first things to disappear from the bird tables.

I just put them out as they are. The packet suggests that you can soak them in water to make them softer, but they get eaten just as quickly if you don't.
Click to expand...

Thanks I will try them in the bird table first and see if there are any takers.
I had thought of using them in the summer to put near the Blue Tit nestso the adults dont find it to difficult to find food. Has any body had experience of this?

Trevor
 
Ref the Wilkinson half-coconuts. I bought a couple. One I hung in my garden remained untouched until my home-made suet cakes had gone, then the starlings soon made short order of it. Another I hung in my mother's garden remains only half eaten some weeks later, despite a huge flock of starlings being regular visitors.

For home made suet cakes I melt cheap lard, mix in quantities if raisins, nuts and seeds, stiffen the mix with oats and flour, pour into plastic moulds and harden in the freezer. They go on the table and in cages. I only ever see starlings on them and they are soon devoured. The moulds are margarine and soft cheese cartons, and the plastic and foil cases individual cakes come in.
 
On the subject of dried mealworms, I've been using them recently, and was surprised to find how dry they were. I don't know what's eating them but something is. I put them on the bird table where we have jays, blackbirds, robins, chaffinches and various tits feeding. I've checked below the table each morning and ther are none left. The ones I've put in a dish have been rained on and become softer (I wouldn't call it soggy) but yet again, something is eating them, and in this case, I think it's the blackbirds.

Hope that helps, B :)
 
I think it's the blackbirds

Aye, I was watching this yesterday wondering the same. I had been sprinking them around the shrubbery hoping the wren would feed (and it may still be but so hard to spot!). I noticed a female blackbird poking about eating there though, and a male a bit later, so was glad. Longing for the spring songs.
 
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