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Making own Bird Food (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter lozza_9
- Start date
Katy Penland
Well-known member
Hi, Lozza,
Don't know how much relevance my high-alpine suet cakes will have to your birds there, but we get snow and cold weather for several months, so perhaps it'll work. This "recipe" makes enough mix to fill two 9" x 9" x 2" cake pans, which is the right size to fit into the commercial suet feeders sold here.
8-10 pounds of beef fat trimmings from a local butcher; "render" (melt) it over several hours; strain to remove all but the tiniest bits. (My butcher gives the fat away since it's not for human consumption.)
5 pounds of any mostly shelled seed mix that has a majority of sunflower hearts; I use something called "Nut n' Berry" by 3-D Pet Products (at WalMart) that contains sunflower kernels, shelled peanuts, small whole sunflower seeds, whole safflower seed, tree nuts (either pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pecans or filberts), hulled pumpkin seeds, dried raisins and dried cranberries.
1 pound of any "gourmet mix" of smaller seeds (niger, millet, etc.)
Handful of corn meal
Sometimes add peanut butter if I end up with less fat than needed.
While fat is hot, pour over seeds in a large mixing bowl and mix quickly together or fat will start setting up. During the winter, when the seed bags have been stored on the back porch and are cold, I toss them into the microwave first to warm them up before mixing with the fat.
Line cake pans with plastic wrap. Our plastic wrap (Glad brand) is wide enough that it comes up both sides, but you also want it long enough to completely cover and overlap the top when pan is filled (about 3' long per pan). Press the mixture very firmly into the pan, getting into all corners, and when pan is full, fold the ends of plastic over top and use your flat hands and body weight to further compress the "cakes."
Put in freezer until needed. The plastic wrap not only keeps this greasy goo from touching anything else, but it just falls out of the pan when you pull it out to refill your feeder. Unpeel it as you slide it into the feeder making sure not to leave even the slightest bit of plastic behind (sometimes on the corners I've had to chip away a couple of seeds because the plastic would get bunched up a bit). Caution: Don't "thaw" the cake before peeling and inserting it into feeder; it'll crumble into the messiest, greasiest disaster you'll ever deal with!
I imagine if you wanted to make "balls" instead of using a mold like I do, all you'd have to do is invest in a box of latex gloves, invite the neighborhood kids over, and have a "ball" making winter bird food!
Our woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees (tits) and even the jays who try to pretend to be woodpeckers by clinging to the side of the tree absolutely love these cakes. I usually have to put a new one out every few days; or every day if we get inundated with pinyon jays who descend on the yard in flocks of 40-100 at a time.
And to discourage the squirrels from parking their furry little selves on top for hours at a time, I replaced the wood sliding lid with a metal license plate and angled it just enough so the heavier squirrels can't get enough purchase to sit or cling, but the birds can. I don't mind if the squirrels come up the tree and hang for a few minutes at a time from below and munch because the birds can get to the suet from above and behind. But the birds won't come near the feeder with a squirrel parked on top.
Good luck! I'll watch this thread to see what other people use for suet cakes/balls as well since I'm sure the birds like a bit of variety just like we do!
Don't know how much relevance my high-alpine suet cakes will have to your birds there, but we get snow and cold weather for several months, so perhaps it'll work. This "recipe" makes enough mix to fill two 9" x 9" x 2" cake pans, which is the right size to fit into the commercial suet feeders sold here.
8-10 pounds of beef fat trimmings from a local butcher; "render" (melt) it over several hours; strain to remove all but the tiniest bits. (My butcher gives the fat away since it's not for human consumption.)
5 pounds of any mostly shelled seed mix that has a majority of sunflower hearts; I use something called "Nut n' Berry" by 3-D Pet Products (at WalMart) that contains sunflower kernels, shelled peanuts, small whole sunflower seeds, whole safflower seed, tree nuts (either pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pecans or filberts), hulled pumpkin seeds, dried raisins and dried cranberries.
1 pound of any "gourmet mix" of smaller seeds (niger, millet, etc.)
Handful of corn meal
Sometimes add peanut butter if I end up with less fat than needed.
While fat is hot, pour over seeds in a large mixing bowl and mix quickly together or fat will start setting up. During the winter, when the seed bags have been stored on the back porch and are cold, I toss them into the microwave first to warm them up before mixing with the fat.
Line cake pans with plastic wrap. Our plastic wrap (Glad brand) is wide enough that it comes up both sides, but you also want it long enough to completely cover and overlap the top when pan is filled (about 3' long per pan). Press the mixture very firmly into the pan, getting into all corners, and when pan is full, fold the ends of plastic over top and use your flat hands and body weight to further compress the "cakes."
Put in freezer until needed. The plastic wrap not only keeps this greasy goo from touching anything else, but it just falls out of the pan when you pull it out to refill your feeder. Unpeel it as you slide it into the feeder making sure not to leave even the slightest bit of plastic behind (sometimes on the corners I've had to chip away a couple of seeds because the plastic would get bunched up a bit). Caution: Don't "thaw" the cake before peeling and inserting it into feeder; it'll crumble into the messiest, greasiest disaster you'll ever deal with!
I imagine if you wanted to make "balls" instead of using a mold like I do, all you'd have to do is invest in a box of latex gloves, invite the neighborhood kids over, and have a "ball" making winter bird food!
Our woodpeckers, titmice, chickadees (tits) and even the jays who try to pretend to be woodpeckers by clinging to the side of the tree absolutely love these cakes. I usually have to put a new one out every few days; or every day if we get inundated with pinyon jays who descend on the yard in flocks of 40-100 at a time.
And to discourage the squirrels from parking their furry little selves on top for hours at a time, I replaced the wood sliding lid with a metal license plate and angled it just enough so the heavier squirrels can't get enough purchase to sit or cling, but the birds can. I don't mind if the squirrels come up the tree and hang for a few minutes at a time from below and munch because the birds can get to the suet from above and behind. But the birds won't come near the feeder with a squirrel parked on top.
Good luck! I'll watch this thread to see what other people use for suet cakes/balls as well since I'm sure the birds like a bit of variety just like we do!
Grind up a load of peanuts finely in a food mixer.
Melt beef dripping in a saucepan.
Add the peanuts.
If I haven't got enough peanuts I'll add some crumbled bread (but not too much).
Simmer gently for a minute or two.
Pour into cake tin (with plastic or greaseproof wrap as Katy says) or other container and allow to set hard.
Optional extras to add immediately before pouring: raisins, sunflower hearts, millet, other birdseed.
Can't give quantities, I'm afraid since I do it by trial and error. Probably best not to use a whole block of dripping. I do and usually end up with a cake the size of a small manhole cover!
Melt beef dripping in a saucepan.
Add the peanuts.
If I haven't got enough peanuts I'll add some crumbled bread (but not too much).
Simmer gently for a minute or two.
Pour into cake tin (with plastic or greaseproof wrap as Katy says) or other container and allow to set hard.
Optional extras to add immediately before pouring: raisins, sunflower hearts, millet, other birdseed.
Can't give quantities, I'm afraid since I do it by trial and error. Probably best not to use a whole block of dripping. I do and usually end up with a cake the size of a small manhole cover!
Katy Penland
Well-known member
But Jason, think of how less often you'd have to replace your cake. LOL!Bluetail said:
I forgot to add, too, that I've always been advised not to use anything but beef fat; no bacon or other types of meat. The bacon is easy to understand with all the additives and salt, but I'm not quite sure why other fats wouldn't be okay. Anybody know?
EDIT: Yikes, I just crossed the 1,000th post mark. Never had a thousand posts in my life before BirdForum! What this place does to one...
Last edited:
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
Some suet or beef dripping from the local butcher,some ground peanuts ,and some dried fruit,again whizzed in the coffee bean grinder,a handful of the ground food,as it contains nuts and fruit etc,and it also includes some cereal to thicken the mixture.Melt the fat,add the dry ingredients,and when it has cooled a little,for fat balls you could pour into the large yoghurt pots,or the small cottage cheese size ones,leave in the fridge to set,then put them into the wire fat ball holders which one can buy these days.I recently saved all the half coconut holders which one can purchase ready filled for the birds,they are expensive to buy ready filled.But I stored the empty shells in the freezer,then when mixture had cooled filled approx 8 for the price of one commercially bought product.I store them in the freezer.Thanks Mickey Mouse and others for your advice several weeks ago.Cooling the shells,and leaving the mixture to cool for a while before pouring,worked.No leakage.Only problem was the shells tending to overbalance when filled.so I bought some of the foil pie dishes one uses for freezing pies.The shells sit in these perfectly,no spillage.
The length one goes to for these birds!!.
The length one goes to for these birds!!.
Not a lot! My hanging feeders (filled with sunflower hearts) attract a fair number of Goldfinches and Greenfinches, with a few Chaffinches, tits (Great, Blue and Coal), Blue and the occasional House Sparrow. Woodpigeons pick up the fallen bits and the lawn is also used by Blackbirds and Dunnocks.
The birdcake I only put out in winter, on the bird table. Where we live now it only gets taken by the regular Robin and, in most winters, a Blackcap. If I put a piece on the lawn the Blackbirds will go for it as well. In our previous place, where we got more birds, the Starlings and Sparrows went mad over it and the Chaffinches too (when they could get a look in).
Had a male Sparrowhawk in our apple tree for five minutes or so a couple of weeks ago.
The birdcake I only put out in winter, on the bird table. Where we live now it only gets taken by the regular Robin and, in most winters, a Blackcap. If I put a piece on the lawn the Blackbirds will go for it as well. In our previous place, where we got more birds, the Starlings and Sparrows went mad over it and the Chaffinches too (when they could get a look in).
Had a male Sparrowhawk in our apple tree for five minutes or so a couple of weeks ago.
lozza_9
Active member
Hi JasonBluetail said:Not a lot! My hanging feeders (filled with sunflower hearts) attract a fair number of Goldfinches and Greenfinches, with a few Chaffinches, tits (Great, Blue and Coal), Blue and the occasional House Sparrow. Woodpigeons pick up the fallen bits and the lawn is also used by Blackbirds and Dunnocks.
The birdcake I only put out in winter, on the bird table. Where we live now it only gets taken by the regular Robin and, in most winters, a Blackcap. If I put a piece on the lawn the Blackbirds will go for it as well. In our previous place, where we got more birds, the Starlings and Sparrows went mad over it and the Chaffinches too (when they could get a look in).
Had a male Sparrowhawk in our apple tree for five minutes or so a couple of weeks ago.
Just to let you know the bird cake mix worked - only problem I had was I didn't use grease proof paper so had a problem getting it out of the Yog pot - Partner came to the rescue.
The Cake is now hanging from my bird table ( put some string in before it set) Not sure any of the birds had tried it :C give them time.
I only get a few birds too - Blackbirds, robins, spotted two starlings today and also get loads of blue tits or Great tits ( not really sure).
Thanks again
Lozza
christineredgate
Winner of the Copeland Wildlife Photographer of th
Lozza,you do not need greaseproof paper in the yog pots.Just give them a gentle squeeze and the fat ball drops out.Thereby you can keep re-using the pots.
Glad you identified them, Lozza. I'd be surprised if you don't see a Blue Tit too before long.
I'm sure you're right about the Starling. Bill colour and the amount of spotting (especially on the head) are the best indicators.
Spring adults have yellow bills; winter-plumaged birds have dark brown ones. Spring males have a bluish-grey base to the bill; spring females a pinkish one (blue for a boy, pink for a girl!) Males are less spotted than females.
Adult spring male:
http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/21561/sort/1/cat/all/page/5
Adult spring female:
http://www.avesphoto.com/website/EU/species/STAEUR-1.htm
Winter-plumaged birds are much more heavily spotted:
Fresh autumn bird (early August):
http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/31277/sort/1/cat/all/page/2
I'm sure you're right about the Starling. Bill colour and the amount of spotting (especially on the head) are the best indicators.
Spring adults have yellow bills; winter-plumaged birds have dark brown ones. Spring males have a bluish-grey base to the bill; spring females a pinkish one (blue for a boy, pink for a girl!) Males are less spotted than females.
Adult spring male:
http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/21561/sort/1/cat/all/page/5
Adult spring female:
http://www.avesphoto.com/website/EU/species/STAEUR-1.htm
Winter-plumaged birds are much more heavily spotted:
Fresh autumn bird (early August):
http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/showphoto.php/photo/31277/sort/1/cat/all/page/2
John P
Usually on a different wavelength
I make fat balls in a very similar manner to most described here, with beef dripping and whatever else comes to hand, usually at least 50% peanuts whizzed up in an old food processor, but also any other bird seed, dried fruit and also Vitalin dogfood.
I did try making different types in the spring of this year and made some with just dried fruit and beef dripping, the blackbirds and thrushes demolished those in record time.It's the first time either of those species have used a feeder in my garden.
I make mine in 2lb plastic pudding basins, a short coil of wire is placed inside for hanging, and to get them out again either a short soak in hot water or a quick blast round the outside wth a blowlamp.
For the blackbirds and thrushes I use foil containers (Chinese takeaway type) and then placed in a home made flat mesh container, fixed to a fence rather than hanging from a tree.
I did try making different types in the spring of this year and made some with just dried fruit and beef dripping, the blackbirds and thrushes demolished those in record time.It's the first time either of those species have used a feeder in my garden.
I make mine in 2lb plastic pudding basins, a short coil of wire is placed inside for hanging, and to get them out again either a short soak in hot water or a quick blast round the outside wth a blowlamp.
For the blackbirds and thrushes I use foil containers (Chinese takeaway type) and then placed in a home made flat mesh container, fixed to a fence rather than hanging from a tree.
david2004
Well-known member
I make my fat balls/cakes:
Using a container e.g glace cherry plastic container. Melt "Atora Shredded Suet" in saucepan. Add to container. Mix in birdseed (contains shelled peanuts) and maybe raisins too. Leave to set, then put in freezer until needed.
I used to try with lard, but it never set properly! My first suet attempts were great, though i forgot to put the string in! oh well, starlings and blueys loved 'em anyway. cheap too!
Using a container e.g glace cherry plastic container. Melt "Atora Shredded Suet" in saucepan. Add to container. Mix in birdseed (contains shelled peanuts) and maybe raisins too. Leave to set, then put in freezer until needed.
I used to try with lard, but it never set properly! My first suet attempts were great, though i forgot to put the string in! oh well, starlings and blueys loved 'em anyway. cheap too!
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