cake mix (2 Viewers)

[Richard Bryce]

Animal fat is preferable as Liebchen explains above. Natural beef suet can often be obtained from a butcher or slaughter houses very cheaply. This can be stuffed into a dedicated suet feeder or use the nets oranges or onions come in. Otherwise I use the cheapest own brand lard I can find. I add sunflower hearts, nyjer seed, white millet, broken peanuts, sultanas, raisins, oyster grit, and dried mealworms.

For containers I also use plastic 1 pint milk bottles, the ones with a handle. Sainsbury's have an easily removed wrap round label. Cut an opening in the front and pour in the mix to the just below the brim. Refridgerate it to set. A large opening allows entry to starlings, small holes restrict entry to tits. When hung from a twig or suspended by string the bottle tips forward to create a natural rain barrier. Obvously leave the top on. I'm not sure which between blue, red and green top is preferred by birds, as I only use red-topped skimmed milk, but if hanging feeders are any guide it will be the blue top.

 

[bluetit]

Hi Richard, how very clever of you, never thought of using plastic milkbottles, although perhaps that lies in the size I use - 4 pts! - but I'll try it as it sounds a great way to keep control of who feeds on what via the hole size. Thanks for the tip!
Hey guys, here comes a completely new feeding experience!!!!!
Bluetit

 

[Richard Bryce]

I use - 4 pts! -

I only use the small ones because they are less obtrusive.

rich

 

[bluetit]

Hi Richard, I hope you didn't think I was using 4 pt ers as FEEDERS?!?!?!?!
That's the amount of milk going in this household, hence when I dig for things I can use for other purposes, 4 pt ers don't exactly spring to mind as fat feeders. Was in stitches when I realised what my misphrasing had conjured up in your mind, the thought of these big things dangling around out there.... Very politely put btw. - I only use the small ones cos they are less obtrusive - when you really wanted to say ..........Bluetit!
Bluetit

 

[Richard Bryce]

Hi Bluetit,

Actually I have used the two pint ones as fat feeders in the past because of the extra capacity. I've had a 4 pinter filled with water, with a pin ***** hole in the bottom, dripping over a bird bath on the ground, as the sound is supposed to attract birds. It was a tad unsightly though so it got tossed it in the recycling bag.

rich

 

[Talon 1]

I go down my local Boot fair and order Fat balls in bulk. The guy lets me have 100 smalls for £10 (thats 10p a ball) and lets me have 60 large for £10!

Saves all the mess and they do seem to love em. The only homemade i make is a huge pine cone dipped in a fat recipee described on here by Cornish exile i think.
They love that hanging from a branch. Always amuses me watching starlings trying to hang on there

 

[tiomet]

I use fairy cake pans to make mini fat cakes so I can put several out a day and avoid massive congestion on the fatball hangers. This way the smaller birds get a look in also and, once the cakes are a little broken up, the little birds tend to grab chunks and take them to a safer corners to enjoy in peace.

I do use beef suet, Atora, because it sets well and was recommended by RSBP. Sometimes I just sprinkle the grains in my morning mix for the ground trays (all seasons mix, extra sunflower hearts, brown bread, sultanas, crushed nuts and milk free muesli and if I have leftover cold potatoes or pasta those get chopped up and mixed in too). No salt or sugar leftovers or things which have E additives!

 

[lmhall2000]

Could anyone here specifically tell me how you are making these cakes and how you are presenting them to the birds? Do you hang it in a stocking or do you just set it out on a tray? Our family is new to birding and we're very interested in doing an experiment with different feeding formulas to see what birds go nuts for. We have alot of nuthatches/woodpeckers/finches/mourning doves/cardinals and blue jays. This whole concept of making your own is fascinating. We bought some suet at the store...but so far no one has taken a liking to it...wanting to ditch it and try our own concoction. Thanks!
Tara

 

[Bluetail]

As I said, to make the cake I use a saucepan. When it's ready I pour the mixture into a cake tin to set - the sort with a removable bottom (lining the tin with baking foil first to minimise leaking). The removable bottom is handy because the dripping sets so hard that it's a bit of a job getting the cake out of a tin without one. Then I just put the cake on the bird table as is.

 

[lmhall2000]

Thanks, Jason! I really appreciate the specific steps..especially the type of pan..I need to get one of those and some wax paper. You mentioned buying the "drippings", I'm wondering in the states if that's just lard? So pretty much you're just using the drippings as the agent to hold the peanuts together? Do you ever mix in other nuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, or seeds into it? Thanks a bunch for y'alls help!

Tara

 

[Silvershark]

Could anyone here specifically tell me how you are making these cakes and how you are presenting them to the birds? Do you hang it in a stocking or do you just set it out on a tray? Our family is new to birding and we're very interested in doing an experiment with different feeding formulas to see what birds go nuts for. We have alot of nuthatches/woodpeckers/finches/mourning doves/cardinals and blue jays. This whole concept of making your own is fascinating. We bought some suet at the store...but so far no one has taken a liking to it...wanting to ditch it and try our own concoction. Thanks!
Tara

I put the ingredients into a container (I use the old microwave meal tubs, my brother eats a load of those meals every week and I use the tubs, but any suitable size container will do, if it's to big just cut it into smaller portions to put out) and then just pour the melted suet onto the mixture enough to cover the other ingredients mixing it in to make sure the suet covers the mixture.

I put an entire cake out on a wall feeder, and I also chop up part of one to put in a seperate feeder for the groundfeeders and the wren.

I'm not sure if mourning dove would eat suet, none of the doves or pigeons here appreciate suet much, but with the other birds you listed I would have a go with a crushed nut mixture, maybe with some sunflower hearts.

 

[Bluetail]

Not sure whether your lard is the same as ours, Tara. Over here lard is a softish, almost snow white fat. The beef dripping I buy in shops is slightly brownish and rock hard. However, the dripping my wife preserves from our roast joints... well, let's not go there!

 

[snapper]

I use beef suet for making fatcakes, that sets nicely!

Ingredients I use:

Apple
Pears
Raisins
Sultanas
Currents
Bogena (insect/fruit mix for groundfeeders)
Sunflower hearts
Crushed mixed nuts

I did make a cake of black sunflower seeds but the birds werenm't impressed by that so I never made another one!

This is the same mix I use but also add glazed cherries I heat the beef suet add the ingredients then let it cool a little this stops the nuts & seeds etc from sinking to the bottom & then empty into foil flan cases which are about a £1.00 for a pack of ten from Wilkinsons I also get most of my ingredients from there its a lot cheaper including the sunflower hearts.

 

[Silvershark]

This is the same mix I use but also add glazed cherries I heat the beef suet add the ingredients then let it cool a little this stops the nuts & seeds etc from sinking to the bottom & then empty into foil flan cases which are about a £1.00 for a pack of ten from Wilkinsons I also get most of my ingredients from there its a lot cheaper including the sunflower hearts.

I might try adding cherries, always looking for new ingredients to add. Still have a load of apples to use up and need something to go with them