Suet Recipe! Help me get more birds on my Fat Balls

Sat 6 Jul 2019, 15:11

Yes, cheap feed is never worth it!

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 23:51

I'll take them! I usually break them up and scatter the bits on the grass. More birds get at them that way. They eat our Poundstretcher fat balls. They won't touch the seed though, for which we go to Bunkers Hill nursery (a good mix, £12 for 20kg, and they all find something they like).

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 21:54

I think you are probably correct Robin.

I wonder if I can put them in the food waste bin?

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 20:51

I think it may be a case of, 'you get what you pay for'. Cheap fat balls often have cheap grain, and sometimes even sawdust, to bulk them up, and the birds just aren’t interested in picking though the dross to get at the few seeds they can actually eat.

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 20:13

The birds in our garden are very picky. I bought a large tub of fat balls from Poundstretcher and they refuse to eat them. They have a choice of sunflower kernels, peanuts and fat balls, and they are untouched.

I think I am just going to give up and dispose of them or give them away to someone whose garden birds are less demanding.

Any takers?

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 18:52

Oh Miles...

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 13:18

Miles, the fat balls we buy have much less seed content than yours. My guess is that it's the seed that's making them crumble? Also, if you encourage the birds to peck the seeds out, the balls will then fall apart. Some birds will prefer the seeds to the fat. 

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 11:49

once or twice a month, I have some surplus pork fat from the bacon production which when rendered down makes great fat balls for the birds. I'll keep you in mind when I next have some. Probably next week.

Fri 5 Jul 2019, 11:47

Ive been using  - beef suet, plus bird seed mix. Mix one part suet to two parts seed, transfer to a saucepan and gently heat, stirring until the fat melts. To make fat balls, use an ice cream scoop, or mould with your hands, into balls, but they keep falling apart