Homemade Suet Balls
Our feathered friends will be struggling with the drop in temperature and the lack of natural food sources right now and although there are shrubs that lend a helping hand like the Holly, it is no harm to put out a few feeders and keep a water source available to them. Previously I have run through the different feeders and the birds they cater for but here I will give a quick guide on how to make your own , homemade fat/suet balls.
The process couldn't be more simple and it's an excellent way to dispose of many food scraps in the kitchen.
Firstly, you need your scraps. I keep an old large margarine tub in the kitchen to collect them over the week. The type of scraps you want to be collecting are; porridge, cornflakes, cheese bits, raisins, fruit and nuts. The only thing to really avoid is overly salty ingredients i.e., salted peanuts or bacon
Next, you need to get your lard. Beef dripping works the best but you can use lard or suet. If you ask a butcher they should be able to help you out. It's important to NOT use coconut oil / peanut butter / oil or even turkey fat as these don't set hard enough and can actually cover the birds feathers and damage them making it difficult for them to fly.
For the container, I find yogurt pots work best but you can also use anything the right shape that can be peeled away easily i.e., silicon soap moulds, candle moulds etc. You will also need some garden twine, simple wool can also work but just try and avoid plastic bailing twine as the birds can get tangled up in it.
Once you have your lard and your ingredients put them into a large pot and heat gently. When the fat is melted, mix the scraps in well with it. Most people simply just tie a large knot in the bottom of the twine and place the mixture on top but I have found that tying a medium sized metal washer at the end gives the final ball / block a bit more support. Once you have done this, fill up your pot / mould wit the scrap / fat mixture tamp firmly down and place in the fridge overnight. Once they have set you can peel the mould off and hang in your garden. Be sure to hang it in a place away from anywhere a cat might get easy access.
Finally, if making your own fat balls seems like something you simply don't have time for, we supply a large assortment here in Kennedy's. We have peanut feeders, seed feeders, and suet feeders. If you are really pressed for time we even have a prefilled Peckish Peanut Ready to Use Feeder! All you have to do is hang it in your garden. So have a look in store and find whichever feeder you feel suits your needs and give your local birds a helping hand this winter! :)
