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Bird Cake Food and Fat Ball Making Prompted by the mess the seed feeders were making I looked for a better way to feed the our local avian population. I decided to try my hand at making my own fat balls as this seemed to be the most efficient way to feed the birds. Little was wasted on the ground and it was highly nutritious and easily digested. The mixture would not harm a young fledgling if fed with it. They can choke to death if fed whole peanuts. Click on the images to enlarge |
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I use an old food processor I bought for 50p at a car boot sale four years ago to chop up the peanuts You can choose how fine you want to do it. You can use the food processor in your kitchen but better get permission first.
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I chop up all the nuts as if the adults feed their young with the nut mixture it will not choke them. In my experience I have watched Blackbirds feeding the young with worms and insects and using the fat feeder for themselves. Wise Birds.
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Mix some seed into the chopped peanuts; I add any bread and any edible food. Do not add salty foods.
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Melt about 500grams to 650 grams in your old saucepan. This only takes a few minutes so watch it carefully. Do not leave it to get too hot.
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| This only takes a few minutes so watch it carefully | If it does allow to
cool.
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When melted mix in the peanut and seeds mixture stirring to get the lard all over the mix. |
Allow the mixture to cool. Mould into balls to fit your container. This is a messy business. I prefer to use the foil wrapped container method. |
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| I prefer to place the mixture into a foil covered wire feeder. Wrap it around the feeder |
.If you do decide to use this method press the mixture gently down to form a solid using a piece of wood. When cool it will solidify into a superb breakfast.
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Spoon the cooled mixture into the foil wrapped container. | Continue until you have a solid fat mixture to the top. Press in the foil if it bulges out. You can re-use the foil for next time if careful. |
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Male Blackbird One of my customers. He and his mate raised two broods in my garden in 2008
The sparrows just love the stuff. They queue up in the morning. Photography. This mix is great to fill in holes behind a branch of a tree to take good shots. see the one of the Tit on the banner at top of page. |
 Fat balls or filled container. I calculate a large saucepan full costs less than £1.50. The amount shown will make at least 15 fat balls, a similar amount in the pet shops would cost at least £5 to £7 Because it sticks together the food gets eaten in place and does not end up all over the ground for the Rats.
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| Pictured above all the elements for cheap wholesome bird food. |
I make wire feeders at almost no cost. Using old wire mesh 1” place it around a slice of wood/log and staple into position. Wire the joins up with garden wire or any wire. You can see one in the pictures. The handle is an old bit of wire. It does not need a top.
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Click to enlarge Another customer. |
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| Finally:
I get Tits in the garden Coal, Blue, Great, Long Tailed, Goldfinch,
Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Robins, Jays, Magpies Crows, Starlings, Sparrows both
Hedge and House, Wrens and Pheasants, wood pigeon, collared doves. Did have a partridge one day. The Pheasants clear up any that drops to the ground. |
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Please send your comments to me mailto:lewbat@tiscali.co.uk
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