Bird Fat Balls and Bird Fat Cake

Making bird fat cake

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 thumbnails to enlarge.

1

I use an old food processor I bought 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.

2

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.

3.

Mix some seed into the chopped peanuts; I add any bread and any edible food.       Do not add salty foods.

Do not use Peanut butter as this contains salt.

Melt about 500grams to 650 grams of lard or beef dripping in your old saucepan. This only takes a few minutes so watch it carefully. Do not leave it to get too hot.

This only takes a few minutes so watch it carefully

If it does get too hot allow to cool before mixing.

When the lard has  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 or press into your foil covered feeder. This is a messy business.

I prefer to use the foil wrapped container method.

You can place the mixture into a foil covered wire feeder. Wrap the foil  around the wire feeder .Remove foil when solidified.

When cool it will solidify into a superb breakfast.

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.