Make fat balls yourself: which fat?

Fat balls and other food are welcome supplementary food for wild birds in winter. This article explains how to make the popular bird seed. With this fat you can easily make fat balls yourself.

Animal fat

Usually, either lard, mutton or beef tallow is used for the dumplings. If you want to make fat dumplings yourself, you can find these fats at the butcher's. Most wild birds are not vegan and can digest animal fat more easily than vegetable.

Vegetable fats

Coconut fat and peanut butter can be used to make suet balls based on vegetable fats. Coconut oil only works in winter when it's cold. In summer it quickly becomes too soft. Peanut butter without any additives has the advantage that it does not have to be melted first. Simply knead the butter until it becomes soft and malleable.

Tip: If you value sustainability, you should pay attention to the origin when choosing the right fat. This applies to both animal and vegetable fats.

Unsuitable fats

Only fats that harden enough when cold are suitable for making fat dumplings yourself. Therefore, for example, oils of all kinds are unsuitable. In addition, fats with additives such as salt or spices are also not suitable.

A notice: If the fat balls are to be fed in summer, the melting point of the fat must be taken into account again. Vegetable fats in particular melt faster than animal fats.

Making fat balls: instructions

Who want to make fat balls yourself, needs the following ingredients in addition to fat for a successful feed mixture:

• seeds
• raisins
• dried insects
• dried berries
• sunflower seeds
• Chopped nuts
• oatmeal

In addition there are:

• About the same proportion of fat as the feed mixture (approx. 200 g per dumpling)
• Fastening material (small branches, string, clay pots, nets, etc.)

manufacturing

1. Melt fat in saucepan. But it must not get too hot.
2. Stir in 95% of the feed mix well.
3. Allow mixture to cool until firm. Simply place the pot next to the stovetop.
4. Form dumplings from the almost cooled mass. Press leftover seeds onto shaped balls from the outside.

Attach fastening material

For that there are different possibilities:

• clay pot: Tie a string to a large wooden bead to close the hole in the bottom, fill in the mixture and leave to harden
• on branches: Tie string to a small branch, press mixture around branch
• using cookie cutters: Place string in a cookie cutter, fill in the mixture, allow to harden, remove from the mold
• with net: Cut open the net (e.g. from fruit), place the shaped dumpling in the middle, gather the net around and tie it up
• Dumplings without net: tie a larger knot in a piece of string, form the feed mixture into a dumpling around it and press firmly

A notice: Fatty food does not necessarily have to be shaped. It is also enough to pour the mixture onto a plate and place it in the garden.

frequently asked Questions