How to Make a Suet Bird Feeder

Recycle a mesh onion bag, render suet and add nutrition for feeding the birds this winter.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Onion Mesh Bags
• Birdseeds
• Bacon
• Nuts
• Beef Suet
• Cooking Pan
• Stirring Spoons
• Twine
• Twine

1. Melt down beef fat (suet) to get liquid.

2. Allow the fat to cool down to a pasty state.

3. Mix in nuts, seeds, cooked bacon or anything else you think insect-eating birds might like.

4. Form the mixture into a ball.

5. Place the ball inside a mesh bag.

6. Put the ball into the freezer to solidify.

7. Hang it from a nail on a post, or from a tree branch close to the trunk. This placement will allow woodpeckers and other insect- and seed-eating birds to feed.

8. Watch the birds and enjoy the winter entertainment!

on 11/22/2005 I've had terrific luck attracting birds to my yard with this suet recipe. Melt together 1.5 cups of crunchy peanut butter (Note: the birds don't mind at all if you use the cheap store brand!) and 1 cup of shortening or lard. To the melted mixture, add 2 cups of plain cornmeal and 2 cups of flour. Now comes the fun part. You can leave the mixture as it is, or toss in birdseed, dried fruits, old cereal, oatmeal, etc. Place it in a suet feeder or scrape onto pine cones. This suet is great because it doesn't melt on the hottest days, and any leftover can be frozen until it's needed.

on 11/22/2005 Instead of boiling down suet, just save extra fat from cooking ground beef etc. & refrigerate to prevent spoiling. Use 1/2 c. fat & microwave until liquid, then mix with 1/3 c. peanut butter & add 1/2 c. bird seed. Chill in butter tub & hang outside.