Today's make is fat feeders for the birds
1 bag of bird seed from the pound shop
empty coconut shells, I have kept these there were originally fat feeders I bought, you can use yogurt pots of butter containers, just make a hole near the rim and knot some string in it before filling.
wen cooking meat I drain off the fat and keep it in a container and then use it for the fat feeders
melt the fat, you don't need it hot just melted into liquid
stir in the bird seed mix, I use 2 parts seed to 1 part fat, give it a good stir to coat the seeds
pour into your containers and leave somewhere cool to set,
hang up for the birds to enjoy
I worked out it cost me about 20p to make 9 feeders that's a considerable saving, I have seen these feeders 99p each in the shops.
I've been feeding the ready-made fat balls this winter which have gone down well with the birds here (though I used to make ones like yours when I had coconut shells). I had to laugh in Wyevale today when I was in there seed shopping. A tub of 50 fat balls (which I've been buying for £5 a time in Charlies or Wilko) was £6.99 - half price as previously £12.99. They must think people are daft . . . Mind you, having seen what some people spend in there, I think they may be right!
ReplyDeleteI bet you have some happy birdies now.
There is more and more birds arriving all the time :-)
DeleteHubby makes ours using purchased lard, the birds love them, we use coconut shells as well, they last for years.
ReplyDeleteSaves money even if you have to buy lard one block of lard who do loads :-)
DeleteI used the last of the ones I made in Tydd through the winter, as there are so many cats here I hung them on canes pushed into the lawn, at least then the birds could see the cats coming, and the cats can not climb a cane.
ReplyDeleteThat would be interesting to see a cat trying to climb a cane :-)
DeleteSince we put up our new feeders the birds have gone mad, we spend more on them than we do ourselves, I did make some a while back, I shall have to make some more, infact I might do it this week.
ReplyDeleteIt can be an expensive business running a bird restaurant :-)
DeleteI put all kinds of food out for the birds, but it is just left !
ReplyDeleteThats a shame, do you think cats put them off :-)
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