Suet Ornaments
- Method 1 Gelatin Ornaments 1 Heat water in the microwave using a microwave-safe glass measuring cup. ...
- Method 2 Coconut Oil Ornaments 1 Lay out two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil. ...
- Method 3 Peanut Butter Ornaments 1 Cut thick slices of bread from a semi-hard loaf. ...
- Method 4 Suet Ornaments 1 Cut thick slices of bread from a semi-hard loaf. ...
Full Answer
How do you make bird seed ornaments?
Spray your hands thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray and fill each cookie cutter to the brim with birdseed. Press seed into every corner of the mold as firmly as possible to compact the ornaments, as loose seed will fall apart more easily.
What is the best no-melt suet recipe?
A top no-melt suet recipe is: To make the suet, slowly melt the lard or suet and the peanut butter together until they are completely smooth and combined. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, mixing well so the entire batch is thoroughly coated.
What do you add to suet to make it better?
Add the cornmeal and flour, mixing well. These ingredients will make the suet more crumbly and easier for birds to eat, as well as less messy in the yard. Other popular ingredients to customize a suet recipe include: Chopped, unsalted nuts, especially peanuts (do not use coated or flavored nuts)
How do you thicken suet for birds?
This makes the suet more crumbly and easier for birds to eat, as well as less messy in the warmer months. Allow the pure suet or mixture to cool slightly to thicken, then pour it into molds or containers to use. Allow it to cool completely until it forms solid blocks.
When to Feed Birds With Suet
Birds are in greatest need of the energy and calories provided by suet during the fall and winter when their other natural food sources have dwindled. Making suet laden with seeds and nuts can be a good holiday activity to begin about Halloween.
Working With Suet
Making homemade suet is just as easy as making hummingbird nectar or creating a custom birdseed mix for your backyard chicken flock. It is also more affordable than purchasing commercial cakes, bells, plugs, or blocks.
Instructions
Chop the fat into small pieces or run it through a meat grinder. If you are getting the fat from a butcher, they may be willing to do this for you. Make sure all traces of meat, bone, or other tissues are removed.
Suet-making Tips
There are several ways to acquire different types of animal fat for making your own cakes, and many birders have one method that is easiest or preferred for them. You can try different methods to find the type of fat that is most popular with your backyard birds as well as best for your budget.
2 ingredients for your birdseed ornaments
Tallow, also called suet, and bird seeds are the only two ingredients you will need to make these simple birdseed ornaments.
Items needed to make birdseed ornaments
Before getting your hands covered in tallow (don’t worry, it makes a great moisturizer!) you should set out everything you need.
Step-by-step: putting it all together
Having recently made some birdseed ornaments of our own, after rendering an extremely large batch of tallow, we found what works well – and what doesn’t.
Tips for hanging your birdseed ornaments
These simple birdseed ornaments are meant to be hung when the outdoor temperatures are hovering near freezing.
Hanging your birdseed ornaments where you can see them – or not
If you have a large property, you may want to put some ornaments closer to home, and some further away, far from your sight. Leaving the birds a chance to decide how close they wish to come to your home.
What not to put in your birdseed ornaments
Wild and fine feathered friends across the world are scavengers – of insects, seeds, the occasional nuts and berries.
An additional ingredient to keep the squirrels away
We have surprisingly few squirrels where we live, and secretly wish there were more. Along with bats, owls, beavers and foxes too.
Why Birds Need Suet in the Summer
Summer is a stressful season for all birds. Breeding birds struggle to protect and nurture their hatchlings, and there are more predators out and about. Birds must constantly compete for the best territories and feeding resources. Summer thunderstorms and excessive heat put additional pressure on birds and other wildlife.
Problems With Melted Suet
On the hottest summer days, suet can soften and melt. Because this is a high fat food, it can quickly go rancid or grow mold in high heat or humid conditions. Spoiled suet has a strong odor and can attract unwanted visitors, such as rats, raccoons, and even bears to the feeders.
No-Melt Suet Recipes
There are many different no-melt suet recipes available, and you can even tweak your own personal recipe to keep it from softening in the heat. In general, no-melt suets contain less fat and greater quantities of flour, oats, cornmeal, or other absorbent components that will help bind the fat together without melting. A top no-melt suet recipe is:
More Summer Suet Tips
To make the most of every batch of no-melt suet you mix up, freeze each cake before putting it out for the birds. Not only will this keep the cake fresher for a longer period, but a frozen cake will resist melting even on the hottest days. Use smaller cakes or put out less suet at once. This will ensure it is all eaten before it can go rancid.
DIY Festive Feeders for Your Backyard Birds
Birdseed ornaments are a fun, easy project and make great decorations, perfect for decorating a Christmas tree for the birds, adding to a snowman bird feeder, or delivering a festive holiday touch to your backyard buffet. Birds will happily munch on the ornaments, and they make ideal gifts for teachers, neighbors, or coworkers.
Before Getting Started
Choose your birdseed and other ingredients from a range of options. The flour can be any brand or type (whole wheat, all-purpose, organic, etc.), as can the corn syrup. For the birdseed, choose seeds that most appeal to your backyard birds.
Instructions
Spray each cookie cutter with nonstick cooking spray. This ensures the ornaments will release from the molds easily, so coat the insides thoroughly to prevent any sticking, including every bend and crevice of the cutter. Arrange the sprayed cookie cutters on wax paper or parchment paper.
