What’s the cheapest way to provide suet pellets for wild birds? While the traditional suet balls are a good choice for many wild birds, a recent trend has seen pidgeons and young rooks eating softer, bruised suet instead. This is probably due to packaging improvements, including a stronger bag. These changes are good news for all birds, but which type is best for your birds?
Bruised or soft suet is better for birds
The true suet is harder to work with and crumbles when handled. However, this dry fat packs a powerful energy punch. Unlike the cheap suet that is available to pet birds, wild birds don’t need a large amount of this food to gain weight and fat. They can supplement their diet with other types of seeds and insects. The problem with cheap suet is that it contains a very low melt point and is therefore not suitable for feeding to wild birds.
If you are trying to attract wild birds to your home, consider using bruised or soft suet. While raw suet can be a good choice, it is important to choose the right consistency and seasoning. One good base is 1 cup of suet mixed with a tablespoon of peanut butter. This peanut butter is non-choking and will attract squirrels and birds. It is also easy to slice suet into pieces and string it from a tree or hook. If you don’t have specialty suet feeders, you can also use chunks of raw suet. You can also use potato sacks to string up suet.
You can also put out windfalls and soaked fruit. These are great sources of nutrients for birds. Make sure to remove pips and stones before placing the food out. Birds also like berries and bananas. During breeding season, you can also put out soaked dried fruit. Remember to avoid grapes and raisins as they can cause a serious reaction. While most species of birds will enjoy a small amount of these foods, they don’t always tolerate them.
Buying a specialty bird food
One of the best ways to buy a specialty bird food at the cheapest possible price is to shop at hardware stores or other places where birds eat seeds. These stores often carry a wide variety of bird seed for various species, and they also have a knowledgeable staff that can answer any questions. If you’re on a tight budget, you can also purchase bird seed from your local home improvement store.
Making your own suet
Using rendered lard as a source of suet for your birds is an easy and delicious way to supplement the food you give your flock. The rendered fat can be purchased in small blocks, which you can find in the Mexican food and cooking aisles. This fat is a natural product, and does not contain hydrogenated oils, which are unhealthy for humans and birds alike. Rather than purchasing pre-packaged suet pellets, you can make your own mixture and experiment with different ingredients.
Once you have the suet pellets you want, you can hang them from a tree branch or anywhere else where the birds can reach them. You can also make a suet half-ball with string or shaped moulds. You can also add sunflowers and mealworms for extra nutrition. Your birds will be happy and healthy. They’ll love this delicious, natural food. Make sure to measure carefully and add water and/or peanut butter to keep them fresh and free from dust.
You can use sandwich-sized freezer containers for this purpose. These containers fit into most suet holder on bird feeders. You can also buy suet holders at Dollar Tree. The Dollar Tree sells suet holders online, which you can use to make suet. You can also order them for pick-up or delivery. If you’re on a tight budget, you can use any container that you prefer.
