Are suet cakes ok on really cold days?

[Rooster Ray]

I was curious if a wild bird suet cake would be ok to give the chickens. Only when the temps get really cold. I know that wild birds eat it for the extra calories to help stay warm in the winter. I was wondering if the same would apply to the chickens or is it just to much fat for their systems.

 

[RooptyDoo]

I give suet to my chickens. I give it to them as a treat but, not very often. They love it but, it has alot of fat in it. So every once in a while I think it would be ok.

 

[apbgv]

I occasionally give mine some in the winter. several weeks ago I was filling my suet feeder and some feel on the ground and here are the dogs eating the little bits and in the middle of it Red my little cochin (miss ya my sweetie)pecking away, wish I would have had my camera with me.

 

[Gindee77]

I just came here to ask this very question, after the fact. We just put a suet cake in each coop. I would think it would be okay but just wanted to be sure.

 

[gritsar]

It's okay for an occasional treat, but why not make your own "chook cakes"

Here's how I make mine:

1 cup oatmeal
2 cups finely ground corn (scratch)
1 cup wild bird seed or black oil sunflower seed
you can add some egg to bind it together, but warm water works too.
Pack tightly into a greased baking pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

 

[Rooster Ray]

Quote:
Thanks for the recipe I will try it this weekend

 

[cheeps]

My babies get suet about once a month, it lasts them a while. They like the one with Peanut Butter in it the best.

I have noticed since it's gotten colder though that it's harder for them to peck apart, but they still slowly wear it down until it's gone.

Amy, my dogs love it too. I caught my doberman with her face in the chicken feed the other day. Best part was, she had it all stuck to her nose, and she decided to go visit the coop. Of course she was surprised when they started pecking the food off of her nose!

 

[LynneP]

Ground suet is good for weight gain and to maintain body heat in extreme cold. I'm picking some up tomorrow and I'll make balls or cakes with suet glued together with lard or peanut butter, and I'll add what I have on hand- flax seed, oats, corn, nuts.... if you do this, don't use string to hang it, just put it in a bowl or holder so the string is not consumed by the birds (impaction issues).

 

[Gindee77]

Thanks for the recipe! I'll give it a try.

My chickens aren't really eating the suet very fast, but they are pecking away at it a little at a time. It's been so cold here (-33 degrees wind chill today) but their coop is heated a bit so it was just around freezing in there today.

 

[Rooster Ray]

Quote:

I made one of these cakes yesterday and the chickens went wild for it I like it much better than the cakes that are full of lard. I think I will make them one every couple of days during the winter. It perfectly filled a 9in pie pan and I feed it to them while it was still luke warm they really enjoyed it thanks again for the recipe.