Making suet cakes for chickens

[ninny]

Im been thinking about making suet cakes for my birds. I can get grass fed lamb fat to use for the base. What else could i use in them and how to get get them to stay in the shape you want them? I was thinking meal worms, oats, corn, thistle, sunflower seeds, wild bird seed, dehydrated fruits and veggies, herbs. I like to give them to my cooped up birds for something to do and as a treat. Is this a good idea?

 

[b.hromada]

I love your idea. I'd like to make some, if it works out for you. Oh, please let us know. Sounds like they would certainly keep the girls real busy too.

 

[kathyinmo]

What a timely post! I was just thinking of doing this myself. My question is, how do you do it? Thanks!

 

[Imp]

There's only about 1 million ways to make suet cakes. I usually start off with melted lard and peanut butter. Then add oatmeal, cornmeal, flour, a little sugar. Then whatever else I have around. chopped fruit, birdseed, nuts, berries, scratch, layer pellets, etc. I like it to be a little soupy. If its dry it tends to be crumbly. And I add the Peanut butter to the melted lard. (if melted along with the lard it can burn) I mold it into some $ store sandwich containers. Store in the fridge.I make it for the wildbirds, but the chickens get to lick the containers. And will hang out under the holders waiting for crumbs.

Imp- Kinda funny story. The first website I looked at for a recipe had this as their most popular recipe. And a warning the peanut butter kills birds.

 

[ninny]

Quote:
Umm were they joking?

Should i freeze them before i give them to the chickens? Where do you get your lard at?

Can you give chickens any kind of bird seed? I could buy a 50 pound bag of sunflower seed and a wild bird seed.

Is there a good formula for show or meat birds?

 

[Imp]

Umm were they joking?

Should i freeze them before i give them to the chickens? Where do you get your lard at?

Can you give chickens any kind of bird seed? I could buy a 50 pound bag of sunflower seed and a wild bird seed.

Is there a good formula for show or meat birds?

I don't know what the website meant. I just used some common sense and laughed.

I keep mine in the fridge, but freezer should be just fine.

I give whatever I have around. I've even been known to throw pond fish food in if I'm too lazy to walk out to the shed. I guess the seed would depend on what you were trying to feed. I think for chickens anything would go.

The local grocery had lard on sale & then put it on 50% clearance so I bought all of it about 15 lbs. It should last me the rest of the year.

I have found the wildbirds prefer it to just seed. I have to move the suet feeders every week or the chickens will scratch up the grass under them.

Imp​