suet | Better Hens and Gardens

Feeding Wild Birds (& Homemade Suet Recipe)

During colder months when there are fewer seeds and berries available for the wild birds, we enjoy feeding and observing them; but we like to stay warm and toasty too. Fortunately, there’s a window seat overlooking a protected nook that’s perfect for this, and we put a variety of seed and suet in feeders there to attract the birds.

Each species of bird has different seed preferences, so the type of seed offered can be customized to attract specific birds:

Cracked corn – cardinals, doves, grosbeaks, sparrows

Black Oil Sunflower or Sunflower – many birds

Peanuts – blue jays, nuthatches, titmice, woodpeckers, wrens

Thistle – finches

Safflower – cardinals, chickadees, [...]

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Suet Thief!

The homemade suet (Homemade Peanut Butter Suet) has always been popular with the birds, but it’s been flying out of the feeder lately. I think I know why………………….

Homemade Peanut Butter Suet

We like feeding the birds in winter, but don’t like paying a fortune for seed and suet. Here’s an easy and inexpensive recipe for homemade suet that the birds seem to love. Using this, we see quite a variety of woodpeckers that don’t ever visit the normal feeders. It does take them a few days to find the suet once we hang it out though.

1 cup crunchy peanut butter 2 cups “quick cook” oatmeal

2 cups cornmeal 1 1/2 cups lard

1 cup white flour 1/3 cup sugar

Melt the peanut butter and lard together over low heat, and then mix [...]

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