Bird feeders

[killjoy]

can i make those 'fat' balls that go in bird feeders or can someone recommend an alternative to go in?

For some reason my neighbour has hung bags of bird nuts all round their lotty, is it to confuse them ?

[blue411]

You can make them and they quite easy to make if not a bit messy, im sure there was an article in gardeners world mag on how to make them, might be on thier web site, if not pm me and i'll dig out my mag and type the instructions for you

[Two_Sheds]

For some reason my neighbour has hung bags of bird nuts all round their lotty, is it to confuse them ?

No, it's to attract blue tits, which will feed on aphids as well as fat balls.
You're not recommended to feed whole peanuts in the breeding season as baby birds can choke on them.
I make my own fat balls, they are more popular than the store ones:

• microwave-melt some suet in a plastic Xmas pudding bowl
• stir in seeds, oats, sultanas, chopped nuts etc
• leave to cool
• put in freezer - this makes it easier to pop the fatball out of the pudding bowl
• hang inside a wire feeder, or leave on the birdtable
• You could try freezing a piece of string inside to use as a hanger

[snuffer]

Fat Balls

No, not a medical condition. We make a batch of fat balls every week. We use a method much like 'Two Sheds' only employing lard instead of suet. Adding plain flour to the mix enables you to mould them into the ball shapes. As well as seed and nuts we add other things, whatever is available at the time, bacon rind, fat from the roast,breakfast cereal and bread crumbs. If you'd consider putting it on the bird table, throw it into the mix.

As has already been said avoid usuig whole nuts in the breeding season. If you still want to add peanuts give them a quick whiz in a blender or coffee grinder first.

The birds will love you for it.

[nick the grief]

There is an alternative. You can get a peice of log and drill some holwa in it and fill the holes with a mixture of lard, flour and finely chopped Peanuts. It's similar to Snuffers then yo hang the "log" up - it makes a nice setting for photo's as well