You're reading - homes-n-gardens - No-Melt Suet for Birds
no-melt bird feed treat
lynette posted Message 181 in the NatureCrafts BB
Dated : September 20, 1998 at 02:04:04
Subject: Bird Bell Recipe
Angela, you mentioned making bells. This is the recipe that I got from a local programme,
I have not seen it anywhere on the net so hopefully new to you all:-
1 terracotta pot = 1 bird bell
MATERIALS:
*terracotta pots 2-3 inch in size
*2 egg whites
*fine bird seed (like canary seed) measure quantity by the amount of pots you willl be making
*baking paper (translucent stuff, not wax paper)
*coat hanger wire (length is the actual depth of each pot plus extra for hanging about 7-8 inches in total.
METHOD
Beat the egg whites but not to a fluffy stage (its not a meringue youre making!) add the birdseed i.e. if making two bells,
add two potfuls of seed. Mix til a gluey consistency.
Cut a square out of baking paper, big enough to line inside of pot and enough to hang over the edge of pot.
Half fill the pots with the seed mixture.
With your peice of wire, you push it all the way through the hole in the bottom of the pot until the top of the wire is
where the top of the mixture is in the pot. Form a loop on the top of the wire and bend it to rest on top of the mixture.
The loop will help wire stay in place better. Fill rest of pot to the top with mixture.
Bake in a LOW oven for 90 minutes.
If you put pots on a rack type baking tray, the hanger will protrude from the bottom i.e. pots are positioned the way they normally sit but with wire hanging out below.
When "cooked" the bells will slip out of pots.
Allow to cool down (the pots not cook!) coz the pot and wire get VERY hot.
Turn upside down, there are your bell shaped feeders, curl top of wire to hang...
Hope instructions clear enough.......
Eileen posted Message 4004 in the All Crafts BB
Dated : July 31, 1999 at 23:33:33
Subject: Re: bird seed balls
hi lynda,
All you have to do is spread suet on the pine cone and try to get in all the nooks and crannies.
i've used peanut butter before but i have since heard that it's not good for the birds..too sticky.
after you spread the suet just roll the pine cone in bird seed and voila..instant bird feeder.
it's a messy job but when you see those birds feasting it's worth it.
also before you start this you should wrap yarn around the top end of the pine cone.
it's easier to do this at the beginning. this is the hanger.
another idea especially at christmas is to decorate an outdoor pine tree with these pine cone feeders as well as this next idea. take stale bread and roll it flat with a rolling pin. using cookie cutters make different shapes.
thread yarn through the top for a holder. spread suet and cover with bird seed. then hang on your outdoor tree.
it's a good project for the kids on christmas break.and the birds eat it up bread and all.
and you can leave the yarn hanging on the tree and in the spring you will be sure to see your colourful yarn in their
newly made nests! hope this helps you out.
eileen in ontario
Joanna posted Message 4013 in the All Crafts BB
Subject: Re: NO MELT SUET
This recipe came from the INGLEWOOD BIRD SANCTUARY here in Calgary and I've used it and like it.
MELT TOGETHER:
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup lard (NO SUBSTITUTIONS .. it must be lard!
ADD:
1/3 cup white sugar
1 cup white flour
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups quick cooking oats
Mix it all together well and pour into containers and freeze until needed.
I've filled pinecones, filled baking cups and threaded hangers through them, and I've also found that the plastic sandwich containers (hard plastic, square shaped) are the perfect size for shaping the suet for those metal suet hangers that they sell
the suet for. Now you can make your own and don't have to buy it!
