A lot of people here feed a simple uncooked pastry, made from lard and flour, bound with water. This can be shaped into blocks to go in feeders, or stuffed into holes drilled in logs. It goes down a storm with pretty much all the birds, and you can add seed/nuts/grated cheese etc if you fancy. Hopefully someone will come along with a proper recipe soon :)
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I make my own bread so flour is not a problem, wonder if I can turn it into little lumps to go into the feeder? I do have a suet ball feeder but they do not seem to like that as much as the seed mix. Funny thing is the suet ball feeder was a favourite with the starlings back in Derbyshire but the Aberdeenshire ones prefer seed! I am so proud of having tree sparrows regularly visiting they like the smaller protected feeder. The starlings were late-comers to my party but as usual eat everything and chase away everyone. I had my own flock (about 20) by the time we left Derbyshire. Thanks for the tips
Smart price Muesli is good on its own, and to add to the pastry. Stale cakes, broken digestive bikkies, bacon rind, fruit, oats, Granchildrens left over cereal.
If all fails, send the missus out to work like I do, lol.
Take care all, Stich.
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I know what you mean about stretching the pensions!! We have all the birds you mention (except the tree sparrows - boo hoo) and yes it is expensive, I am now mixing the sunflower hearts with plain seed to stretch it out as we also have about 50 starlings and 20 pigeons coming in. Haven't started on the pastry yet but can see I will have to pretty soon.
Lot to learn
Wow thank u to everyone who has said about the fat cake mixtures. Out of half a bag of flour, a block of lard, and a cup full of sunflower hearts, I have made 7 and a half good sized cakes!! It's so cheap and easy (and quite satisfying) to do!! Brilliant stuff and varying the 'bulk' is good too I may try biscuits cereals etc next
A lot of birds here in the south west seem to love oats and they are cheap!! But make sure you give them raw and not soaked.
I use porage oats too & wholemeal flour (all smart price ones), bulks up the plain flour, and only need small amounts of the more expensive ingredients to make it so tasty to the birds! Can afford to make some every couple of days!!
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Hi Ghillie, as other members have suggested, raw pastry is a great way to cut down costs and fill up the birds as they go crazy for pastry; I started making small batches of it and it was so popular I have to employ staff (husband ! ) to help manufacture the quantities needed (or should that be kneaded ? ) !! I use Aldi or Tesco basic ingredients: plain flour 49p, lard 39p, large block of mild cheddar cheese for £3.89 and you can throw in other suet, kibbled nuts/seeds, or cereal as suggested which bulks it up. Just ensure there is no salt and the pastry is not too sticky. Here's the latest quantity now needed to satisfy this hungry mob lol
and fat cake
and mini fat balls
and they still shout for more !!!!
Good luck Ghillie and look forward to your updates on how the pastry is going down !
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Regards, Hazel
Industrial production line there aitch! Lol
Have just been extolling the virtues of our pastry for birds on
FB group (Friends of Dyfi Osprey) ... please may I copy your pics to show them??
lol Wendy, the quantity just keeps getting larger with these pastry loving birds and of course you can copy/use photos, anytime !