How long do homemade fat balls keep?

Question

Hi, I want to make some homemade fat balls as Christmas presents but am very new to this so have a few questions. I plan to use biscuit cutters to mould them into pretty shapes like hearts and stars, to hang with string. Do I refridgerate for about a day? Then would lard set hard enough to be able to hang them once out of the mould? Finally how long would they keep? Can I make them now and keep them somewhere cold for a few weeks?

Many thanks for your help!

Stuart Vine · Accepted Answer

I'm not entirely sure you could make them hard enough to hang, I'd think the string/wire would slowly cut through them - if the starlings attack, they'd probably pull them off as well. I think you could freeze them indefinitely, or keep them in the fridge for a week or two. If your birds eat them as fast as mine do though, they won't last long enough to worry about!

"Let loose the Kraken!"

madpenguin · Answer

They do keep for some time in a fridge but if you have a lot freezing is a good idea.

LucyL · Answer

Hi, I make my own fat balls and the bird love them much more than the shop bought ones. Your fat balls will be fine in the fridge, and will probs keep as long as you need them (depending on what you put in) I use Lard, Sunflower hearts, Niger Seed, Wild bird seed mix and dried meal worms, These havn't gone off yet, and i made them the in late October. But i would imagine if you were to put berries and fruit in it they may not last as long, but as i havnt tried i dont know (i do intend to try this when i do my next batch). I use small plastic tumblers, and instead of shop bought square fat balls to go in the square feeder i have re-used a plastic tray that 2 fishcakes came in, which works great. When i've filled mine, i stick them in the fridge and give them an hour or 2 to solidify, then dip outside of tumbler (or whatever the container is) in boiling water (few seconds is all it needs), put a knife down the inside to slacken fat ball off, and remove by string, wrap in cling film, and put back in fridge until needed. I plan to buy rubber molds for Jelly, as these would flex and fat ball would just pop out, n' i'd then get cute little shapes too. Hope this helps!

Stuart Vine · Answer

Beef fat should be fine - as long as it's not from cooked beef (salt can be fatal to garden birds). I can't see from a basic biological point of view that gelatine would be harmful to birds, but I don't know if it's ever been fed to any in large quantities! It might be worth experimenting with to provide the stiffness you want. If you do, please come back and let us know how it worked! Personally I just use supermarket lard for my fat balls - as recommended by more expert members in these forums :-)

"Let loose the Kraken!"