7 Homemade Suet for Birds: How to Make in 2023

Suet is a high-energy formulation of animal fat and other ingredients that birds absolutely love. It’s especially beneficial during the winter months when birds need extra calories to maintain their body heat and energy levels.

This article will guide you through 7 different homemade suet recipes that you can easily prepare at home for your feathered friends.

In this comprehensive guide, we will first delve into what suet is and why it’s a favorite among birds. Then, we’ll walk you through seven unique and easy-to-make suet recipes.

Each recipe is designed to cater to different bird species’ preferences, ensuring that your backyard becomes a popular spot for a variety of birds.

We’ll also answer some frequently asked questions about suet and suet feeders.

What is Suet?

Definition of Suet

Suet is essentially a blend of fats, often beef or mutton fat, that has been rendered to remove impurities.

It’s a high-energy food source that provides birds with the necessary fats and nutrients they need to thrive, especially during colder months.

While suet traditionally refers to the hard fat around the kidneys and loins in cows and sheep, in bird feeding, it generally refers to any hard fat or lard that is used to make bird food.

Why Birds Love Suet

Birds are drawn to suet due to its high fat content. Fat provides a concentrated source of energy that is particularly beneficial during the winter months when other food sources may be scarce.

Birds such as woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees are particularly fond of suet.

It’s also a favorite among insect-eating birds as it’s a good substitute for the insects that are less abundant during colder months.

Providing homemade suet in your backyard not only helps the birds but also gives you the joy of bird watching right at your home.

The 7 Homemade Suet Recipes 2023

Recipe 1: Basic Suet Recipe

The Basic Suet Recipe is a simple yet effective way to provide your backyard birds with a nutritious and energy-packed treat. Here’s how you can prepare it:

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 2 cups cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
• Instructions:
  1. Melt the lard and peanut butter together over low heat.
  2. Once melted, stir in the oats, cornmeal, flour, and sugar.
  3. Pour the mixture into a mold or any shallow container and let it cool.
  4. Once hardened, it’s ready to be served to your feathered friends.

Recipe 2: No-Melt Suet Recipe

The No-Melt Suet Recipe is perfect for warmer climates or the summer season as it doesn’t melt easily. Here’s how to make it:

• Ingredients:
  • 2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 2 cups cornmeal
  • 1 cup lard (do not use bacon grease)
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • Some birdseed, preferably without shells
• Instructions:
  1. Combine oats, cornmeal, lard, and peanut butter in a pot.
  2. Heat the mixture on low heat until the lard and peanut butter melt.
  3. Stir in the birdseed.
  4. Pour the mixture into a mold or container and let it cool and harden.
  5. Once hardened, it’s ready to be served.

Recipe 3: Peanut Butter Suet Recipe

The Peanut Butter Suet Recipe is a favorite among many birds due to its rich and nutty flavor. Here’s the recipe:

• Ingredients:
  • 1½ cups Birdseed
  • ½ cup Peanut butter
  • ¼ cup Peanuts
  • 1/4 cup Dried fruit
• Instructions:
  1. Melt the peanut butter in a pan over low heat.
  2. Stir in the birdseed, peanuts, and dried fruit.
  3. Pour the mixture into a mold or container and let it cool and harden.
  4. Once hardened, it’s ready to be served.

Recipe 4: Suet with Cornmeal and Oats

The Suet with Cornmeal and Oats recipe is a great source of carbohydrates and fats for birds. Here’s how to make it:

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
  • 2 cups cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • Mix-ins: birdseed, unsalted nuts
• Instructions:
  1. Melt the lard and peanut butter together over low heat.
  2. Stir in the cornmeal and flour until well combined.
  3. Mix in the birdseed and unsalted nuts.
  4. Pour the mixture into a mold or container and let it cool and harden.
  5. Once hardened, it’s ready to be served.

Recipe 5: Suet with Sunflower Seeds

The Suet with Sunflower Seeds recipe is a favorite among sunflower seed-loving birds. Here’s how to make it:

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 cups quick-cooking oats
  • 2 cups cornmeal
  • 1 cup sunflower seeds
• Instructions:
  1. Melt the lard and peanut butter together over low heat.
  2. Stir in the oats, cornmeal, and sunflower seeds.
  3. Pour the mixture into a mold or container and let it cool and harden.
  4. Once hardened, it’s ready to be served.

Recipe 6: Suet with Flour and Birdseed

The Suet with Flour and Birdseed recipe is a simple and effective way to attract a variety of birds. Here’s how to make it:

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 cups birdseed
• Instructions:
  1. Melt the lard and peanut butter together over low heat.
  2. Stir in the flour and birdseed until well combined.
  3. Pour the mixture into a mold or container and let it cool and harden.
  4. Once hardened, it’s ready to be served.

Recipe 7: Wild Bird Suet Recipe

The Wild Bird Suet Recipe is a great way to attract a variety of wild birds to your backyard. Here’s how to make it:

• Ingredients:
  • 1 cup lard
  • 1 cup oatmeal
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • Some birdseed
• Instructions:
  1. In a large pot, combine lard, oatmeal, peanut butter, and birdseed.
  2. Heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  3. Pour the mixture into a mold or container and let it cool and harden.
  4. Once hardened, it’s ready to be served.

Remember, homemade suet is not only a cost-effective way to feed the birds in your backyard, but it also allows you to control the ingredients ensuring a healthier option for the birds.

FAQs

Final thoughts

In this guide, we’ve explored seven different homemade suet recipes that can help attract a variety of birds to your backyard.

Each recipe provides a unique blend of ingredients that cater to different bird species’ preferences, ensuring your backyard becomes a popular spot for bird watching.

The Basic Suet Recipe and the No-Melt Suet Recipe are great starting points for beginners, while the Peanut Butter Suet Recipe and the Suet with Sunflower Seeds Recipe are sure to attract a variety of seed-loving birds.

The Suet with Cornmeal and Oats Recipe is a high-energy option that’s perfect for colder months, while the Suet with Flour and Birdseed Recipe and the Wild Bird Suet Recipe are versatile options that can attract a wide range of wild birds.

Making your own suet not only allows you to control the ingredients, ensuring a healthier option for the birds, but it’s also a cost-effective way to provide a high-energy food source for the birds in your backyard.

Plus, it’s a fun and rewarding activity that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

We encourage you to try making your own suet at home. It’s easier than you might think, and the joy of watching a variety of birds visit your backyard is well worth the effort.

Remember, by providing suet, especially during the colder months, you’re helping the birds thrive when food sources may be scarce.

So why not give it a try? Your feathered friends will thank you!