How to make fat balls for birds

Foods to avoid

Avoid using turkey fat, which doesn't set like suet and lard, and can coat birds' feathers, preventing them from being able to fly. It can also spread disease. You should also refrain from using raisins and sultanas if you have a dog, as they are poisonous to them. Bear in mind that mealworms are harmful to hedgehogs, so only add these if don't have hedgehogs visiting your garden.

How to make fat balls for birds

You will need:

• Bowl
• Lard or beef suet
• Saucepan
• Spoon
• String or twine
• Old yoghurt pots
• Unsalted peanuts
• Currants
• Sultanas
• Oats
• Breadcrumbs
• Cake crumbs
• Grated cheese

Total time: 12 hours Including overnight refrigeration time

Step 1: mix the ingredients

The best ratio for this fat ball recipe is one part fat to two parts dry mixture. Mix all your dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 2: add the fat

Melt some lard or suet in a pan and add the dry mix. Stir well until the fat has all been absorbed by the dry mixture, and everything sticks together.

Step 3: make the fat balls

Make a hole in the bottom of a yoghurt pot and thread through a length of twine or string, then pack the pot with your warm fat mixture, to make fat balls.

Step 4: remove the yoghurt pots

Place your fat balls in the fridge overnight to set, then cut through the pot and and peel it away. Tie a big knot at one end of the twine to secure the ball.

Step 5: hang the fat balls

Hang the fat ball in a tree or shrub and wait for the birds to come and feast.

Kate Bradbury says

Keep a store of fat cakes in your freezer, taking just one or two out at a time on cold winter days. Never put them out in summer – in very hot weather the fat may melt and could smear onto birds’ feathers, preventing them from being able to fly.

Where to place fat balls for birds

You can place fat balls anywhere you place bird food, such as from a specially designed hanging feeder to the bird table. If you have made them with string you can hang them from branches of shrubs and trees.

How to place fat balls for birds

If you added string or twine when making your fat balls, you can hang them from a branch of a tree or shrub. If you made them without string then you can add fat balls to a bespoke hanging feeder, or simply place them on your bird feeding table.

Frequently asked questions

Do fat balls for birds attract rats?

Fat balls for birds can attract rats, yes. Rats are grain eaters and are therefore attracted to bird food, but they are also generalists and may be attracted to the fatty mixture. If you want to help the birds but avoid attracting rats, focus on growing plants for birds that will help them to feed naturally.

Are fat balls healthy for birds?

As reported by the British Trust for Ornithology, recent studies have found that productivity in great tits and blue tits reduced when fed fat balls over winter, but increased in great-spotted woodpeckers. This raises concerns that fat balls might not be good for some birds, but more research is needed. What's certain is that growing berrying trees and shrubs, leaving seedheads on plants and growing caterpillar foodplants such as long grass, dandelions and nettles, is very good for birds as it helps them to feed naturally all year round. The more natural food we grow in our gardens, the more birds will be able to feed themselves.