Feeding the Birds

Counting_Pennies_2

Hi all,

On the news it is asking everyone to feed the birds, as they now can't access their usual food, and are in danger of dying unless we feed them.

Can anyone recommend what?

We are snowed in, can't get out to buy anything, but can spare the odd crust of bread.

We have some turkey fat from the Christmas lunch saved up in a jar in the fridge. Is it safe to make up a fat ball and hang it from string, if so what can I put in that ball? I don't have an nuts but do have raisins, are they safe for birds. Incidently how do you make up a fat ball?

We have crusts from a loaf of bread which I could throw on to our flat roof away from the cats.

Any other things that I might find from the store cupboard?

Thanks

HariboJunkie

One of the most vital things you can give them is fresh water. Have you somewhere high up you can put this, away from the cats?
I would roll the fat in raisins and seeds but I usually just set mine on the bird table. I presume that, to hang them up, you would thread some string through the middle of the ball.
If you have blackbrids they love a halved apple. Peanut butter spread onto tree branches would also go down well.

HannahIOW

What my gran & grandad used to do was pour the fat from the sunday roast onto broken up pieces of bread, and also mix in chopped up skin from the joint. Then wait for it to cool and put it out for the birds.

Barneysmom

If you've got anything like raisins or breakfast cereal they like that too..
They like any food at all, they're hungry

ethansmum

I just fed the our leftover guinea pig food and they went wild for it!

Seakay

Turkey fat will be a little bit too soft to make a hanging fat ball (if you ever fancy doing it then some independent butchers sell dripping fat in packets which sets hard - usually a mixture of beef and mutton. Melt it and stir in wild bird seed and set in yoghurt tubs or milk cartons) but the birds will love it - spread it on bread or warm it and soak the bread in it (dry bread will be eaten but moisture is especially important in frozen weather)

allydowd

Don't feed birds bread it can deform their joints.

Info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_Wing

*zippy*

You shouldn't feed turket fat, OH saw it on TV over Christmas...

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/bird-fat.html#cr

There are suggestions what to feed near the bottom of the page x

frosty

We have gone through 2 sacks of bird seed since last Sunday,Everyday I have been cooking a 500g bag of pasta,then adding 2 tins of value sweetcorn,a bag of sultanas,any kitchen scraps and 3 loaves of bread.Also a tin of cat food for the robins and blackbirds.I found two bags of popcorn in the cupboard so have just popped it and put it out,the seagulls and crows have just cleared the lot.At the moment I am melting some dripping ready to make fat balls.We have a pond so the birds have water,we have left the pump going so it hasnt frozen,they sit on the rocks near the waterfall and have a bath/drink.

valk_scot

If you have any wrinkly old apples or pears, cut them in half and put them out for the birds. I deliberately leave the last windfalls lying because the birds love picking away at them. I bought a bag of rather tired whoopsied apples for 5p for them last week and this week I've even spotted a songthrush in my garden, eating the apples, and that's the first time I've seen one here.

Other things...monkey nuts threaded on a string, small amount of muesli, suet, strips of crackling hung on a string, raisins and other dried fruit, chicken skin chopped up fine or set in a lard ball.

Tesco sell Value lard for 28p a pack, btw.