Aussie Finch Forum

Many years ago an old timer told me to hang a piece of suet in my Aviary, birds did eat it, I'm thinking of doing it again but a bit worried about the health implications ie birds getting too fat? anyone else heard of or fed suet to their birds?

I've never heard about it?

But I suppose if you put it in everyonce and a while, it couldn't hurt?

I think the idea was to feed it in particular during winter to fatten up birds and help them against the cold

Zipman wrote:I think the idea was to feed it in particular during winter to fatten up birds and help them against the cold

Mmm, probably! I looked it up, it looks 'fatty'

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:I think the idea was to feed it in particular during winter to fatten up birds and help them against the cold

Mmm, probably! I looked it up, it looks 'fatty'

It's pure beef fat teg the butcher will usually give it to you for free, there are a few recipes out there for rolled oat & suet cake for wild birds.

Zipman wrote:

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:I think the idea was to feed it in particular during winter to fatten up birds and help them against the cold

Mmm, probably! I looked it up, it looks 'fatty'

It's pure beef fat teg the butcher will usually give it to you for free, there are a few recipes out there for rolled oat & suet cake for wild birds.

AHhhh, yes, now I see! Yep, I think its a one time thing for in the Winter, and only a litle bit at the time. Because, you have to remember that finches are designed to eat insects, not beef

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:I think the idea was to feed it in particular during winter to fatten up birds and help them against the cold

Mmm, probably! I looked it up, it looks 'fatty'

It's pure beef fat teg the butcher will usually give it to you for free, there are a few recipes out there for rolled oat & suet cake for wild birds.

AHhhh, yes, now I see! Yep, I think its a one time thing for in the Winter, and only a litle bit at the time. Because, you have to remember that finches are designed to eat insects, not beef

A bit more searching on the net says that it's ideal for insectivorous birds in particular during winter when insects are scarce this does however apply to wild birds and various cakes seem to be commercially available in the USA, also say's not to use raw suet because it can go rancid but instead render the fat to make cakes etc, might have a go at one of the recipes and see how it turns out.

Zipman wrote:

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:I think the idea was to feed it in particular during winter to fatten up birds and help them against the cold

Mmm, probably! I looked it up, it looks 'fatty'

It's pure beef fat teg the butcher will usually give it to you for free, there are a few recipes out there for rolled oat & suet cake for wild birds.

AHhhh, yes, now I see! Yep, I think its a one time thing for in the Winter, and only a litle bit at the time. Because, you have to remember that finches are designed to eat insects, not beef

A bit more searching on the net says that it's ideal for insectivorous birds in particular during winter when insects are scarce this does however apply to wild birds and various cakes seem to be commercially available in the USA, also say's not to use raw suet because it can go rancid but instead render the fat to make cakes etc, might have a go at one of the recipes and see how it turns out.

Oh please do! I'd love to hear about it!

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:

teg33 wrote:

Zipman wrote:I think the idea was to feed it in particular during winter to fatten up birds and help them against the cold

Mmm, probably! I looked it up, it looks 'fatty'

It's pure beef fat teg the butcher will usually give it to you for free, there are a few recipes out there for rolled oat & suet cake for wild birds.

AHhhh, yes, now I see! Yep, I think its a one time thing for in the Winter, and only a litle bit at the time. Because, you have to remember that finches are designed to eat insects, not beef

A bit more searching on the net says that it's ideal for insectivorous birds in particular during winter when insects are scarce this does however apply to wild birds and various cakes seem to be commercially available in the USA, also say's not to use raw suet because it can go rancid but instead render the fat to make cakes etc, might have a go at one of the recipes and see how it turns out.

Oh please do! I'd love to hear about it!

Will do

Sounds like a carry over from English breeders / keepers who dont have our heat or blow flies .