Homemade suet consists of unflavored gelatin, water and birdseed. After making the suet recipe, you can mold it into various forms to hang in your birdcage or outside for your visiting birds.
Suet Recipe
Things You'll Need
Bowl
1 packet of unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons of cold water
1/3 cup boiling water
2 cups birdseed
Pour 1 packet of unflavored gelatin in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water. Allow the water and gelatin to sit in the bowl while you boil 1/3 cup of water. Pour the boiling water into the bowl and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Add 2 cups of birdseed to the mixture and stir it thoroughly.
Birdseed Blocks
Things You'll Need
Standard muffin tin
Cooking spray
Butter knife
Suet cage
Floral wire
Scissors
Plastic baggie
Grease a standard muffin tin with aerosol cooking spray. Divide the suet recipe evenly between each prepared muffin cups and press it into each cup firmly. Place the muffin tin in the refrigerator for two hours to allow the blocks to set. Remove the muffin tin and allow the mixture to return to room temperature.
Slide a butter knife around each block and lift it out of the tin. Place one block inside of a suet cage and close the door. Tie floral wire to the suet cage and tie the loose end inside your birdcage. Place remaining birdseed blocks in a baggie for future use.
Birdseed Bells
Things You'll Need
Plastic wrap
6, 2-inch terra-cotta pots
Floral wire
Scissors
Plastic baggie
Make the suet recipe. Line six 2-inch terra-cotta pots with plastic wrap. Cut six pieces of floral wire about 8 inches long. Insert one end of the wire into the center of each pot and through the drainage hole in the bottom. Bend the top of the wire into a loop and flatten it against the top of the birdseed. Add the suet recipe around the floral wire and press it into each lined pot. Place the pots in the refrigerator for approximately two hours.
Remove the pots and allow them to return to room temperature. Pull the edges of the plastic wrap upward to release the bells from each pot. Hang one or more birdseed bells by the top of the floral wire in your cage and store the remaining bells in a plastic baggie.
Birdseed Sticks
Things You'll Need
Wooden craft sticks
Hammer
Nail
Floral wire
Scissors
Plastic baggie
Make a recipe of bird suet. Drive a nail with a hammer about 1/2 inch from one end of a wooden craft stick to make a hole in it. Remove the nail. Cut about 6 inches of floral wire with scissors. Insert one end of the wire through the hole and tie it together around the stick. Press the birdseed mixture firmly onto the craft stick. Prepare the remaining bird suet on to additional craft sticks. Place the birdseed sticks in the refrigerator for about two hours, remove them and let them come to room temperature.
Hang one or more in your birdcage with the floral wire hanger and store additional birdseed sticks in a plastic baggie.
Tips
Store additional bird suet in bags in a cool dry area until you are ready to use them.
Warnings
Remove suet holders, floral wire and craft sticks from the birdcage after your bird eats the suet.
References
Writer Bio
Mary Lougee has been writing for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor's Degree with a major in Management and a double minor in accounting and computer science. She loves writing about careers for busy families as well as family oriented planning, meals and activities for all ages.
