OFF TOPIC - help on making bird treats

It is a troop tradition to make bird treats for a holiday tree in the town common. This year, I have a girl with peanut allergies, so there goes the cheap and easy pinecones, peanut butter and bird seed.

I've found recipes using rendered suet/lard, but frankly, none of the leaders have the time to do that.

Would solid vegetable shortening work?

After everyone is at school/work, I'll look for the right bird newsgroup, but you folks are a fount of information.

Thanks a million

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak
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-snip-

news:rec.birds is to birds what rec.gardens is to gardens.

My gut says hold on the shortening. I'd go for plain suet-- warm just enough to make it pliable- roll in bird seed.

My birds prefer just plain fresh lard to all the adulterated ones I've tried-- but that doesn't make for a project. . . . unless you just make the 'feeder'-- can be as simple as a nail driven in a board, or as complicated as folding hardware cloth.

Jim

Reply to
Jim Elbrecht

Found it and thank you!

Sounds over the abilities of first and second graders. :)

I'm looking for extra onion bags right now! Too bad I just finished that huge bag and tossed it. I have 4 potentials, I think I'll be doing lots of onions and shallots for a few days!

Thanks for your help

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

My kids used peanutbutter and rolled pine cones in bird seed. Tie a red ribbon on before hand. They hung them every where a small kid could reach. This was a family tradition and still is.

Betsy

Reply to
BetsyB

Which would be great EXCEPT if you reread the original post, I have a GS that is ALLERGIC to peanuts.

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

How about using a real nut butter like almond butter. I've even seen a soy butter. Wonder if the birds would like that....

Reply to
Anonny Moose

Given the nature of her reaction, I'm not putting any nuts with in breathing distance. Soy is a problem also.

C
Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

The message from Cheryl Isaak contains these words:

Yes, but it's not as hard as the animal fat so not quite as good for that purpose imho. Why not just buy those blocks of purified animal fat rendered for cooking (just like the veg shortening ones)... here in the UK those are often cheaper than vegetable "lard".

I just made some bird treats last week, melted (animal) fat mixed with rolled oats and an old packet of dried currants and sultanas (the sort you buy for making cakes). You could also use crumbs made from old bread run through a food processor. Or buy grain wheat very cheaply ( sold in pet stores and farm suppliers, for feeding hens and pigeons).

Janet

Reply to
Janet Baraclough

Here's a link to some recipes that do not necessarily require peanut butter.

Jacqui

Reply to
axeman

Of course it's always helpful to actually include the link!

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Reply to
axeman

I'm curious if birds have traditionally come to feast on these traditional treats? It always seems to take a while to get birds into the habit of coming to feed in a particular spot, and every cute holiday birdfood project I've been involved in has pretty much struck out with the intended patrons. Of course, if your town common is populated by the Common Cafe-Cruising Crumbsnatcher, they might be a little easier to lure in.

Reply to
DrLith

Having done clean up (about 2 weeks later) lots of stuff is gone. What ate it is unknown. I'd bet on squirrels, chipmunks and crows.

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

If honey isn't a problem I would suggest mixing honey and sunflower seeds and making any shape you prefer and you may want to bake them for a short amount of time. Please do not judge me this is my creative mind at 10:00 PM Have Fun! Happy Thankgiving! Chuckie In the Frozen North Zone 5

Reply to
Chuckie

Sigh, great idea, not enough time to pull it off. I'd have to get the girls and my co-leaders together at my house and frankly, we adults are just too squeezed for time.

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

That could be useful! Thanks!

Cheryl

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

My error but I bet lard would suffice. And if you find it it's cheap and with kids crafts that's a PLUS

Reply to
BetsyB

-snip- After everyone is at school/work, I'll look for the right bird newsgroup, but you folks are a fount of information.

news:rec.birds is to birds what rec.gardens is to gardens.g Found it and thank you!

My gut says hold on the shortening. I'd go for plain suet-- warm just enough to make it pliable- roll in bird seed.

My birds prefer just plain fresh lard to all the adulterated one I've tried-- but that doesn't make for a project. . . . unless you just make the 'feeder'-- can be as simple as a nail driven in a board, or as complicated as folding hardware cloth.

Jim Sounds over the abilities of first and second graders. :)

I'm looking for extra onion bags right now! Too bad I just finishe that huge bag and tossed it. I have 4 potentials, I think I'll be doin lots of onions and shallots for a few days!

Thanks for your help

Cheryl My kids used peanutbutter and rolled pine cones in bird seed. Tie red ribbon on before hand. They hung them every where a small kid could reach. This was a family tradition and still is.

Betsy

Which would be great EXCEPT if you reread the original post, I have GS that is ALLERGIC to peanuts.

Cheryl My error but I bet lard would suffice. And if you find it it's chea and with kids crafts that's a PLUS

here is a web site that might help u out

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we used to do the pinecone idea as mentioned :) when the kids wer younger also. but we did two kinds one with peanut butter and the othe we rolled the pinecone in lard, then in bird seed and then we hung i using ribbon. maybe the lard and seed one might work for ya. good luck. sockiescat

-- sockiescat

Reply to
sockiescat

I don't see your location...can you get hold of some crabapples or mountain ash berries? Various birds will eat those and they'd look good hanging on an evergreen tree too. Many stores that sell seeds for wild birds also carry a selection of suet cakes that don't contain any nuts (if you trust the manufacturer).

Forget the vegetable based shortening. Birds eat animal fats, including butter!

BT

Reply to
BT

BT I don't see your location...can you get hold of some crabapples o

mountain ash berries? Various birds will eat those and they'd look good hanging o an evergreen tree too. Many stores that sell seeds for wild birds als carry a selection of suet cakes that don't contain any nuts (if you trust the manufacturer).

Forget the vegetable based shortening. Birds eat animal fats including butter!

BT

I've found recipes using rendered suet/lard, but frankly, none of the leaders have the time to do that.

Would solid vegetable shortening work?

After everyone is at school/work, I'll look for the right bir newsgroup, but you folks are a fount of information.

Thanks a million

Cheryl

here ya go i hope this answers your question about the shortenin verses the lard question. have fun making your bird treats and goo luck.

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sockiescat

-- sockiescat

Reply to
sockiescat

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