How to do it: make fat balls for birds
With biscuit cutters, orange peels or old (recycled) cups: we show you some original ways to make fat balls for birds. With this winter DIY, you will help yourself and the birds through the winter.
Tools
- deep-frying fat or coconut oil(As fat for the fat balls, you can use unused frying fat or coconut oil. Do not use butter, which has a laxative effect on the birds).
- seed mix
- moulds: cupcake moulds, biscuit moulds, empty milk or juice carton
- cup, empty tin or glass jar
- squeezed orange peel
- rope
- skewer
- newspaper or baking paper to protect your worktop
Instructions
- Heat the frying fat or coconut oil until it is soft. Mix the seed mix into the oil. The ratio is about 1 to 1. Mix the seeds well into the oil.
- When using biscuit cutters. Place the moulds on the baking sheet. Spoon the mixture into the moulds and leave to cool. As the moulds are open at the bottom, it is best to let your seed mixture cool a little first so that the coconut oil is no longer too runny. Use a skewer or a knitting pin to make a hole. Do this when it is still a bit soft. When the coconut oil has hardened completely, it's a bit trickier. When it has hardened completely, you can remove it from the mould. If you can't get the fat out of the mould properly, run some warm water over it and you'll get them out in no time! Thread a string through the hole and they are ready to hang up! Tip: if you use a cupcake tin, you can easily make many fat balls in one go!
- Cups: spoon the seed mixture into a cup. Insert a stick directly opposite the ear (see main photo for example). When the fat has solidified, thread a string through the ear and you can hang it up like this. The little birds can sit on the stick. Tip: Use nice vintage cups from the thrift shop, or that one cute cup that has a piece off, but is still too nice to throw away.
- Cans or glass jars: Fill the glass or can with the mixture. To hang them, it is best to use a peanut butter pot holder for birds.
- When I saw the orange fat balls on Instagram, I wanted to make these too! I squeezed some oranges and used the squeezed halves. First, let the peels dry for about 2 days. Otherwise, the peel will be too soft and tear out when you tie a string to it. Using a skewer, I made 4 holes in the peel crosswise (not too close to the edge!) and tied a string to it. Fill with the mixture and you're done! You could also pierce skewers diagonally through them and then tie a string to them. Another option is to just place them like that in your birdhouse.