How to make fat balls for birds

A simple nature craft for kids – get the easy recipe for home made fat balls for birds and help sustain garden wildlife over winter.

We just LOVE giving nature a home and squeezing as much wildlife and nature into the garden as we possibly can. Making homemade fat balls for garden birds is a great little nature craft for kids and it all goes to help sustain wild birds and other creatures over the cold winter months.

What you need to make fat balls for birds

homemade fat ball on a ribbon hanging from bare branches

Fat ball recipe

Peckish winter warmer bird food, mixing bowls and silicon muffin cases ready to make homemade fat balls for birds

1 cup wild bird seed – we used Peckish Winter Warmer seed mix
1/2 cup porridge oats
1/2 cup peanuts – make sure they’re unsalted, natural peanuts
1/2 cup raisins
150g lard
3 silicone muffin cases (or use empty yogurt pots)
3 lengths of ribbon for hanging the fat balls from the trees
saucepan
spoon
mixing bowl

How to make fat balls for birds

Pierce a small hole in the muffin cases (or yogurt pots) and thread through a loop of ribbon – tie it in a knot – this will hang the fat balls from the trees.

pushing ribbon through silicon muffin cases ready to make homemade fat balls for birds

Melt the lard in a small saucepan over a low heat (kids will need supervision with this part)

Put the seeds, porridge oats, peanuts and raisins into a mixing bowl.

Pour the melted lard into the mixing bowl (again supervise young children with this part)

pouring lard onto a mixture of seeds, porridge oats, raisins and peanuts to make homemade fat balls

Mix the seeds and lard together with a spoon – if the mixture seems to sloppy add in some more seeds – however be careful it’s not to dry or it won’t set well.

mixing homemade fat balls for birds with lard, bird food, porridge oats, peanuts and raisins

Pack the seed mixture tightly into the muffin cases – pressing it down so it sets well and stays stuck together.

three homemade fat balls in silicon muffin cases with patterned ribbon for holding them up

Put the fat balls into the fridge and allow them to set overnight.

Remove the fat balls from the fridge, pop them out of the cases (or cut off the yogurt pots with scissors if you used them instead) Then hang them from the trees in the garden.