Most folks tell you that you need to use Tallow (Beef) lard in regards to making a homemade bird feed seed cakes. I wanted to share that it is very possible to use lard (pork). I will admit that I am using pasture based no corn/no soy locally processed self rendered by myself.
Having said that if you can find rendered Tallow or Lard at your local butcher, I see no reason why this would not work just as well. I think in a total pinch, you could use lard from the store as well.
I have Tallow and Lard cakes out in the yard at the same time, and I am needing to make and replace the lard one faster then the tallow. I will admit to being a touch surprised by this fact.
This recipe is a great blend of 2 cups of sunflower seeds and 2 cups of mixed small bird seed with two cups of my home rendered lard. Mix together and place it in a tub or pan to chill, then cut and place in the feeder.
This recipe makes 2 blocks. My suit feeder is a double feeder, one block on each side and my big sunflower feeder as seen above also needs two blocks, one on each end. If you only use one block at a time, you can still make this recipe. Just put the second block into a tub or bag and pop it into the freezer until you need it. Bring it back to room temp and then put it out into your feeder.
If you buy a store feeder block, just wash it up and keep it as your mold to make your homemade ones in.
Just another Day on the Farm 
I use the lard I get from the butcher and render at home to make my birdseed blocks. The birds here seem to love it even preferring it to the store bought blocks.
Its wonderful when we are lucky enough to still have the local butcher shop to go to.
Just wondering V… What would happen if you did a 50/50 blend of lard and tallow? (If you were wanting to use up the tallow, that is)
I think it would work just fine, I can’t see myself doing it but I the sheep tallow is very hard and even 20 percent of it added in would really stiffen it up. I find the sheep tallow to be as hard or even harder then beef tallow myself.. but I am always working with my own homegrown or pasture raised and I am not sure how it translates to store bought to be honest.
The students at the college used to make these, and would love watching the birds come and eat from them (though in the end the last ball they made, was eaten by two very greedy pigeons XD).
lol, greedy pigeons.. I have wild ones in my big barn loft.
I have some lard that I could use to do this…great idea!
Thanks Lisa, its so easy and fast if you need to do so, the birds will like scratch chicken feed in there just as much as the fancy store mix and its certainly a lot cheaper 🙂
Reblogged this on Life and Living on My Old Kentucky Homestead.
We need to do this. We feed birds all summer long but this is a great idea for those who winter over here. Thanks for the idea and recipe!
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