"Chris Hogg" wrote in message Piggy-backing on your
question, my wife has heard that it's not good
to put out fat for the birds, either on its own or mixed with oats or
breadcrumbs or whatever, as fat balls. As fat is a good source of
energy, why not? The birds seem to go for it.

--

I can't think why not except that commercially available fat balls are
wrapped in nets and birds can get their feet caught in them. Might be a
Chinese whispers type of thing.
Home made fat balls & bird cakes must save many lives in this sort of
weather.
Don't use vegetable suet though, has to be the real thing.
I melt suet and mix with sunflower hearts, raisins, oatmeal, chopped
peanuts, put it into a plastic mould (anything you have to fit the qty
you've made) while it's still warm I poke a length of string into it then
into the fridge to set. You hang it from the string.
Voila!
If you can't get it out of the mould when it comes out of the fridge, just
sit the whole thing in warm water for a short time.
There's a nice birdie thread going on here which you all might like to share
on uk.rec.birdwatching. Full of nice people who'd be interested and are
very knowledgable.
Tina