Homemade flock block recipes

[GrandmaCluck]

By the way...what is BOSS??

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Black Oil Sunflower Seed

Ed

 

[chookchick]

I've got a suet holder hanging in my run. I found a large seed block at Lowe's that was made of sunflower seeds, peanuts, millet, safflower and held together with gelatin. 16% min protein, not bad for a seed block. It's a large block that I tear chunks off of and put in the small suet holder (they also have a large suet-type holder that would be great for a larger flock). The hanging suet holder has been a huge hit for the gals.

Does anyone know how to make a seed block using gelatin? I think that would be the perfect binder--wouldn't need to cook the whole thing at all. I'm going to do some experimentation if I can't find any info on this.


Never mind--found this recipe on the web--this would work great for homemade flock blocks!:

Birdseed Wreath

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
4 1/4 ounce pkgs. Knox unflavored gelatin
8 cups birdseed

Boil 1 1/2 cup water.
Empty the 4 packages of gelatin into 8 tablespoons of cold water in a large bowl.
Let the gelatin sit for 1 minute.
Add the boiling water and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the gelatin has dissolved.
Stir 8 cups of birdseed into the gelatin, mixing thoroughly.
Let the mixture set for a few minutes, then stir again. Repeat this process a few times allowing the seed to absorb the liquid.
Spoon the mixture into a greased bundt pan and put in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Remove the wreath from the mold by inverting the pan and tapping along the bottom. The pan may need to warm to room temperature before the wreath will come out.
Allow the wreath to dry on a cooling rack overnight or longer if necessary.

 

[DawnSuiter]

This is the recipe in each bag of my cake mix:

Solid/Shaped Cakes - Combine .25oz (1 envelope) of Knox Gelatin with 1/4 cup of warm water over low heat, stir until dissolved. Add 4 oz of cake mix with sweetener [molasses or honey] and 1.5 Tbs of Fish Meal and stir until well mixed.
Pack into desired pan or shaped mold & refrigerate until solid.

It just takes a couple hours to cool in the fridge... no grease required... the cake is a solid block when it's done... slides right out! Although I use non stick & glass pans... maybe that is why... ?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Great thread! I can't wait to start cooking!

 

[smoothmule]

I was wanting to try the Purina Flock Block myself and they don't carry it in my area so I was wondering if I could make something myself. This is "THE" best place to find information! I should have known I'd find something in this forum

So, I had mistakenly gotten laying mash instead of the usual crumbles this time and thought they would be great in a block. My hens are funny, they won't eat pellets and they huff and puff at the mash but the crumbles are just right

silly girls.

Anyway, I didn't really measure but I added everything but the kitchen sink!

I started with the laying mash, added some scratch, some whole flax seed and black oil sunflower seeds. There seemed to be a good bit of powder from the laying mash. I added some dried blueberries that had set around long enough I knew no one would eat them, chopped up a couple of whole wheat dried out bagels someone had left open and added a couple slices of whole wheat bread. It was topped off with some sand/grit, vitamin A, D &E granules, a bit of koi powder (loads of trace minerals) and I bought some molasses granules (I figure it will add the stick together stuff. Then I put really warm water over it and some corn syrup and added water till it was a good consistency. I let it set to start sticking together a little then packed it tight, into a deep, stainless steel strainer that fits in my cooking pot to steam veggies and strain noodles that I lined with parchment paper so it's easy to clean up and it will come out of the pot easier. I figure the strainer holes will let it get more moisture out so it dries harder, we'll see. I really packed it in, as tight as I could press it down. I did save out enough for 6 cupcake tins full too. I put cupcake papers in the and packed them down good. I figure my little Serama's should have a try at them too.

It's in the oven now at 250 degrees and I'll leave it in there a while then turn off the over and let it cool a good long time before I move it.

I can't wait to see how this mess comes out

It smells delicious

 

[lazyoranch]

How did your block turn out?

Does anyone have any new recipes or revisions out there? (I am asking this since this is an older thread).

 

[smoothmule]

Humm, well I was hoping for a block that would keep them busy a few days but instead, they ate the whole thing in one day. I'm surprised no one exploded. They sure liked it alright and it was hard as those protein blocks for horses are but once they got going, it just took a few hours to demolish and consume it.

I'm going to buy a purina flock block just to see if it lasts any longer.

 

[Airilith]

I just saw this thread, and got inspired. I ran to walmart, and just now put my first flock block in the oven.

My recipe:
1c wild bird feed
1/2c large pet bird feed (I like the colors and thought my chooks would too)
1c oats
3 lg pinches of previously baked and crushed egg shells
4 eggs
2 slices of whole wheat bread (which I moistened)
1 diced apple

The apple was a last minute addition. It just hit me as a good idea. I mixed it all together and put it in a well greased bread tin.

My plan is to cook it about 1.5 hours at 300 degrees, but I'll check it ever 15-30 minutes to see how it's going.

I'll let y'all know how it turns out

 

[boxermom]

I bet it smells good...