Does anyone make their own suet for their chickens?

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

A local meat processor sells cow fat for 50 cents a pound.

I've fed my chickens some of the cheap $1 suet cakes for song birds and they really like them.

Thinking about making some of my own with cow fat, meal worms, black soldier fly larvae, and sunflower seeds.

 

[AGeese]

I'm not sure how good the suet cakes are for chickens, I'd treat them like a treat. Your idea sounds better, but still probably as a treat if that's what your intention is.

 

[NatJ]

A local meat processor sells cow fat for 50 cents a pound.

I've fed my chickens some of the cheap $1 suet cakes for song birds and they really like them.

Thinking about making some of my own with cow fat, meal worms, black soldier fly larvae, and sunflower seeds.

If you want to give fat to your chickens, you can just give it to them. No need to add expensive extras.

But do consider whether you want a lot of extra fat in their diet. In some situations they do need extra calories (example: really cold weather), but most of the time they will do well with a balanced chicken feed and not much else. That is the point of a balanced feed: it does not need extra protein, or extra fat, or extra vitamins or minerals, etc.

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

I'm not sure how good the suet cakes are for chickens, I'd treat them like a treat. Your idea sounds better, but still probably as a treat if that's what your intention is.

Yeah, we've been giving one every few days, or more often when its been really cold out.

 

[DemeterAD9]

It’s plenty possible, I’ve made some out of deer fat and bird seed but we didn’t have chickens at the time.

I probably wouldn’t feed suet to chickens though. That’s a lot of fat and too much fat isn’t good for them. As a very rare treat it should be okay.

 

[ThatsMyPurseIdontknowyou]

It’s plenty possible, I’ve made some out of deer fat and bird seed but we didn’t have chickens at the time.

I probably wouldn’t feed suet to chickens though. That’s a lot of fat and too much fat isn’t good for them. As a very rare treat it should be okay.

Yeah, I've only been giving it as a treat when its cold. We've got another stretch of below freezing weather and snow coming, so we gave them another suet cake, and will probably give another on the coldest of the days. But its not something we give daily.

 

[AGeese]

I used to buy chick sticks, but those are kind of expensive. In the winter I'll get a flock block which lasts a lot longer.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

A local meat processor sells cow fat for 50 cents a pound.

I've fed my chickens some of the cheap $1 suet cakes for song birds and they really like them.

Thinking about making some of my own with cow fat, meal worms, black soldier fly larvae, and sunflower seeds.

I'm sure some people do.
There are quite a few "recipes" available.
Most use rendered fat (Tallow) which should be fairly easy to do, it's just heating/cooking down the fat to liquid, then straining out impurities.

But I suppose you could somehow just use the fat as is(?) too.

Remember, this is a "treat" so feeding/providing something like suet should be in moderation. I'm sure others will chime in with their thoughts/suggestions as well.

https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2016/01/homemade-suet-cakes.html
https://blog.mcmurrayhatchery.com/2...ultry-high-protein-treats-for-molting-season/
https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2013/01/homemade-suet-warming-chicken-treat.html