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White-breasted Nuthatch reaching over to suet cake bird feeder

How to use a suet bird feeder

Simple open to the elements cage-like bird feeder made to store suet cakes or fat balls in a way all kinds of birds can access, even less able birds at feeders.

How to use a suet bird feeder would be the easiest bird feeder to own and operate. To put in suet cakes or fat balls the lid or cage door simply pops up with no locking mechanism; whereby all suet is standardized to fit in all suet feeders. Hang the feeder on a branch but its best to stabilize on a flat surface.

Get to know your suet bird feeder in a matter of minutes then you'd basically be an expert, as these cage-like bird feeder couldn't be easier to use.

In fact, you can open the side of the suet cake feeder on a hinge to slot in a suet cake; or indeed you can lift up the lid on top of a fat ball bird feeder, where you slot in up to 5 suet fat balls at a time.

Suet bird feeders are really good for wild birds because they are accessible to more birds than any other kind of bird feeder on the pole or if hung off a tree branch.

Open to the elements type of feeder but as suet is developed to withstand severe outdoor conditions... you won't have to be concerned about expiry dates.

Best way to hang a suet bird feeder would be off a visible to all tree branch, yet there's an option to hang suet on the bird feeder pole.

Birds can only find suet in all its form if suet feeders are made to be seen and not hidden somewhere behind a building or under cover of shrubs.

Do use your suet feeder for the suet it was intended for or else suet will simply drop out of the wide open cage; of which birds will use to cling onto at any angle to poke their bills in as they peck at the suet cakes or fat balls.

To get a better idea of how to use suet feeders of any kind, do head over to my what does a suet feeder look like write up to give you some idea what there is in-store for you.

Stabilized vs. Hanging suet options

How to use a suet bird feeder will depend on the type of suet feeder you have indeed chosen to go far, although all options will be made to hang.

That isn't to say you have too use your suet bird feeder as intended, as you can increase the uptake of suet bird feeder use by simply stabilizing the feeder rather than opting to hang it - of which birds can find it difficult to access.

Be it a suet cake of fat ball bird feeder, no feeder of this kind needs to hang off what is still a reliable tree branch or a convenient bird feeder pole.

When in fact simply laying the square shape suet cake bird feeder on its side - up high on an elevated surface within your yard - can allow birds who can use it to continue too, whilst inviting less adaptable birds to feed like American Robins or Bluebirds.

Accessible tree branch must be prioritized if at all possible, but don't be to concerned as a suet feeder can be hung on a metal bracket of any kind.

However, what's to say you can hang the suet bird feeder as its meant to, only this time you will lean or wedge the suet cage or fat ball feeder to allow birds to perch on top to feed - rather than attempt to land on a swing suet feeder.

Stabilizing a suet bird feeder will always be the best way to use a suet feeder, while to hang it can still benefit birds if you avoid it moving at all.

Re-fill Suet feeders with unlocked doors

Depending on what kind of suet bird feeder you have in use, how you'd go about putting suet in the suet feeder will be easy as ever.

Suet bird feeder types do vary of course but what they all have in common is a simple slide up lid or pull open hinge door.

How to open suet bird feeders to swap out suet in all its form, can include the following:

  • Suet cake feeder - usually requires the user to pull open the entire side of the cage which remains on a hinge, whilst securing it a again by clipping back on the door
  • Suet fat ball feeder - referring to the long type fat ball feeders, the lid which acts as cover is simply pulled up on the hanger what is used to hang.
  • Suet pellet wire feeder - basically a peanut-like wire mesh bird feeder for storing suet pellets, lift up the lid to replenish then pop it back down until you hear the click
  • Upside down suet feeder - accessible to only upside down feeding wild birds, the angled roof on top of these made in wood upside down suet feeders are just lifted up, then put back into place
  • Squirrel proof suet feeder - suet bird feeder surrounded in a squirrel proof cage would be all as described for each type of suet feeder above, which is still used as if the squirrel cage wasn't there.

Manufacturer's will make it super easy for you to open up any kind of suet bird feeder, in order for you to offer a continuous supply of suet which are really good for birds in winter.

Standardized Suet type fit

Not only can you buy a suet cake bird feeders designed to hold sandwich-like beef suet blocks, there's also a different kind of suet feeder made to store suet fat balls.

With both fat balls and suet cake bird feeders being among the favorite bird food common backyard birds feed on - what better way than replenishing both types of feeders in suet that is made with a standardized fit.

What that means is the best suet cakes for birds will be approximately 5 by 5 inch square; one inch thickness which is almost guaranteed to fit into any suet cake bird feeder on the market.

Similarly, an inch and an half fat ball will slot into a tubular like wire fat ball feeder without concerns surrounding compatibility issues.

Last thing you want to worry about is if your suet cakes or fat balls will fit, when in fact high quality or far inferior suet is all made in the same size.

If suet fat balls are made a bit to big then you'd still be able to push them in, whilst too small fat balls will result in a bonus larger capacity fat ball bird feeder.

How to use a suet bird feeder will come quickly with fat balls or suet cakes slotting in with no trouble at all. Never will you need to concern yourself with the matter of compatibility when the market utilizes standardization in suet cakes or fat balls.

Suet feeders used in different ways

How you will go about using your chosen suet bird feeder will of course depend on what type of suet feeder you own.

Most common suet bird feeders will be a suet cake or fat ball feeder, although any bird feeder developed to hold suet can be classed as a suet bird feeder.

Allow me to explain what kinds of suet bird feeders you can use in your yard:

  • Suet cake feeder - made to be hung off a chain but the square like feeder can be placed on its side to open it up to all birds
  • Suet fat ball feeder - rounded cage bird feeder can roll around if laid on a surface so would need to be stabilized, but is often found hung among seed or nut feeders
  • Suet pellet wire feeder - less common on the bird feeder pole but this wire mesh suet pellet, also referred to as suet nuggets, can be hung with the best of them
  • Upside down feeder - will allow upside down feeding birds to eat like Chickadees, Woodpeckers and Nuthatches, whilst keeping everyone else well off
  • Squirrel proof feeder - any kind of suet bird feeder can be shrouded in a cage, whereas it functions just the same only squirrels can't steel the suet.

No guarantee you'd receive an abundance of birds on your suet bird feeder but it can help to increase the number of suet feeders you use at any one time.

How to attract birds to suet feeders may rely on different kinds to cater to none able or less able birds on feeders; also birds who prefer to feed upside down - or if birds can be attracted to a suet bird feeder wherever it may be hung in your yard.

Stain or grease prevention measures

When operating a suet bird feeder in your yard to know the suet can create staining or leave a film of grease behind will sure get you ahead of the mess caused.

I will admit the mess made by suet feeders isn't all that bad, but to never clean and maintain a suet feeder can lead to the bird feeder being thrown out - as white stains can appear yet bacteria will grow out of control.

To use a suet bird feeder properly then you will have to clean the suet feeder from time to time or it will deteriorate with signs of wear and tear.

Good news for you as any kind of suet bird feeder can't really be dismantled to clean like other common bird feeders; thus to simply soak it in boiling hot soapy water while scrubbing it with a brush will be the only solution.

Better still, you can cut through the grease using a strong homemade bleach or white vinegar solution, but it will all be made easier if you clean it regularly.

In order to properly use a suet bird feeder you will need to think about your birds health as an unkempt suet feeder can be a cause of salmonella spreading.

To summarize it all

How to use a suet feeder of any kind couldn't be easier, in fact to own and use a suet bird feeder will be easier to handle than any other type of bird feeder.

Basically, the only thing you can do with a suet feeder is pull up the lid to slot in fat balls, or similarly - pop open the hinged door of a suet cake bird feeder to slot in sandwich-like shape suet blocks.

Absolutely can suet bird feeders be hung in many ways, but as its commonly sold and bought with a chain - the hoop on the end of the chain will go over a branch or bracket.

And that is all you need to know about suet bird feeders really, as there's no moving parts or additional features to get your head around.

Manufacturer's of fat balls or suet cakes have standardized their suet into a size that will fit 99.9% of suet bird feeders on the market today.

Now all you have to do is hang your suet bird feeder, or why not use additional suet feeders to be sure birds can be attracted to them, while coming across multiple suet feeder placements in the yard.

Its essential you don't forget to clean and maintain suet bird feeders at least twice monthly - as suet as a knack of causing white stains or leaving behind a film of grease.

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