How to Make Suet Cakes for Your Chickens

One of the most popular and well-rounded treats for chickens are suet cakes: a simple combination of fat or oil, grains, and just about anything else you want to include that your birds like.

These perfect, easy-to-make treats are just the thing for boosting calorie intake in the winter or giving your birds a boost of nutrition and a little something fun to nibble on in the summertime. Keep reading and I’ll share my favorite recipe below, and tell you how to easily make it yourself.

Ingredients and Tools

You don’t need much to make good suet cakes for your birds, and the best thing about them is how adaptable they are. Most things that chickens can eat can be used as ingredients if you want!

Animal Fat / Oil: This is the binder of the suet cake, as it holds all the ingredients together and also serves as a good source of calories itself. You can use any kind of animal fat that you want, be it beef tallow, pork fat, duck fat, or even chicken fat, but coconut oil is a great option too. I like to use a 50/50 mix of coconut oil and animal fat.

Note: avoid using bacon grease or fat from seasoned and salted beef or other meats; this will add too much salt to the recipe and it can be harmful for your birds. You’ll need two cups total, or one cup of each.

Oats or Barley: You can use these or any other grains that chickens like in this recipe. They add much-needed nutrients and they are easy for our birds to digest. If you want, you can even use a mixture. You’ll need two cups of dried grains, whichever you prefer.

Corn (optional): Corn is, of course, a grain but I mention it separately because it is optional. Corn is very fattening, even for chickens, because it’s calorie-dense, but that can be a benefit for our flocks if they are stressed or if the weather is very cold.

I like to add corn to this recipe in the winter, but leave it out or use it sparingly in the summer. Add a quarter cup of cracked corn if you want to include it.

Insect Protein (optional): Another optional mix-in. Mealworms, crickets, grubs, and other chicken favorites are all good choices. Add two to four tablespoons at your preference.

Herbs: Dried herbs like lavender, rosemary, basil, and more are packed with healthy antioxidants and various other nutrients, and also have many other health benefits for birds. Add a couple teaspoons of your favorite.

Seeds: Black oil sunflower seeds are, as ever, a great choice. Add about a third of a cup.

Dried Berries: Most chickens go crazy for dried fruit, and it is good for them as long as they don’t get too much. Add about a quarter cup of raisins, dried cherries, dried blueberries, or similar to this mix.

Silicone Mold or Muffin Pan: You can make your suet cakes in any shape you want, or even in a large block. I strongly recommend, though, you use a food-safe silicone mold to make smaller cakes or use an old muffin pan for the purpose. This makes it much easier to portion it out for your birds.

Mixing Bowl: A large mixing bowl comes in handy for combining all of the ingredients thoroughly and evenly before placing in the mold.

That is everything we need. Now let’s whip these cakes up for our hungry feathered friends!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Melt oil and fat. Put it in a saucepan over low heat, stick it in the microwave on low power, or pop it in the oven for a few minutes. You want it just liquid, but not steaming and definitely not boiling.

Step 2: Add all dry ingredients to mixing bowl. Everything that you chose for this recipe or want to include. Stir everything together with a spoon:

Step 3: Allow oil and fat to cool slightly and pour over other ingredients. Again, you don’t want the oil piping hot. If you overdid it a little bit, let it cool enough so that it’s easy to handle and won’t burn you, then pour it over the dry ingredients.

Step 4: Mix ingredients until evenly coated. Stir thoroughly but gently:

Step 5: Scoop suet mixture into mold or muffin tin. Use a spoon or spatula as needed. Pack it in gently so that it fills each cavity and clings together:

Step 6: Place mold or pan in freezer. Let the cakes freeze for a couple of hours or, if needed, overnight. Check consistency regularly; they are done when they are firm and hold together:

Step 7: Remove cakes from mold or pan. Use a knife or spatula if needed to help pop them out. Wrap the unneeded portion with wax paper for storage.

Step 8: Serve! Your suet cakes are ready to serve as soon as they are firm and hold together.

Store The Cakes Properly to Prevent Spoilage and Stop Pests

Your suet cakes will spoil and go rancid, in time, at room temperature. Keep the extras frozen until you’re ready to serve them. You can either let them thaw until they’re soft, or serve them frozen; your chickens will pick them apart and frozen suet cakes can help cool them down!

Also, don’t serve more at a time than your chickens will eat completely; all of the ingredients will attract pests if you leave them out! Clean up any uneaten portion for safety.