Not if you mix Cheyenne pepper with the seeds!

That's right! Thanks!

I made this feeder out of a 2 x 4 which seemed to work, except that it took too long to fill the holes for the short time it took for them to finish it off......;..; until I decided to drill them all the way though.
It or others could be hung under a squirrel baffle. Oh Sheryl the raw peanuts are in produce sections of grocery stores here try looking there.

I will, thanks, Sheila!

So, I made the recipe, only I used black sunflower seeds and nyjer seeds, along with cranberries that I had cooked and drained.

I don't know where they came up with "makes six ornaments" unless they have a super big muffin making tin. I was able to make 12. Mine stuck together okay, but not fantastic. I think if I do it again I'll add another spoonful or two of the Karo, just to help it out. It might do better with the regular bird seed mix. I also sprayed with non-stick canola oil.

Sheila_FW, Your feeder is perfect. I bought one off eBay last year which was half the size of yours and the holes were only a inch deep It was a pain and I never refilled it.
susan

One year I just took a piece of Christmas tree about 2 inches in diameter, leaving short limb stubs. I just spread the mixture on the bark, but it is too warm here to have something homemade out year round.

It has been so warm here thus far this winter, I'm in the same situation with the homemade suet. Alas, the nightly visitor, probably a raccoon, took the suet cage and all last night. I forgot to take it down. S/he usually takes out the suet cake and leaves the cage, but not last night. Must have left in a hurry.

That's pretty bad

Or it made a great trellis in their new condo...

Yeah, I've retrieved it from over the back fence a few times. One time it was jammed in the hole s/he dug to crawl under the fence. I still haven't spotted it anywhere this time though.

Grrr.....

at trellis!
My sister has to chain the cat's dishes because she has lost so many to raccoons at her house.

Now there's an idea ... just might have to try that. I think s/he must have dug a bigger hole under the fence so it wouldn't get lodged there again. I guess they have all night long to work on their projects.

You're so right!

Sheila_FW said:I made this feeder out of a 2 x 4 which seemed to work, except that it took too long to fill the holes for the short time it took for them to finish it off......;..; until I decided to drill them all the way though.
It or others could be hung under a squirrel baffle. Oh Sheryl the raw peanuts are in produce sections of grocery stores here try looking there.

This was in this week's Dave's Garden newsletter! My neighbor 2 houses down got a real tree for Christmas, I think I'm going to take it when she's done with it & make this! I have lots of woodpeckers in our neighborhood...

Now *that's* cool. I haven't seen any woodpeckers since my dead tree fell down (what, everyone doesn't keep dead trees in their front yard???) but I hear them close by.

Maybe I need to kill another tree. Naw, Shelia's idea is quicker.

Skiekitty.....I did that one year, but found my downy woodpeckers couldn't get in around all of the stubs, so I had to trim back a few. The ruby crowned kinglet enjoyed the homemade suet too.

My neighbor got a real tree for Christmas, so when she throws it out I'm gonna snag it. It is a pretty tall tree, like a 9', so I should be able to make a few feeders!!

Sheila, do you buy your suet?