The wind has been howling relentlessly, here—some gusts up to 60 miles per hour. This, combined with a couple of unseasonably warm days and whitetail deer eating their fill in every nearby field, can only mean one thing—A storm is a’coming! We are on winter weather watch, with snow in the forecast, and so it is officially time for me to break out the Zick Dough, or as we jokingly refer to it around here, Bird Crack. This is essentially a suet recipe containing cereal grains, chick food, and fat. It is very rich and so I only offer it to my birds in the winter when it is very cold and windy out, or on those unseasonably cold spring days, when natural food sources have dwindled after being eaten by birds all winter. This is not a year-round food supplement, but it will make your winter birds love you!
I found this very easy-to-make suet recipe from Julie Zickefoose, Ohio wildlife artist, writer, and naturalist. She has an incredible background in raising baby birds of many species, including a Blue Jay by the name of Jemima. She wrote a fabulous book about Jemima called Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck Jay, which I wholeheartedly recommend you read! I got this recipe from her website. I had been purchasing Birdacious Bark Butter from Wild Birds Unlimited. It seemed like something I could somehow recreate in my own kitchen, mostly because we do not have a Wild Birds Unlimited store near where we live. In researching bark butter, I found Julie’s recipe for Zick Dough, Improved. If this recipe is blended up (made in the blender or food processor), it is very similar to Bark Butter. I find it not quite as sticky Bark Butter, though. I like leaving it as crumbles for winter feeding—plus, it is one less step, leaving it crumbly.
So far, the birds who have partaken Zick Dough include: Blue Jays, Juncos, a few different Sparrows, House Finches, Magpies, Northern Flickers, Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, etc. Give this recipe a try and see what beautiful winter birds you can attract to your backyard!
As always, I have made a PRINTABLE VERSION for you. Let me know how your birds like Zick Dough, below, and which bird finds it first! My blue jays sniffed out the peanutty essence of this recipe, from a mile away, and were here within less than a half hour!
How to make Zick Dough for Wild Birds
From the kitchen of Julie Zickefoose
Ingredients
1 cup lard*
1 cup peanut butter, creamy OR crunchy
2 cups unmedicated** Chick Starter crumbles
2 cups quick oats
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
OPTIONAL: 1-2 cups sunflower chips or shelled sunflower seeds
Preparation
Melt Fats: In a microwave-safe dish, melt together lard and peanut butter.
Combine Ingredients: In a separate bowl, measure out dry ingredients. Stir until combined, then slowly mix in melted lard & peanut butter. When fully combined, mixture will be somewhat crumbly.
To Serve: Crumble mixture and serve however you’d like. I have a dinner bell bird feeder that I like to put zick dough in, to keep it from getting soggy. Some days, when it’s below freezing, I just toss it out on the deck or along the deck railing. The birds will crowd in to gobble it up & leave no trace. This food is very rich in fat and should only be served as a winter supplement, when temperatures are very cold and storms imminent.
Store at Room Temperature or in a fridge. All ingredients are shelf-stable, but I find it less messy to serve if stored in the fridge.
*I buy Snow Cap Lard from the grocery store. It is in the same aisle as the oils/vegetable shortening & baking ingredients.
**Chick Starter Crumbles can be found in the chicken feed section of your feed store or local ag co-op. Be sure to buy Non-Medicated crumbles. A 5 lb. bag costs me around $6-$8 and makes several batches.
