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How to Keep Chickens From being Bored

post #1 of 173
7/22/12 at 10:54am
Thread Starter 

What all can be added to the coop or run for a nice bout of play time to keep my chickens from being bored? What do they like to interact with?

 

Thanks in advance. :)

 

 

 

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post #2 of 173
7/22/12 at 11:01am
I would toss some blue rubber racket balls in there for them to play with

Also you can try getting a stick pouring honey on it and dipping it in their feed and giving them that to mess with
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post #3 of 173
7/22/12 at 11:03am
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the reply. Is there specifically something about blue they like?
 

EDIT: Sorry, I have no clue why I asked that. They are almost all blue. th.gif


Edited by LovelyBantam - 7/22/12 at 11:11am
 

 

 

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post #4 of 173
7/22/12 at 11:15am

Mine have a few things in their run which they seem to like.

 

1.  Old Tree Stump........they love pecking it to find insects in the wood, and they also like climbing all over it.  Sometimes they like to rest under it for shade.

 

2.  Area of sand.............they like to dust bath in it and scratch about.

 

3.  Old wooden crate...........they love to fly up onto the top...particularly the roosters!

 

4.  An area of grass...........like to peck at it.

 

5.  They love it after it has stopped raining to paddle in the puddles and scratch about in them!

 

6.  You can hang up a whole cabbage for them to peck at.

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post #5 of 173
7/22/12 at 11:17am
Thread Starter 

How long can you leave the cabbage out there?
 

 

 

 

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post #6 of 173
7/22/12 at 11:28am

You've seen those cages for bird suet in the bird/pet section? I put in stuff to peck - it swings on a string, taking them much time to catch a bite. I stuff in fresh kale, whole carrots, broccoli, cabbage. It's fun for birds, fun for watchers. Sometimes, I just put chunks of cabbage around the area and they peck at it. I distribute chunks around so those lower on the totem pole have a chance to get some and to avoid being pecked away from the food.
 

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post #7 of 173
7/22/12 at 11:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gingerpeach22 View Post

You've seen those cages for bird suet in the bird/pet section? I put in stuff to peck - it swings on a string, taking them much time to catch a bite. I stuff in fresh kale, whole carrots, broccoli, cabbage. It's fun for birds, fun for watchers. Sometimes, I just put chunks of cabbage around the area and they peck at it. I distribute chunks around so those lower on the totem pole have a chance to get some and to avoid being pecked away from the food.
 


So, is it like a hay ball for guinea pigs, just a lot larger? (Trying to get a good mental picture.)

 

 

 

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post #8 of 173
7/22/12 at 12:03pm

FInd ways to stash mealworms in confines promoting searching behavior.  Make so they have to scratch, jump or fly to locations with eats. 

Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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Make every effort to understand your chicken's biology and the environment that supports it.
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post #9 of 173
7/22/12 at 12:04pm

Speaking of hay, I toss rice straw in and let them rearrange it. If I put in enough it can take them quite a while to decorate. 

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post #10 of 173
7/22/12 at 12:07pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks again for your replies. They are very much appreciated. smile.png
 

 

 

 

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying › How to Keep Chickens From being Bored