Anybody have any ideas for chicken entertainment?

[The ChickenKing]

My chickens are about 4 1/2 months old and I feel like they might be kinda bored, are there any cool ideas out there to keep them entertained & happy?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

And, don't forget their favorite toy- YOU!

 

[petuniaSD]

I saw a video of a lady who installed a chicken swing, hung old cd's from a string like a mobile, and threw in a Kong dog toy that they filled with chicken treats.
I don't know much about chicken psychology but if they're ADD like me, variety always helps keep my attention.

 

[MamaChicken4]

I'm building a large run right now and I'm going to build a couple different ladders and jungle gyms for them. I have a plastic mirror hanging in their coop they like to look in. You can string apples and treats for them to peck in. Also you can put a pile of wet leaves in the outdoor run and they will dig in that for bugs. They love shiny objects so you can hang those for them to peck. Just make sure they cant get small objects to choke on. Haha. You can put different seeds in a shallow tray of water for them to find. Dust boxes keep them busy as well. You can also build a "chicken swing" for them. Just a bunch of different ideas. Go crazy and let your imagination run.

 

[rfreedlund]

Compost!!


They love perching on the sides of the compost bins, too.

 

[Celizwalsh]

This is a great thread! I absolutely LOVE finding new ways to keep my chickens entertained ... its a challenge and it makes for great entertainment. I call it chicken enrichment

. I just built this little "catwalk" for my girls the other day. I have been putting things on/around/under it since then to keep them entertained and exercised.



I also hang a suet feeder in their run and stuff it with kitchen scraps or weeds



I also place plastic tubs throughout their run that are filled with tasty treats like meals worms, frozen friut (when its hot), or sand for dust bathing. Then when they are empty the chickens use them to climb on or sleep in lol.




I also use one of those plastic treat balls in the run for them to kick around and keep occupied



and one of their favorite things in when I put a tree branch in their run. Its a tasty treat and a shady napping spot! lol



Of course if all else fails good ol fashion scratch works great too! Everyone has such great ideas so far ... I think I will try the mirror idea in my coop next.

 

[bamadude]

Mine are watching macguyver right now. They may be planning an escape or a coop attempt

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Anything new you can introduce to their environment will spark their curiosity and give them something to do. Are they outside? Are they confined in a coop/building or able to go out into a contained run or free range?
You can do anything from hanging a head of cabbage for them to peck at, putting in new items for them to climb around on/under, creating "food puzzles" out of things they have to move or manipulate to get into a treat, etc.

 

[The ChickenKing]

   I saw a video of a lady who installed a chicken swing, hung old cd's from a string like a mobile, and threw in a Kong dog toy that they filled with chicken treats.
  I don't know much about chicken psychology but if they're ADD like me, variety always helps keep my attention.
 

Yeah I saw that video of the swing too, the toy with treats sounds like a good idea, I just bought them a treat bell so I can put my garden scraps in it for them to peck at. Thanks

 

[UkuleleLady]

I am new to chickens but my chicken seems quite interested in the little silver whirligigs that I have around my koi pond to deter herons. She seems fascinated with it and pecks at it.