Anybody have any ideas for chicken entertainment?

[Sylvester017]

Thank you! Chickens make such wonderful subjects. They do get to free range most of the time but this certainly keeps them entertained when they're stuck in the run. Even when the gate is open and they have the whole yard, they still return to the root ball for the dust baths and afternoon naps/sunning sessions. Now I'm thinking I should hide some treats in the nooks and crannies...at least during the winter to cut down on boredom.

Our SoCal winters are pretty mild so we don't pen our chickens. Still they like different things in the backyard. Next week I'll be pulling all the dead/dying tomato plants from one of the raised garden beds and then I'll turn the girls loose in that bed to have a go at turning, scratching, and dust bathing in the soil. They'll keep the soil turned over and soft until I'm ready to add compost in the Spring and it'll be like a big playpen for them for a couple months!

 

[TassieChookBoy]

Having a plethora of trees around, I cut a couple of branches, drilled some holes, got some wire and chain, and made swings for both wings of the chook-mahal. One has a log with an out-reaching branch resting against it to give a bit of stability/steadiness.... the other is free swinging. They love both.

 

[Zoom Zoom]

My chicks are four months old now. I built them a swing for their run about two months ago and they absolutely love it. They are in their run mornings and one or two are constantly "swinging". I also have various thick cedar branches for them to climb. I move them around every couple weeks to give them something new to investigate.

 

[matt44644]

I got mine the metal ball with the bell on it.They seem to be afraid of it.

 

[mowgli457]

CAN U POST A PICTURE PLEASE ??

 

[matt44644]

https://www.meyerhatchery.com/productinfo.a5w?prodID=TRBA

 

[purdue777]

We have 19 chickens at present. I saw the posts about chicken swings, so we made a few. The only thing is, they have never tried to swing on them. How can I get my chickens to get on the swings, and then how do they make them actually swing? The swings are less than one foot off the ground.I tried to catch a hen and place her on a swing, but she was having none of it! I have raised all of our chickens since they were one day old, and they all run from me like I'm going to kill them if I try to pick one up. What's the secret to taming a chicken and not being afraid of me?

 

[islandgirl82]

We have 19 chickens at present. I saw the posts about chicken swings, so we made a few. The only thing is, they have never tried to swing on them. How can I get my chickens to get on the swings, and then how do they make them actually swing? The swings are less than one foot off the ground.I tried to catch a hen and place her on a swing, but she was having none of it! I have raised all of our chickens since they were one day old, and they all run from me like I'm going to kill them if I try to pick one up. What's the secret to taming a chicken and not being afraid of me?

Three of my pullets were 10-12 weeks old when I got them and now at seven months, they jump into my lap for treats. Chickens are food driven. Make it part of your routine to sit with them, talk to them and offer them treats from your hands and have patience. It will take time. My mature pullets will stay put when I reach to pick them up, or one pullet if I help her off the roost in the morning (it took her a while to figure out the ladder). I have another pullet whose breed is notoriously flighty and I wait to approach her until after she's gone to the roost for the night. When I hold her, I talk to her and pet her. Each time I do this, I notice the following day she stays closer to me and seems more trusting than when I don't handle her. Chickens are very docile at night so that's the best time to handle them to get them used to it, especially for check-overs.

As for getting yours to use the swing, maybe put a block or something to make it easier for them to get up to the swing's level.

 

[Almosta Farm]

Quote:
Where do you get your mealworms? Do you buy them locally or order them? The cheapest I've been able to find them is on amazon.com ... $60 for 5 pounds.

 

[Cluckies]

Islandgirl82, do you have a cover on your run?