chicken toys ??

[chickengirlnm]

well i am getting my girls cabbage this weekend and some rope and i am going to hang it from a tree branch, thanks for the word to the wise about the robe getting around a neck but I already plan on being out there with them and a camera to get those silly girls doing what ever they will with this cabbage hanging there LOL this should be a sight for the neighbors - i have to hang it rather low for my two banties to have fun. I will post pictures to let you all know how they did.

 

[nccountrygirl]

I tried the cabbage on the string thing and it hung there until it turned to kraut, they never messed with it.

 

[blossom hen]

Quote:
Rachel, I use nylon rope and then straightened a wire coat hanger out, made a loop on one end and tied the rope on it. I poke the other end of the hanger through the cabbage stem end first and then make a "U" shape on it and push the cabbage down on the "U". Since I have several bantams, I have the cabbage hanging fairly low and they eat at it from the bottom and the standards from the top. A large cabbage head can be decimated in a few hours if they really go after it. (This is hanging from a tree branch as I have a huge tree in the center of the coop.)

 

[TucsonFrizzled]

Howdy ~

My girls have a suet cage that I found in the dollar section of my favorite grocery store. I stuff it full of whatever vegtable or fruit is handiest and they work on that all day. They eat more of the fresh stuff and not so much of it gets trampled.

I call it the fruit pinata because they can really get it to swinging and it seems to be pretty fair because it is difficult to peck out the fruit while elbowing another out of the way. Everyone gets to play.

Lots of fun!

Wendy and Fancie

 

[ukchickengirl]

i'm so glad i found this thread!!!!

i'm always looking the parrot section at the pet shop to see if anyones invented

chicken toys

if you do invent some can you send some to me in the uk please!!! once my girls are in their now bigger run they will have a small tree in the middle of it but i'm gonna put a couple of logs in it and now the cabbage on the rope!!

DH thinks i'm mad, he just doesnt understand!!

H x

 

[chickengirlnm]

I have to admit at first I felt silly asking about toys for chickens, but I am glad I did !!
I am also glad that I found a group of people as nutty about thier chickens as I am and thought of all these ways to entertain thier flocks !! I told my hubby about the cabbage thing he just gave me this " you have lost it look " but he really liked the cricket tube idea so I am also going to a bait shop/pet store which ever and get my girls some creepy bugs ( they better eat them all so none come near me )
Thank you for all the ideas you all are great ( and alittle chicken crazy LOL)

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I use a suet cage too, but I've attached it to the run's hardware cloth walls. I never thought to let it swing. Good idea. Winter toys are going to be tough - no tomato branches to throw in, no vegetable garden overflow... Is it spring yet?

 

[hencackle]

I've thrown a meaty beef bone to the chickens and let them run with it for a while. They will play "keep away" until the bone is picked clean.
Stephanie

 

[wegotchickens]

Quote:
That's a cool idea! I've found a local guy who raises grass fed beef, pork and chicken with no hormones and such. So when we finish our pork-chops Saturday I may have to give a bone to the peeps!
That will make the neighbor's dog very disappointed in us, though. Have to give him the other bones, I guess. This dog is used to getting all of our bones, since we don't have a dog.

 

[Markp1964]

Its interesting how these things come up-I was just pondering this very idea, especially feeding cabbage. Just read a book published in Britain that advises feeding cabbage or other related plants (cauliflower, broccoli leaves, etc) as well as turnips or rutabagas to hens. The author says that they are more for something to do rather than nutrition.
My question once I read it was: Ive seen lots of places that cabbage is not good to feed to laying birds, it gives the eggs a funny flavor.
Anyone find this to be true or just one of those accepted bits of poultry wisdom that really arent accurate?