How to Keep Chickens From being Bored

[PuffyChick]

If you go out to your coop and you see one of your chickens laying on its back ...feet up in the air ..does that mean its bored?

 

[valschicksrus]

Thanks from me too, I just read all these on bored chicks, great ideas, I too can appreciate the answers!

 

[valschicksrus]

olive oil is fine. In fact, when I have a crop-bound bird, olive oil is the life saver.

What is Crop-bound bird mean???? Thanks in advance. Val

 

[valschicksrus]

I still haven't gotten over the fact that we're actually discussing what to do to keep chickens from getting "bored". Had anyone told me 6 months ago that I'd be doing this, I'd have had myself committed. But, now that I have my girls, I've read every post with great interest.

Ok, I had to laugh reading this!! My mom thinks I am so funny getting into chickens at this stage of my life--I'm turning 64 next month! I have been a horsewoman all my life but when I lost my beloved morgan in Jan this year, I needed something else to put my thoughts and spare time into and I had a friends roosters here that he rescued and that started the whole "chicken" thing going. Later, I will get another horse, but for now, I am enjoying these little chicks--all 14 of them! So, on I go reading these "GREAT POSTS" from all of you out there!!

 

[7 Biddies]

My friends with large flocks on the farms are teasing me about what I'm doing for my six. Me who likes uncluttered counters now have sprouting trays and a mealworm container on mine and I'm actually touching the mealworms!I've done lost my mind.
I did get their swing up this evening, so I have to wait until tomorrow to see what they think of it.
I was pooper scooping their coop and they were fussing at me because they wanted to go to bed.

RE: I've done lost my mind.

But, it's such a lovely way to go! One of my girls tried the swing I made for them once. The movement scared the heck out of her and no one has tried it again! Big chickens! And, I LOVE the way they parade up the ramp to go to bed every night. I don't interfere with that custom ... I know better!

 

[7 Biddies]

If you go out to your coop and you see one of your chickens laying on its back ...feet up in the air ..does that mean its bored?

Maybe, but first check to be sure it's not dead.

 

[MemesChicks]

What a great idea! My DH has lots of hub cabs, I'm sure he won't miss a couple

 

[MemesChicks]

...depends on how stiff it is

 

[MemesChicks]

These are all such great ideas. I'm going to put up a "swing" in my run tonight. My girls started a hole in their run when they started taking dust baths. It was just a little hole. So I dug it out a little wider to accommodate a couple of ladies at a time--kind of like a hot tub for dust; a dust tub. I put some chunks of firewood around it for a border, and I re-fill the "dust-tub" with the dirt from the mole hills around our place (mix some food grade DE with it). They love it, and it's hilarious to watch them. I would never have believed their feathers could hold SO MUCH dirt! I have more fun entertaining them.

 

[Chickerchalk]

you can hand feed your chickens

stuff like bread they love that.