Ideas for run 'toys' to help with boredom..

[featherz]

My chickens are now confined to a run due to heavy fox attacks. The run is plenty large (about 400sf right now) and is about 6' high covered with knotted netting. Even if I am in the yard, the fox will come around, so they are 100% confined for at least until kit raising season is over. Of course, the run is just dirt at the moment.

I need ideas on fun stuff to build that will keep them busy but don't require a lot of lumber or expense. Already have the swinging cabbage. I have tons of logs and tree branches, some pallet lumber, a few 4x8 OSB boards and some 1x3 and 2x4 (x8 foot) lumber.

Are there shrubs or small trees I can plant in the run that are safe for chickens, will provide shade, and aren't all that enticing for them to eat?

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Use those pallets to make boxes, cover with wire and seed clover and grass under it...they can't get to the ground to scratch it up and they can eat what grows though the top.

 

[teach1rusl]

I planted raspberries in my run. I did put 24 inch circles of chicken wire around to protect them though, but they still love to jump and grab berries that they can reach hanging over.
I would think boxwood shrubs (which are pretty cheap) would grow about anywhere. You might have to protect them until they're established, but my chickens pay no attention to mine when they're out and about.

You can also make a planter of a pallet or two, with wire across the top so that they can only eat what grows above the wire (many grow grass this way for their birds)...

I like branch roosts and such here and there, old tree stumps set up or laid on their side - and when you move them to new spots on occasion there's generally a host of bugs underneath...