Walk into any farm store and it’s easy to feel like raising chickens requires a cart full of gadgets. Plastic boredom busters. Expensive supplements. Hanging toys. Fancy feeders. Special “chicken treats” in shiny bags.
But here’s the funny truth most experienced chicken keepers quietly learn:
Chickens don’t care how much you spent.
In fact, many of the things they love most are completely free… or already lying around your yard. If you watch your flock closely, you’ll notice they get far more excited about a pile of leaves or kitchen scraps than anything that came in retail packaging.
Backyard chickens are simple, practical creatures. Their instincts are ancient: scratch, peck, dust bathe, forage, explore. When you give them natural, low-cost ways to do those things, they’re happier, healthier, and often lay better too.
Here are 10 cheap or free things your chickens will choose every time over store-bought supplies.
And unlike commercial “treat mixes,” these scraps:
You’ll quickly notice that chickens treat real food like treasure compared to store-bought snacks.
Read: Table Scraps and Leftovers for Chickens
Every autumn, instead of bagging leaves, toss them into the run.
Free entertainment. Zero effort.
Read: The Complete List of Boredom Busters for Poultry
Different heights also encourage movement and stronger legs.
Nature designs better playgrounds than plastic ever could.
Read: Top 8 Boredom Busters for Backyard Chickens
They happily devour:
Think of your garden waste as “chicken groceries.”
Read: Top 50 Herbs for Your Chickens
Dust bathing is essential for chickens. It helps:
Sometimes the best solution is just letting them follow their instincts.
Read: Dust bathing – Why, where and how? Keeping your flock clean and happy.
This provides:
Read: Composting With Chickens
Same idea as store versions — just a fraction of the cost. And you control exactly what goes inside.
Read: Chicken Treat Blocks or Molt Muffins
And relaxed hens lay better.
Read: Hedges for forage and cover
You don’t need specialty toys when vegetables do the job better.
Read: Chicken Toys: Why They're Important & How To Provide Them!
They learn your voice and associate you with safety and food. Over time you’ll notice:
No product in any store can replace that.
Read: Ten Reasons You Should Spend Ten Extra Minutes With Your Flock Every Day
Instead of buying enrichment… Use what’s already around you. Instead of processed treats… Feed real food. Instead of complicated setups… Let nature do the work.
The result?
Read: 9 Ways Backyard Chickens Save You Money (Beyond Just Eggs)
The best flock setups often look simple, even rustic. Leaves, logs, scraps, dirt, sunshine. That’s their idea of luxury.
So before you reach for your wallet next time you’re tempted by a shiny new “must-have” product, look around your yard and kitchen first.
You probably already have everything your chickens truly want. And they’ll thank you for keeping it simple.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you might like these as well:
But here’s the funny truth most experienced chicken keepers quietly learn:
Chickens don’t care how much you spent.
In fact, many of the things they love most are completely free… or already lying around your yard. If you watch your flock closely, you’ll notice they get far more excited about a pile of leaves or kitchen scraps than anything that came in retail packaging.
Backyard chickens are simple, practical creatures. Their instincts are ancient: scratch, peck, dust bathe, forage, explore. When you give them natural, low-cost ways to do those things, they’re happier, healthier, and often lay better too.
Here are 10 cheap or free things your chickens will choose every time over store-bought supplies.
1. Kitchen Scraps (The Right Ones)
Nothing sends chickens running faster than the sound of the back door opening with a bowl in your hand. Vegetable peels, leftover rice, wilted greens, fruit cores, stale bread, and cooked grains are like a five-star buffet to them.And unlike commercial “treat mixes,” these scraps:
- Cost you nothing
- Reduce food waste
- Add variety to their diet
- Encourage natural pecking behavior
- Pumpkin and squash guts
- Watermelon rinds
- Cooked oatmeal or rice
- Corn cobs
- Lettuce and cabbage leaves
You’ll quickly notice that chickens treat real food like treasure compared to store-bought snacks.
Read: Table Scraps and Leftovers for Chickens
2. A Simple Pile of Leaves
You could buy enrichment toys… or you could grab a rake. A pile of dry leaves might look like yard waste to you, but to chickens it’s:- A bug hunt
- A scratching playground
- A boredom killer
- A natural workout
Every autumn, instead of bagging leaves, toss them into the run.
Free entertainment. Zero effort.
Read: The Complete List of Boredom Busters for Poultry
3. Old Logs and Branches
Before you buy plastic perches or climbing structures, look around your yard. Fallen branches and logs make perfect:- Perches
- Shade spots
- Insect hideouts
- Climbing obstacles
Different heights also encourage movement and stronger legs.
Nature designs better playgrounds than plastic ever could.
Read: Top 8 Boredom Busters for Backyard Chickens
4. Garden Weeds and Trimmings
Pulling weeds? Don’t throw them away. Your chickens see weeds as fresh salad.They happily devour:
- Dandelion greens
- Chickweed
- Grass clippings (dry, not wet piles)
- Kale stems
- Beet tops
- Carrot tops
Think of your garden waste as “chicken groceries.”
Read: Top 50 Herbs for Your Chickens
5. Dust Bathing Spots (Plain Dirt or Sand)
Pet stores sell fancy dust bath blends, but your chickens don’t need spa treatments. They just want dry dirt.Dust bathing is essential for chickens. It helps:
- Control mites and lice
- Clean feathers
- Reduce stress
- Keep skin healthy
Sometimes the best solution is just letting them follow their instincts.
Read: Dust bathing – Why, where and how? Keeping your flock clean and happy.
6. Compost Piles
A compost pile might be the ultimate free chicken buffet. It’s basically a living snack bar full of:- Worms
- Beetles
- Larvae
- Vegetable scraps
This provides:
- Protein
- Exercise
- Mental stimulation
Read: Composting With Chickens
7. Homemade Treat Blocks
Instead of buying expensive “flock blocks,” make your own with leftovers. Mix things like:- Oats
- Cracked corn
- Seeds
- Rice
- Vegetable bits
- A little peanut butter or mashed pumpkin
Same idea as store versions — just a fraction of the cost. And you control exactly what goes inside.
Read: Chicken Treat Blocks or Molt Muffins
8. Shade From Trees or Scrap Materials
Chickens don’t need designer shade cloths. They just need protection from harsh sun. Simple options work great:- Old pallets
- Scrap wood
- Cardboard sheets (temporary)
- Tree branches
- A tarp
- Natural tree cover
And relaxed hens lay better.
Read: Hedges for forage and cover
9. Hanging Cabbage or Whole Vegetables
This one costs almost nothing but creates hours of fun. Tie a string around:- A cabbage
- Lettuce head
- Pumpkin half
- Corn cob
- Apple slices
You don’t need specialty toys when vegetables do the job better.
Read: Chicken Toys: Why They're Important & How To Provide Them!
10. Your Time and Attention
This one surprises people most. But chickens genuinely respond to human interaction. Sit with them. Talk softly. Hand feed occasionally. Move slowly around them.They learn your voice and associate you with safety and food. Over time you’ll notice:
- They follow you around
- Eat from your hand
- Squat calmly near you
- Stay relaxed instead of scattering
No product in any store can replace that.
Read: Ten Reasons You Should Spend Ten Extra Minutes With Your Flock Every Day
Why Simple Always Wins
Backyard chickens evolved to forage, scratch, and explore. Most expensive supplies try to imitate those natural behaviors. So why not skip the middle step?Instead of buying enrichment… Use what’s already around you. Instead of processed treats… Feed real food. Instead of complicated setups… Let nature do the work.
The result?
- Lower costs
- Less waste
- Happier birds
- More eggs
- And a more self-sufficient system
Read: 9 Ways Backyard Chickens Save You Money (Beyond Just Eggs)
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing years of chicken keeping teaches you, it’s this: Chickens don’t need fancy — they need natural.The best flock setups often look simple, even rustic. Leaves, logs, scraps, dirt, sunshine. That’s their idea of luxury.
So before you reach for your wallet next time you’re tempted by a shiny new “must-have” product, look around your yard and kitchen first.
You probably already have everything your chickens truly want. And they’ll thank you for keeping it simple.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you might like these as well:
