A fallen tree in the chicken run?

[Egg Rookie 2010]

I JUST today made my bird order. 25 coming soon. Already have brooder box and lumber for coop was delivered yesterday. Hubby cut down several dead oak trees and one is fairly small. Is is a dumb idea to take off all tiny sticks and let the tree lay in the yard to give them something to hop around on...to keep them busy? I kinda thought I could sink long smooth bolts here and there to impale cabbage heads and the like on this tree "jungle gym". Any thoughts?

 

[critterranch]

yes totally good idea

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

Im so excited youd think I was having a baby (my youngest is 2) Christmas looked like a "chicken baby shower" for me. It was so cool! Im glad someone thought this was a good idea!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You don't want fallen timber right next to your house due to carpenter ants and termites. I have read that carpenter ants will travel 200 feet. Now if you already have a forest within that distance to your house---use your judgement!!

Just be careful- and don't let foliage of plants touch your house. Trim those bushes that brush up against your house, etc. That is how the carpenter ants prefer to get onto your house.

 

[KimberlyJ]

Quote:
make it X2!

 

[ranchhand]

Excellent idea, I have several huge fallen branches around the yard and the hens love to get up high to strut about.

ETA, they are about 20-30 feet from the house and I can sit here at my desk and watch them. It's a good indicator of what the current pecking order is.

 

[patman75]

I have a bunch of tree branches in my run, the chickens hang out on them.

 

[bburn]

not quite the same but.....we used a liner to an old truck bed for the babies when we brought them home. When it was time to take them out to the new pen and coop we just carried the whole thing out with the chicks in it....then my DH finished up the run with me asking him how he was going to get the thing out of there....well it is still there and the chickens love it...they can stand on it and walk around and do all day. Plus, once in a while I move it and it is the best time they have! Bugs all over under it! Even a mouse one day and that was a hoot!

They do love to have places to get up on!