Anybody have any ideas for chicken entertainment?

[troy4]

I like putting roosts and chairs out there also buckets for laying.

 

[TurnipTruck]

That sounds mean. Do they ever get the scratch or just peck endlessly for no reward?

My idea is to get a kite w a picture of a hawk on it and fly it really low over them a couple times a day .. . Ha ha ha

Look at the video... it is difficult to get treats, but you don't need it to throw out tons of treats, just a small reward to keep them entertained.

As for the hawk... I have real ones, no need for kites here.

 

[Farming Frenzy]

Check out my qrticle on decorating your chicken coop... Might give you some ideas

 

[The ChickenKing]

Check out my qrticle on decorating your chicken coop... Might give you some ideas

What is the name of it?

 

[clucknbell]

Frozen watermelon from the markdown section in the produce sections @ the stores


Chicken swing with treats only in reach from the swing


Additional Ideas: Throw out some scratch grains/black oil sunflower seeds, meal worms, hen cakes, apple pieces/tomatoes/ect.

 

[lashawna]

Mine really like the plastic mayo jar that I punched little holes in and filled with bird seed. They have to roll it around to get anything out of it.

 

[Devon07]

I dig a couple holes in thier run...its a random change and they seem to really be curious. (just flip a shovel load over)

I also make a mud puddle near the run and they all gotta get the feet in it. lol

I break off a tree branch (small to medium) and toss it in the run.....they play with it for a day or two until I get tired of it.

I lock them OUT of the run for maybe 20 minutes and its funny how they want in. (but this is MY entertainment really)

I change the run floor every 2 or 3 days....one day it may have straw everywhere and then just dirt for a few days......I may add sand pretty heavy in a corner and then even change it to wood chips....Im really clean about the run.

I throw some alfalfa in and they love to dig and throw it around.

sometimes I leave a plastic bowl in the run (empty) and they are in and out of it.

I guess my ADD helps entertain them.....really, they just sat and watched me work on the run for over an hour today...just sat in the shade and watched....I know what they were sayin!!!

 

[Kadjain]

Look at the video... it is difficult to get treats, but you don't need it to throw out tons of treats, just a small reward to keep them entertained.

As for the hawk... I have real ones, no need for kites here.

It says I have to sign in to see the vid and I'm not on that. And I was kidding about the kite .. .

 

[Celizwalsh]

This is a great thread! I absolutely LOVE finding new ways to keep my chickens entertained ... its a challenge and it makes for great entertainment. I call it chicken enrichment

. I just built this little "catwalk" for my girls the other day. I have been putting things on/around/under it since then to keep them entertained and exercised.



I also hang a suet feeder in their run and stuff it with kitchen scraps or weeds



I also place plastic tubs throughout their run that are filled with tasty treats like meals worms, frozen friut (when its hot), or sand for dust bathing. Then when they are empty the chickens use them to climb on or sleep in lol.




I also use one of those plastic treat balls in the run for them to kick around and keep occupied



and one of their favorite things in when I put a tree branch in their run. Its a tasty treat and a shady napping spot! lol



Of course if all else fails good ol fashion scratch works great too! Everyone has such great ideas so far ... I think I will try the mirror idea in my coop next.

 

[Pretty Chickens]

You can give them pasta. Strings of spaghetti. They love that. They run around like if they were worms