Anybody have any ideas for chicken entertainment?

[JTRZWestminster]

I had a tree fall in winter and cut the trunk into fire log sized sections, then placed them all on end in the run. They are about 20 inches in diameter each so they form 10 little tables spaced evenly around for the girls to stand on, sleep on, and run around. You'll find several of these logs occupied at almost any time of day, sometimes 2-3 girls on each, and my orpington roo loves to stand atop one and let his morning crowing fly proudly.

 

[Nisa]

Hi there:
I am not sure this would work for chickens without some modifications, but at the Bronx Zoo, they hide special treats/food in hollowed out pumpkins for the birdswho had to work for their reward. This is part of their enrichment program. The birds seemed focused on their "tasks". Maybe something smaller than a pumpkin would work for your chickens-like winter squash-just drill some holes and place tasty worms inside. Hope this helps.
Nisa

 

[jgfetter]

I shuck several ears of corn but don't pull the shucks all the way off. I tie a cord around the bunched together shucks and hang the bundle on one of their perches so the ears of corn hand about head height. Keeps the busy for hours and keeps the dirt off of the corn. They will clean every morsel of corn off the cobs.

What a great idea!!!

 

[Campine]

Chickens like looking at themselves, try putting a mirror out.

 

[IttyBiddyRedHen]

We pull the extra out of the gardens for them. slice cucumbers lengthwise, toss in bug eaten tomatoes, shuck the too old corn....and when winter arrives, toss in the dried huge sunflower head.

 

[Sylvester017]

I literally just did the noodle thing since I was making spaghetti. Now that was funny. Lol

Noodles are fun to watch with chickens except that with Silkies it gets tangled in their fluffy fur and is impossible to remove without smearing. The LF sling the strings around and it gets caught all over the Silkie fluff. We switched to tiny individual bite-size pasta designs now.

 

[Sylvester017]

Hi there:
I am not sure this would work for chickens without some modifications, but at the Bronx Zoo, they hide special treats/food in hollowed out pumpkins for the birdswho had to work for their reward. This is part of their enrichment program. The birds seemed focused on their "tasks". Maybe something smaller than a pumpkin would work for your chickens-like winter squash-just drill some holes and place tasty worms inside. Hope this helps.
Nisa

This might work depending on what your chickens like to eat. My chickens hate pumpkins, zucchini, or squashes of any kind. We've served them raw, whole, cutup, cooked, different times of the day - no response!

 

[joannefiddler]

We have an abundance of 1 ft square concrete "stepping stones". When left on the ground for a period of time, all sorts of yummy things congregate underneath them. My 7 week old chicks go bonkers for me to turn them over so they can look underneath. They practically chase me to the blocks daily. It isn't a good day for roaches or rolly pollies when 5 inquisitive chicks get them in their sights.

 

[MacCana]

We have an abundance of 1 ft square concrete "stepping stones". When left on the ground for a period of time, all sorts of yummy things congregate underneath them. My 7 week old chicks go bonkers for me to turn them over so they can look underneath. They practically chase me to the blocks daily. It isn't a good day for roaches or rolly pollies when 5 inquisitive chicks get them in their sights.

Back when I was growing up & had a few chickens, my one favorite little fluffy cheeked bantam hen- ingeniously named "Fluffy" by me- used to follow me around the yard like a puppy, just begging me to turn over more rocks & logs (we live in the south & my stepdad has a typical "redneck'' yard with plenty of junk to turn over). I would cluck to her like a mama hen does when she finds food for her chicks (that's how I do today to let my current flock know Mama's got din-din lol) & she'd come running as fast as her little legs would carry her to get the fresh rollie pollies & worms. I live in a subdivision now, so not much stuff in the yard to find bugs under. It's kinda sad really, I missed doing that!

 

[Devon07]

I have the water supply sitting on a flat stone and it spills here and there leaving it moist under it....I move it weekly just in time for bugs to gather. they like when I carry the water jug.....I thought they were glad to have it freshly refilled but turns out they wanted bugs UNDER it.