Are my hens bored?

[Carmen*Max]

Hi all,

Im after some advice. I have 4 hens and im thinking of way to keep them distracted! At the moment, they get let out to free range in the morning and i lock them up at night. I am finding that they are scratching their way out of the garden. They have scratche several holes under the two bricks that are under the fences. Can you guys give me some suggestions on what i can put in the garden to keep them busy!! I was thinking of getting a little hard dog bed and filling it full of sand for then to scratch and clean in. But does anyone else have anymore suggestions?

Thanks
Jo

 

[crj]

Yes, I think chickens get bored. Mine free range all day and they put themselves up at night. In the winter I will hang a cabbage from a string and let the birds go at it. At first it took them a bit to figure out what it was. Now they love it. It's a good way for them to get some greens. You can do it with lettuce too but they will eat that up in no time at all.

You can throw down some BOSS on the ground and let them find those. You can even toss some of your feed in the yard as well. When it's cold there aren't as many bugs so I'm sure they are finding bugs or greens near the fence line.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Where do you live? If they have dirt to scratch in, that is something. My guess would be that they are looking for insects around those bricks. But yes, you can put things out for them, even treats like tomatoes or some other fruit or veggie would be good.

Also, a slab of straw or hay would keep them busy and interested in doing something. I put some out in the winter for them to scratch around in and to lure them out onto the snow. They just love having something to do.

 

[Carmen*Max]

Thats great, thank you.

I didn't think about insect hinding round the bricks. Ill take some straw and hay from the horse yard tonight and bring it back for them and head off to Aldi !!

I have seen somewhere before that someone hung CD's around the pen. What does this do?

Oh, I live near Worcester, Midlands

 

[Judy]

The DC's are to deter hawks.

Sounds like by free range you mean they can go where they want in the garden. In the end, real free ranging, no fences, is the way to prevent boredom. But treats that take some time (whole cabbage or watermelon, turkey carcass, etc.,) the hay, things to climb on or scratch around or hide under, all help. You could throw a few bricks around and move them every few days.

 

[NHchicks]

If anyone has photos of chicken playgrounds, please post them. I know there are some folks here who must have designed some.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I'm sure there are plenty in the coop section; I've seen some. Mostly you see platforms and roosts.

Mine were out in the rain today kicking soda cans around; discovered they'd broken into the plastic bag holding them. Guess something light they can kick around would be good, too. Don't chicks in incubators play football with empty shells?

 

[LeezyBeezy]

I put out some broccoli spears for my gals- they gave me the stink eye!

I could see the "what?" comments going off in their brains. Mine LOVE tomatoes though, so that may be the next thing!

 

[NHchicks]

Quote:
Yeah, mine don't always fully appreciate the fruits and veggie department either. The oranges lately, cut up? Bleh. Brocolli? Bleh. Layer pellets? Bleh. Freezer burned tortellini from cleaning out my fridge? Bleh.

They love the bread products tho - a loaf of bread please, human. And I know they sit there dreaming about nice juicy worms. Grubs. Spiders. Yum.

Spring, come on already.

 

[Minniechickmama]

My son is always bugging me to get pears, but them he won't eat them in time and they start getting too soft for his or anyone's liking around here. So, I take them out to the chooks and they are gone in a couple of minutes. Apples, same way. Tomatoes, pumpkins, peppers. They love the juicier things, oh, and cukes or squash like zucchini.