Bedding in the run

[RichardTheRooster]

I have a pretty small run and my chickens can not free range (my dad does not approve) and I don't know if they'd run into the road or the neighbors yard and stuff like that, but everything in their run is dead, nothing within range of their necks is dead. I put wood chips in there too, they really don't care for it. Any suggestions on what i should give them in their run/what I can do to make them happy. They escaped one time and ran all over the place and were extremely happy and I feel terrible that we can not free range them or let them on fresh grass.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Ask if he (or you) can expand the run. Alternatively, get an Amish lawnmower and cut some grass for them a few times a week. They'll love it. They also love scratching around in hay, but if you put too much in, it can get mouldy before it breaks down.

Have you looked into the deep litter method? It'll at least give them something to scratch in.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Add seeds (kitchen scrap tomato squash peppers etc with seeds). Stir. Water. Stir. Replace as necessary!

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Throw some dead leaves or pine needles in for them to scratch around in. You could make them a grazing box or even just grow some wheatgrass in a container and give it to them occasionally.

 

[Dr.GarryTTucker]

Depending on how big of an area you can get an electric poultry net and extend/move their run as grass grows. Either Clip their wings or add an electric controller to the net to contain them from flying over it.

 

[RichardTheRooster]

Depending on how big of an area you can get an electric poultry net and extend/move their run as grass grows. Either Clip their wings or add an electric controller to the net to contain them from flying over it.

I looked in to those, there really expensive, unless people know cheaper ones. I know about clipping their wings. That wouldn't be a problem.

 

[PirateGirl]

I don't know what your yard/garden maintenance is like, but any time I weed the garden, or if I were to use a weed-wacker I toss all the weeds/remnants into the run. They like sorting through it looking for tasty tidbits.

I also periodically take a pick and turn up all the earth in the run, they love it and get fresh bugs and worms and things this way. It also helps with chicken waste management.

 

[Dr.GarryTTucker]

Yeah a hundred bucks is probably gonna be the cheapest thing to enlarge a run.

 

[Latestarter]

You can build a basic rectangular frame out of 2x4s to fit a single piece of yard sod inside. Cover the top with hardware cloth so they can't scratch it to death. Set it inside the run and the grass will grow up through the HW cloth where the chickens can snack on it but not destroy it. Doing a deep litter method will promote good bugs to flock to the run which will help the litter compost and help the birds find living treats to eat as they scratch around and turn the litter for composting. Kitchen scraps, fruits and veggies, weeds, cut grass clippings... all of that stuff and more will be good for them and the run.

 

[wyoDreamer]

My chickens love sprouts - I usually have a couple of containers going at a time - at various growth stages. I sprinkle them around on the ground around the run for the chickens to find.

My chickens get veggie scraps mixed into old leaves and hay. They love to scratch through it and keeps them busy during the day.

I have a "weed feeder" that I will place overgrown weeds in for the chickens to peck at. They love to eat stinging nettle! It is just a piece of fencing about 2'x2' that is attached to their fence - their run is 2"x4" welded wire fencing. I used the cut wires to hinge the fencing along the bottom so I can "open" it and lay the weeds on it. When I swing it up to close it, I have an old clip from the end of a dog leash that I use to hold the top edge onto the fence. they will eat all the leaves off and leave the woody stems that I then throw into the compost pile. It works well for tall weeds, overgrown grass, even green squash if it is cut into strips.