boredom busters for chickens and how to get them to scratch and peck for bugs instead of being lazy

[danahud]

I have 8 chickens. 7 hens and 1 rooster. They are fed a mixture of fodder, fermented feed, and free produce I get from the local grocer. They have a very large lot to scratch and peck around in, but they always act like they are starving! I know they aren't, so my question to everyone is... Have you found a way to combat boredom in your chickens so they aren't just standing at the gate looking like poor starving animals??
I space out their snacks during the day... morning, noon, and evening and I've hung a suet cage in the run stuffed with lettuce and other fun things for them to jump and nibble out during the day.Any other suggestions?

How do you get them to scratch and peck in the lot instead of relying on me to bring them the easy food every day?? Part of the reason for us giving them such a large space was so they would hunt for bugs and things to supplement their diet and it just really doesn't seem like they are doing that right now.

 

[Aacre]

Do you feed them everything in bowls? If you do, I would suggest trying it out on the ground. I recently started using FF, but any dry feed I have given to my chickens on the ground. It gives them something to do because they will scratch at it afterwards thinking there could be something they missed. I spread some cracked corn, oats, veggies, fruit- whatever all over the place so they will be inclined to go looking for it and end up scratching about.

 

[danahud]

NO the fermented feed is fed in a bowl, but the fodder and veggies are just tossed out on the ground for them.

 

[jetdog]

I hang a cabbage to keep them from getting board, takes a couple of days for them to finish it all.