Boredom....

[Amanda Taggart]

Ok, i have 3 apparently mix breed 4 and a half week old chicken, i feel like they may be getting bored. I take them outside whenever weather permits. They are housed inside our guest bedroom inside of a large pack n play (play pen) i have a roost in there and their food and water! They get mealworms occasionally but is there anything thing i can give them to ease boredom? Or is it all in my head?

 

[eggbert420]

Chickens eat, drink, and sleep. Thats about it.

 

[NorthTexasWink]

@Amanda Taggart some folks give their chickens toys, like cat balls, ping pong balls, hamster toys, etc. If you decide to go that route, please take into account safety and make sure they won't come apart or offer anything hazardous for your birds to eat. Honestly though, I've never felt the need for toys.

@eggbert420 Lol. You left out poop!

 

[1TurkenLover]

Marbles Big Bright marbles. Last chicks we had in 100 gal brooder were B O R E D, nothing new to see or do, they were too young to put out, looked on here for ideas B4 the feather Picking/fights started. Ping pong balls scared them. O and made a swing they liked the movement.

 

[Abriana]

Boredom busters:
Cut open a melon or cucumber and put it in with them
Hang a cabbage for them to peck it
Give them a pan of dirt with bugs in it
Give them some lettuce or a pile of grass to search through
Put a roosting bar in with them
Add something new to their enclosure, a small box with a doorway and window holes just as an example
Sprinkle mealworms throughout their bedding for them to scratch for

There are lots of other boredom busters online!

 

[imnukensc]

Don't know where you're located, but assuming the northern hemisphere, those chicks need to go outside.

 

[Amanda Taggart]

I thought they dont go outside until fully feathered at about 6 to 8 weeks. They are only 4 weeks. It can drop down to the 60s or 70s at night.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

Boredom busters:
Cut open a melon or cucumber and put it in with them
Hang a cabbage for them to peck it
Give them a pan of dirt with bugs in it
Give them some lettuce or a pile of grass to search through
Put a roosting bar in with them
Add something new to their enclosure, a small box with a doorway and window holes just as an example
Sprinkle mealworms throughout their bedding for them to scratch for

There are lots of other boredom busters online!

I would like to add, chick block and a suet feeder with treats in it too. Making sure they have chick grit first.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

I made mine a swing that was like a platform. about 6in square. They loved playing on it. I used twine in each corner so it didnt swing so much as glide.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

If you can attach a dowel rod across the play pen you can give them all sorts of activities . I have hung pop tops (the little tabs) on a twine . They are attracted to shiny things. I tapped it with a hammer first to make sure it wasnt sharp and just put it almost out of their reach.