Boring Bored Bore (-ETC.)

[3KillerBs]

Can you give them a pile of fallen leaves or other such yard debris to dig in?

A straw bale with one of the strings removed?

 

[ButtonHoarder]

I don't have any ideas sorry
I do (in summer) like digging worms and making them jump to get them, and they love it! In winter, sometimes I do the same thing with long sweet potato peels.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Ours are in lockdown too as I am in the UK and I can't wait until they can go out again! They are coping very well so far but do seem to appreciate some entertainment. I made ours a sort of vegetable kebab on a string on Saturday and that amused them for a while. We also stuff leafy greens into hanging bird feeders for them every now and then. Ours have a few different things to climb on, like garden chairs, but are quite interested by anything new! Even some old logs if you have some, might have some bugs on to investigate. Leaves as someone else mentioned too or hay/straw also fun to dig in.

 

[SulkyBantam]

Are yours in lockdown too @Carter Martin ?

 

[Carter Martin]

Yes they are. I don't give them anything to entertain themselves with. They don't seem to bored. I did quickly figure out that you can't have to many roosters penned up in the same pen. Especially when there is a head cheese who thinks a lot of himself.

 

[hannah and the chickens]

My hens have been in chicken lockdown since the beginning of November and both the chickens and I are getting sick of it. I really do hope the lockdown will be lifted in March (oftentimes there seems to be a magic 16 weeks timespan for lockdowns thanks to the EU but we’ll have to see).

I gave my chickens an old chair to climb on, they enjoy roosting on it for their noon nap. Food on a string only interested them for short times. My main problem right now is that the snow around their covered run is melting but the ground is still frozen so there are puddles everywhere and it will become muddy when the ground defrosts in the next few days. Have you had similar problems? Might putting out straw or wood chips help?

 

[3KillerBs]

Might putting out straw or wood chips help?

There are few things my chickens like more than a straw bale with one of the strings cut to sit on and tear apart.

 

[HollyWoozle]

My main problem right now is that the snow around their covered run is melting but the ground is still frozen so there are puddles everywhere and it will become muddy when the ground defrosts in the next few days. Have you had similar problems? Might putting out straw or wood chips help?

We have used wood chips to cover the mud for the first time this year and it has really helped a lot. We are using hard wood chips specifically aimed at poultry keepers, I think you have to avoid bark chips as they carry mould spores which can be harmful.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think you have to avoid bark chips as they carry mould spores which can be harmful.

Aging the chips can help with combating harmful mold growth.