Chick toys and entertainment

[olivesmom]

The chicks are kind of perky today. They are very curious and have been trying to get out of the brooder. I was thinking they might like a toy to peck at and roll. Maybe a small ball or one of those plastic clear balls with pictures inside that cats play with.

Any success or thoughts?

Charlotte

 

[Sparrow]

I purchased mine some cute bird toys made for parakeet-sized birds at the petstore. I bought toys with colorful bits on them and little jingle bells...and they positively love them! They love to peck them and sometimes body slam the really jingly ones.

Just make sure you don't get toys with cotton, twine, pap er, or anything else potentially edible in them. Just stick with plastic and they will love them!

 

[silkiechicken]

Watch out for jingle bells... I had one of my birds eat the jade charm right off my necklace.... never found it or even tried looking for it. They can peck hard when they get to a few months old.

 

[Sparrow]

^^Definitely true. I forgot to mention that I only use the jingle bells that have a completely enclosed clapper so they cannot grab it. I do the same for my parrots, who can break through thick metal with one bite. :| It's always good to be as safe as possible.

 

[Cetawin]

"and sometimes body slam the really jingly ones"


Yup...my NHR and Lt Brahma full body slammed a cat ball that had a bell in it. they hit that thing, flipped over and came back at it. It was hysterical! I take it out of the brooder when I am not right there or at bedtime.

 

[pdpatch]

Just one word of advice on chicken toys. Never go to a Pet store and ask if they have chicken toys. The clerks get this really confused look, and then when you explain you looking for toys for you chickens to play with. Then they get this look like they are sizing you up for a straight jacket

 

[s6bee]

Does anyone use "toys" for the older hens? I keep mine in a run most of the day, and they just look so bored! Any ideas on keeping them entertained?

 

[BearSwampChick]

Adding a couple of roosts to my brooder helped my boredom problem. Of course, they're in a large wire dog crate, so it was easy to do. They love to fly up on the roosts. And they also like to roost on top of the feeders and waterers, so that I'm constantly cleaning poop off them! LOL I also got bird toys with bells. They love the one with the mirror and ignore the one w/o one.

 

[SueNH]

I have a couple of parrot and cockatiel toys I use. I also find interesting branches to put in the peep cage.

I made a chicken swing in my pen outside for the adult birds. They used it. Was a board that hung low to the ground, only a couple inches off. Higher ones were not used and neither were ones made with round wood. My birds are loose now so when it broke I never put it back.

 

[S0rcy]

I used toys and they worked very well for keeping my 4 from being too aggressive with each other. sturdy rubber kitty toys, plastic balls with bells, a mirror. Peep heard the dogs squeaky toy yesterday as he was playing with it and ran across the yard to investigate. After a few hard pecks on the nose she got the dog to back off the toy but after a few seconds of the toy not doing anything, she lost interest and went back to her foraging with the other chicks.