Chicken entertainment ideas

[Hoytman]

I'm new to chickens and we've had a few pecking issues. I know space is likely the issue and I'm slowly addressing this issue.

The birds have feed in feeder and get scratch grains each morning...sometimes lettuce, pumpkins, other items like corn cobs to pick at.

Just tonight I bought a heavy bale of alfalfa to place inside the run for them to peck at.

You can search my recent posts to see coop/run dimensions, number of birds, and future plans for a larger coop and outside run.

Does anyone else have any ideas to give these birds something to peck at?

 

[AnimalGeek23]

I'm new to chickens and we've had a few pecking issues. I know space is likely the issue and I'm slowly addressing this issue.

The birds have feed in feeder and get scratch grains each morning...sometimes lettuce, pumpkins, other items like corn cobs to pick at.

Just tonight I bought a heavy bale of alfalfa to place inside the run for them to peck at.

You can search my recent posts to see coop/run dimensions, number of birds, and future plans for a larger coop and outside run.

Does anyone else have any ideas to give these birds something to peck at?

You can buy one of those ball toys with treats inside of them. Or for entertainment chickens love swings and sticks.

 

[Better Than Rubies]

My chickens, personally, are crazy OBSESSED over their straw! They LOVE just digging and pecking in it, especially when I put fresh straw in their run and throw their scratch grain in it. Letting your chickens spread that new hay bale around all over their run should keep them occupied for some time, and throwing in more scratch grain to the messy mix. =) Another option would be to buy them a seed block...Orscheln's should carry them, if you have one nearby.

 

[aart]

You can search my recent posts to see coop/run dimensions, number of birds, and future plans for a larger coop and outside run.

Or you could provide a link(s)

 

[Farmgirl1878]

Drill some 1/4” holes in a water bottle and fill it with their feed and some scratch. Once they figure out how to roll it around, they’ll be obsessed until it’s empty!

 

[Hoytman]

Or you could provide a link(s)

Appreciate the gesture...but at the time I was in a hurry. Pretty simple to just click on a username and search posts though. LOL.

I would have a "my coop" page like you, but I haven't figured that one out yet. I already posted the thread though.

 

[aart]

Appreciate the gesture...but at the time I was in a hurry. Pretty simple to just click on a username and search posts though. LOL.

I would have a "my coop" page like you, but I haven't figured that one out yet. I already posted the thread though.

Simple, maybe, but time consuming...and I actually did search your 'threads started', didn't find your coop thread.

But here's a link for you ..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-create-an-article-in-the-member-pages.1229651/

 

[Hoytman]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ersion-to-a-semii-permanent-coop-run.1278741/

 

[Hoytman]

Article has been created. Now I just need to figure out how get "My Coop" under my avatar. Hold that thought...

EDIT:
Got it! Thanks, folks!

 

[Acre4Me]

First, would suggest not giving scratch till later in the day. Their feed should be primary. Then they can get scratch as a distraction later in the day. We find our chickens are self entertained early in the day, and don’t need a distraction early. Besides, if you ever let them out to free range, scratch rattled around in a container while you say something like “chick chick chick” or whatever, is an excellent way to get them to come running back to and into run to get at that scratch (aka: chicken junk food).

Get head of cabbage, screw eye bolt into stem end and hang it. Chickens really like cabbage, and will peck at it to eat.

Hay/straw/leaves to scratch through.

Can you put up any thing to block direct line of sight in run? This gives picked on chickens a way to get away from a bully. Prop a pallet up against fence or wall, put in a crate or piece of plywood, etc. Add a roost of some kind in the run to give another area to hang out. Add an unbreakable mirror they can see “more chickens” and be distracted.

Good luck