Chicken Entertainment?

dtimms

Songster
11 Years
Jun 20, 2009
165
3
169
NJ
I have 3 girls in a very small coop with a 4 x 8 foot run. They have now grazed off or stamped on all of the grass, so there is nothing to naturally keep them busy munching. I am gradually putting sand into the run to prevent mud. They have food and water in the run and upstairs in the coop.

Once a day or so I throw some fruit or vegatables into the run for them now that the grass is gone. But is there something else I should do to keep them busy/entertained? They don't free range much due to predators.
 
I sprinkle down a little crumbles in the sand in the morning. They like that and it keeps them busy.
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You mean crumbles like their food? Just spread a little around for them to find? That sounds like a good idea, and easy enough to do... Thanks!
 
I had to keep mine locked in for a while and they loved grass clippings. We mulch so I would just pull some grass and throw it in by the handful. Do you have some rocks or just old boards you could put down in the run, and then weekly if you move them there are usually some bugs/worms that build up under them and that would give the chickens something to do! Or if you have bugs around the yard just collect them in a jar and then take them out into the run to release!
 
Throw some scratch in the sand. (not a lot) They love it so much.

Can you hang some fruit out of their reach? I have mine in my orchard and they keep busy by jumping for the fruit on the low branches.

Pull up a bunch of weeds and give that to them. They will reduce a big pile of weeds to nothing.
 
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You mean crumbles like their food? Just spread a little around for them to find? That sounds like a good idea, and easy enough to do... Thanks!

Yep. I use Purina Mills. It's not too powdery. They think it's treats. What they don't know, won't hurt them. And they're still getting their calcium and protien for laying.
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I am constantly pulling weeds around the yard, I never thought to just toss them into the coop. I guess the dirt on the roots is even OK, right? I could add in some hooks to hang fruit from the ceiling, that would be easy enough to do also.
 
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I definitely have some rocks I could put in there as a nice hiding spot for bugs-- I'll do that when I get home tonight. Tasty treats!
 
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I am constantly pulling weeds around the yard, I never thought to just toss them into the coop. I guess the dirt on the roots is even OK, right? I could add in some hooks to hang fruit from the ceiling, that would be easy enough to do also.

I'd use fishing line............you don't want to "hook" a chicken by accident.
 
My kids--19, 17, 14, if you can call them kids, like to catch bugs and grasshoppers and toss them in and watch the ladies go nuts for them. It's cheep entertainment out here in the country.
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Also, when we weed or mow we toss in the clippings for them and I have an old ice cream container in the kitchen that I put all my veggie peelings and ends into and they get that each night. When I come in from the garden you should hear it out here between the sheep, goat and chickens they all start making noise and I am their best friend!!
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