Chicken Run Entertainment Ideas

[Kittys Coop]

Hi folks! I was just wondering what everyone puts in their runs to keep their birds entertained. Just put a run for my Silkies up this weekend and I want them to have things to do.

 

[All4Eggz]

I have a roost, which technically doesn’t count as entertainment, lol.
I free range my birds so they don’t stay in the run for long.

You could buy a block of treats/feed at TSC or a farm store and hang it up so they could peck at it. They like pecking at fruit and throwing it around as well. You could throw in some fresh grass for them to snack on. Maybe a see-through ball with some treats inside it… that would be a bit mean .

Let me know what you end up doing!
Do you have any photos of your flock? I’d love to see!

 

[Sally PB]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/#post-21588571

This thread has good ideas on "stuff" to put in your run. The info was specifically targeted for integrating new birds. But things to perch on or sit under are good non-food ways to entertain chickens.

I take a bucket of weeds from the garden to my chickens. It gives them greens to peck at and scratch through, which is quintessential chicken behavior.

Another food treat idea is to hang a suet cage with greens stuffed in it.

 

[aart]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/#post-21588571

This^^^

Avoid using to many 'food fun' things.....you'll spoil their appetite for the nutritious feed.

 

[Sally PB]

Avoid using to many 'food fun' things.....you'll spoil their appetite for the nutritious feed.

Yes, very good point. Treats should be limited to no more than 10% of their food intake. That's why I use their regular food, wetted into a mash, as their usual "snack." It's just your normal food, girls! But they think it's better, for some reason.

One other thing about using their food-mash as a treat: you can tailor it to the season. Warm on cold days, cold on warm days.

 

[Folara]

I have a roost, which technically doesn’t count as entertainment, lol.

I would definitely count roosts as entertainment! Especially in a run when free ranging isn't available - my chickens spend a lot of time jumping up, perching, preening, and "walking the plank" along the roosts. Change up the roosts every so often, add new ones, and intersect multiples to make the best chicken playground!

However, I believe silkies aren't very fond of roosting, so maybe ramps and platforms would be more their style? I imagine they would still like to get up high and enjoy the views, but by walking instead of jumping.

The best entertainment chickens can have is what they are born to do. Always cater to their natural behaviors - roosting, scratching/foraging, and dust bathing. Again, silkies may be a bit different in these areas so definitely dive deeper into some silkie specific threads for ideas. Adding new materials to the run will keep them entertained for hours - throw in a bunch of leaves, grass, weeds, wood chips, even clumps of dirt and they will be scratching and pecking their hearts out. My chickens also love it when I mix up their run materials, it's like uncovering a whole new world when I drag my foot through the leaves and wood chips.

 

[Kittys Coop]

They only get “treats” like corn and peas maybe once a week if that. Yeah it’s hard with silkies because they don’t jump up that much at least mine don’t. Definitely getting them a couple of mirrors lol