CHICKEN SWING

[sunflower4you]

I had the same exact problem. Mine was low-tech...just a 3 foot branch hung up with rope in the run. I have four 8-week olds. The bravest one jumped up on it almost right away, but when it started to swing, he freaked out and flew off. I left it in there for a couple of days after that, but nobody wanted anything to do with it. I thought it would be something interesting for them. I'll have to keep trying different things to see what entertains MY birds, I think. If I've learned anything from reading all the posts on this site, chickens are finicky! What some love, others won't have anything to do with!

 

[aart]

I think that more flighted birds enjoy swinging, landing on tree branches is part and parcel.....

my budgies swung like mad!

.....but chickens are more of a ground bird and probably don't enjoy an unsteady perch much.

 

[Thornhill Farms]

This is my weekend project!!!

 

[KippenhokChick]

I put my chicken swing up yesterday morning. This morning I saw one of the girls jump on it and immediately jump off. It was swinging all over the place as soon as she tried to perch. I went looking through some posts on the site for other swings and noticed that some people rather than having one rope or chain hanging down, looped it and had two spaced apart, minimizing the back and forth swing. Will see if they will give it another shot. Who doesn't want swinging chickens?!

 

[Jim Phelps]

Here is a photo of the swing I constructed in about thirty minutes. I used "tarp straps" from TSC. S hooks were included in the package. The frame is a super-sized version of "the ultimate wooden sawhorse" from Google. Works fine. And is quite movable.

 

[WthrLady]

To them it's just another perch. Tree branches roll and sway in the wind. Natural. So. Built one for the run as their christmas present.

 

[Jim Phelps]

Here is my chicken swing. Constructed it using tarp straps from TSC (s-hooks included in package), and the plans for "the ultimate wooden saw horse" from Google. Works real well..and can moved from place to place.

 

[Jim Phelps]

Finally got my picture to post (I think). Quick way to set up, as I said earlier, using tarp straps from TSC and a super-sized sawhorse from plans found Googling "the ultimate wooden sawhorse." Works real well. Varying lengths of tarp straps can be use to control the height, or short tarp straps combined with chain lengths can be used. I plan to use a miniature model to get my next set of chicks swinging early. And I do hope this picture comes through!

 

[Jim Phelps]

This is the swing my hens received for Christmas. The frame was built using plans found by Googling "The Ultimate Wooden Sawhorse. The swing itself was constructed using an oak limb and tarp straps (s-hooks included) from TSC. Works real well. I wanted something moveable rather than an attachment to the chicken coop. The hens also enjoy perching atop the frame.

 

[ConPollos]

Tonight one of my girlz really enjoyed using the new swing I made them a few days ago. They didn't like it at first and ignored it for a few days, but just before sundown she rode it for several minutes three separate times.

The first one I made was too light and shakey, made of a 2 x 2 x 24 with a hole drilled in each end, and clothes line through the holes and knotted underneath. I switched to at least a 2" diameter x 24" round piece of firewood with bark on it, and it's heavy enough to be stable still using clothes line through drilles holes and knotted underneath. It doesn't fly up wildly during dismounts.