I was wondering what i could give,hang,feed to my chickens to keep them occoupied.could i put in dog toys or hang a bell?my winter coop isint verry big and it is about 2.5 feet tall. any comments are appreciated
I have hung a head of cabbage. Put a hole through the middle and push string through it, tie it off and hang it up. Keeps mine occupied for ages. I am about to try a cat treat ball with some meal worms in it. I figured this time of year they would like the extra protein. I also hide treats in flower pots etc in the run to give them something to look for.
I hung a bell made out of black oil sunflower seeds right beyond them so my 5 standard girls had to stretch/jump a bit. It was like 4 or 5 dollars and was gone in a couple hours! Tried suet feeders filled with veggies, they hate veggies and did not touch it.
You can make your own bird bells made from seeds for under .50 a batch, the most costly thing about it is the gelitin. I make my own for my cockateils.
I got one of those little open wire balls with a bell on the bottom, I think it's a hamster treat ball, and I fill it with spinach, cabbage or other green leafy veggies packed in tightly. I hung it just a bit over their heads so they would stretch a little to get it and it's been a big hit. Since I only have 4 girls it's just enough for them and they seem to really like it. It only cost a couple of dollars at the pet store so could get a few and hang them in different places if you wanted. Happy ChickieGirls
I've done the tetherball cabbage thing before, I like the idea of the greens treat ball... has anyone tried putting treat holders up on roosts? Like they have to fly/climb to get it?
For what its worth, my birds go insane for cabbage. Since its so cheap at this time of year, I get one every time I go to the store and they demolish it in a day. They peck at it, and also grab pieces and run off and generally have a good time.
My flock will work on a pie pumpkin for hours- for these choosy girls, it has to be a PIE (sugar) pumpkin and not a regular old halloween pumpkin. I cut out a few chunks and sometimes throw some greens inside. They eat the flesh and also love the seeds. I guess I could try a squash next, as they like the higher sugar content, apparently. I agree with the cabbage- I feed cabbage every day along with a whole apple.