Chicken Toys

MixFlocksRule13

Chirping
Mar 28, 2020
29
17
61
It's finally happened, my chickens lost interest

My 4 birds, Pearl, Midnight, Speckles, and Peep, used to love what we have in the coop. We have 2 roosts, 3 nest boxes, a feed bin converted into somewhat if a nest box, a tin of grit, a tin of oyster shell, a hanging feeder, the gravity waterer, and shavings (we use them as bedding and make piles, the chickens hate piles and try to mess them up). They also go outside to eat bugs and grass, play with Snickerdoodle and Jimmy the goats, and dust bathe

Now they seem to just stand around and sunbathe. That's it. I think I need something to get them excited

I think some new toys or structures would help. Any DIY projects or purchased toys would be greatly appreciated. Anything big or small. I just need something! If you currently have what you suggest I get, please send pictures, I'd love to see what you have!

And before I get 20 people tell me to put cabbage on a string, NO. I hate that. I'm sorry, but I really, really hate that. My chickens hate food on a string. They'll eat anything scattered on the ground or put on the feeder, but if it's on a string, they show no interest in it and it expires, then I get to deal with it
 
Now they seem to just stand around and sunbathe. That's it.
Chickens like to do a lot of that, so I don't really see what the problem is :confused:
It might also change from one season to another, or when the weather gets warmer or colder.

How old are they? It might be related to their age, too.

I think I need something to get them excited

I think some new toys or structures would help. Any DIY projects or purchased toys would be greatly appreciated. Anything big or small.
Possible ideas:
Anything they can sit on, or can sit in the shade underneath. This won't stop them sitting around, but it will give them more variety of where to sit.

Anything that gets them scratching around on the ground (compost pile, clump of sod, piled up bedding, etc.)
 
To me the best "toy" you can give your chickens is sufficient room. With you having all that and only 4 chickens it sounds like they have a tremendous amount of room. Come on, you have room for two goats. The greatest boredom buster is sufficient room. The problem with boredom or not enough room is that you have behavioral problems. Are you having behavioral problems? Are they attacking each other or trying to eat each other? If not, you don't have a problem. Why do you think you have a problem?

I'll admit I'm gobsmacked. I can't imagine how you think them relaxing and enjoying a little sunshine is a problem. Help me out please. Why do you think you have a problem? That would really help me understand.

Chickens like to perch. You can try building something 1, 3, or 5 feet high. If they want to perch they will. If they don't wat to they won't.

Chickens like to scratch and search for bits to eat. I would think with 2 goats you have that. With 2 goats it may be hard to establish a compost pile in the run but it's an idea.

Chickens like to dust bathe. They are not always scrubbing and moving when they, sometimes they just lay there but they will work dust thorough their feathers.

Mine will often feed to get their crops full and then just lay around while that feed is processed from their crop to their gizzard. Then they go out and fill their crop back up so they can do it again.
 

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