chickens acting up probably kinda bored

[Sobek]

I have 4 chickens and I need surefire ways to keep them entertained... I can let them run free but I'll have to watch them because the cages are kinda small and don't let them run outside. I had a bottomless cage so she could be in the dirt but it's been rainy and mold started to grow in the dirt so I moved it to give it a chance to naturally fix itself... so they're locked up right now and they don't have access to bug or grass and stuff.... I give them food all the time and I tried to make weird toys for them to play with... I throw sheets of foil around because they like to kick it and scratch it... Pizza boxes with coloring lol grape soda boxes... they are mostly interested in pecking the normal packing box I have out for them... I see them peck that a lot.. But I want to make sure all my chickens are happy when I'm unable to let them outside. I can't watch them 24-7 if I let them free range... so idk I just need some good ideas to keep them happy

The leader of the Boredom brigade is my oldest hen she seems to want to be let free but I just can't always do that

 

[rosemarythyme]

What does your set up look like? Is there not a run they can use? Cages sitting on dirt aren't going to work the same as some fenced in run space they can use.

 

[bobbi-j]

You need to build them a run if you're not going to let them free range. Living in a cage is no life for them. If they're all together, they may develop bad habits like feather picking and cannibalism.

 

[aart]

I can let them run free but I'll have to watch them because the cages are kinda small and don't let them run outside.

They are in a cage in the house....they don't have a coop?

 

[chickens really]

You definitely need a Coop and Run..Chickens need room to run and be Chickens. Small cages are no life for a Chicken.

 

[Sobek]

You definitely need a Coop and Run..Chickens need room to run and be Chickens. Small cages are no life for a Chicken.

It's not a small cage. It's probably 500-700sqft or so

 

[Sobek]

My chickens are in a very... comfortable environment... but their chickens and I want them to have safe access to grass and other stuff that they don't have. I can't move where they live. The only way I can get them to the grass is by putting them in a few cages I have and removing the bottom which i do for a few hours or most of the day until evening or when it storms then I put them up. unfortunately I'm very very poor and I've had to retire a few different coops due to damages and other things. I may be able to plant some type of grass in trays to simulate a natural environment... Again housing is more than adequate. It's like a small apartment sized.... I just love my chickens like I would love a child and I want to do everything in my power to give them things they like to do... I'm not too concerned with comments like well you need to build a coop or a run. The run I can build but it's concrete so I'd have to put grass and stuff down... I probably wasn't very explanatory of the situation but hopefully this sheds some light and I kinda just need some ideas

 

[50-45-1]

Sheets of foil are not good as they can ingest small pieces they peck off and it could be toxic. Also the cardboard has ink and dyes im not sure i would give them that either.
The problem is you do not have a run for them. The pen you say does not have a bottom sounds good if you could move it to a fresh area each day but how big? And how many chickens are we talking about here?

 

[Sobek]

Sheets of foil are not good as they can ingest small pieces they peck off and it could be toxic. Also the cardboard has ink and dyes im not sure i would give them that either.
The problem is you do not have a run for them. The pen you say does not have a bottom sounds good if you could move it to a fresh area each day but how big? And how many chickens are we talking about here?

500-700 square feet. 4 chickens. They don't have beaks to peck the foil the same way other chickens would. They were debeaked at the farm

 

[Sobek]

Sheets of foil are not good as they can ingest small pieces they peck off and it could be toxic. Also the cardboard has ink and dyes im not sure i would give them that either.
The problem is you do not have a run for them. The pen you say does not have a bottom sounds good if you could move it to a fresh area each day but how big? And how many chickens are we talking about here?

The cages I can move.. are still kind of small so I was thinking I could attach some kind of "run" into their window..... and put some type of grass in trays down... just so they can get outside but even that probably wouldn't have much direct sunlight... They have room but... I need some creative ideas to solve my issue you know... I don't think there is only one way to do everything.. I've accomplished things with my chickens that no one said I would be able to do as far as training them and their social behavior with me. so I don't believe things have to be so traditionally built. most people give me textbook answers... It's a strange situation and it requires strange solutions I guess.... I'm not complaining about anything you said just fyi I'm just saying when I ask for help I get people giving me stupid textbook answers and it can ONLY be done a certain way and they know everything kind of stuff