Chickens are bored!

[CluckerFamily]

Okay, maybe I’ll try shortening the time with the lights on and see what happens. Thank you so much!

If you shorten then they may stop laying and it will be tough to get them back to laying until spring.

 

[Weeg]

Here is a good article on boredom busters! https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-complete-list-of-boredom-busters.76129/

 

[aart]

It seems that overnight my chickens have decided they’re bored. They’ve started pecking each other (I can see it on their combs and the hens have been plucking the rooster) they have enough space, and the have roosts and a couple things to jump on in the run, but with cold weather setting in, they’re spending more time in the coop. How can I entertain them?

They aren't 'bored'.
First, look at space.
How big is your coop, in feet by feet for how many birds(how old in weeks or months)?
Dimensions and pics would help immensely here.

 

[GC-Raptor]

We leave the light on from four (when it gets dark) until about eight when we check on them at night. So maybe we leave it on too much at night?

Do you leave the light on so that they lay throughout the shortened sunlight days?

Yes, that’s why we do it.

You'll need a coop that's about 10 square feet per chicken for them to get along for 4 hours of additional light after sunset.

My coops are small, 18 and 22 square feet. 5 pullets in the smaller coop, 7 months old today.
I add lights in the morning at 5 am year round.
I am able to do it in a small coop because I also light up their 200 square foot pen, as well as the coop.
I let them out of the coop when I switch on the lights.

I also have a roost in the pen.

Of course the pen should be predator proof.
I have netting over the pens to provide protection from owls. Half the pen is covered with a tarp and the raised coops also provide protection from the weather. GC