It will also help if you give them something else to peck. I sometimes hang a head of cabbage in the run with a screw eye screwed into the core and they can peck at that. Cabbage is cheap and so are screw eyes. With 40 or so chickens you will want to hang a few.
Remember though that cabbage is a treat so not more then once every 2 weeks. No need to make things worse by throwing off the feed balance. Make sure you are giving them a feed with enough protein and not to much treat stuff.
Ears of corn can also be hung like the cabbage as can apples. It becomes a game of chicken tether ball. Also giving them branches to hang out on that are about 3 or 4 foot off the ground increases the interest in the run and decreases the interest in pecking.
Best wishes in your adventure.
Remember though that cabbage is a treat so not more then once every 2 weeks. No need to make things worse by throwing off the feed balance. Make sure you are giving them a feed with enough protein and not to much treat stuff.
Ears of corn can also be hung like the cabbage as can apples. It becomes a game of chicken tether ball. Also giving them branches to hang out on that are about 3 or 4 foot off the ground increases the interest in the run and decreases the interest in pecking.
Best wishes in your adventure.