Do Chickens Have Fun?

[Lipkis]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this but. Do chickens have fun? Mom and I will sit in the bathroom and watch our chicks for hours upon hours if allowed! We have so much fun holding them, watching them eat, watching them attempt to take dust baths, watching them drink, and even picking out their poo. They seem to enjoy it too! When Mom and I open up the door they start peeping and run to the closest end of the cage where we are! I look forward durring boring school classes, Government and Math. *eyeroll* And just think about them. Mom and I love them so much and always enjoy our time with them...But this made me wonder.

Do chickens have fun?

I mean you can make toys and stuff for them but does anyone think that they actually have fun with them? And while I'm duscissing that--What do chickens play with? I've heard that chickens have toys that our combined with food but can we give them other things?

Like put a mirror up in their run? Or toys that parrots and other birds use? Also, does ayne have any good suggestions on toys that their chickens like? Please and thank you. ^^

 

[Oaknim]

Of course chickens have fun! I'm a firm believer that all animals have the capacity for joy and other emotions. We give our chickens food treats to play with - orange peels, watermelon, cantelope, bread with peanut butter...anything really. They like digging through dirt and chasing bugs and they love climbing on our wood pile. In the summer time, I set up a sprinkler for them and they love to jump in the puddles.

We have a non-breakable mirror for our guineas to admire themselves in, but I catch the chickens striking poses sometimes, too.

Hanging treats are good - thread some thick twine through an apple or head of lettuce and hang it in their coop or run so that they can pick at it. A few of mine play hide and seek under trees and they have a starling friend that comes down and they all chase each other around. It's weird, but really cute. ~ Oaknim

 

[Lipkis]

Well, of course they do.

Animals are as capable to hold feelings as we are. The only difference between them and us is--species, aposable thumbs, and speaking.

Those sound like great ideas! I can't wait to tell Mom that we can entertain our girls. Thank you so much.

 

[silkhope]

I think they do... my daughter hung a swing (a toy bird perch) in the three week olds pen and one of them will grab the string and swing it, then go chase the shadow on the wall. It cracks me up every time! She's also the one that goes after the dog's tongue when he comes to lick up extra food.

I'm with you, I could sit and watch them all day... much more entertaining then being at work. Sigh.