Entertainment for your flock?

[Ebony Rose]

This makes me cringe...good way to get a clogged crop.

Never had an issue with clippings blocking their crops (14 years). I'm guessing that if it's a problem in the States (and other first-world nations) and not here, that it may be due to how it's cut, and how often.
My grass is only 'mown' down once a month during the growing season, and they use a weed eater to whack it all down. I allow it to sun-dry where it lays before gathering it up... it looks a lot like straw when it's ready. Then just pile it up into a mountain for them to tear apart. The strands are quite long, and they usually are only interested in eating the seed end of the stalks.

 

[aart]

I allow it to sun-dry where it lays before gathering it up... it looks a lot like straw when it's ready.

Ahhhhh....
that is much, much different than dumping green freshly cut grass clippings.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Yep, have seen several cases.
Tho it can depend on the type of grass, how long the clippings are, and various other factors.

We have a pretty cantankerous flock with some active birds that are probably temperamentally meant to be free ranging, so I’m always thinking about how to take their minds off of picking fights. We haven’t done it enough to vouch for it’s safety, but we have repeatedly dumped the bag of grass clippings into the run, if clippings are 1-2 in in length. We also pull long weeds from the gardens and put the whole clump of weed plus root/dirt clump in the run. I do avoid the longer grass clippings and only put long grassy weeds in if the roots and dirt are still attached. We also have a tether ball that gets cabbage, apples, or peppers. We have an unused (too high) swing and I did have a roost on the run that they loved but that was more needed in the bachelor pad, and I haven’t replaced that yet. We also have a dust bath that gets refilled about once a month.

We are thinking about making a “free range” flock that will have electric netting leading to a compost pile but that’s still in the idea stage as I’m afraid hawks would be a problem.

 

[Ebony Rose]

We are thinking about making a “free range” flock that will have electric netting leading to a compost pile but that’s still in the idea stage as I’m afraid hawks would be a problem.

How dependent upon direct and ample sunlight is a compost pile? If it's not a critical factor, you may consider hanging what they call 'saran' (woven plastic sheeting, air & water pass through easily) over the top of the "free range" area but it provides excellent shade and hinders visibility from overhead looking down into your run while still allowing your flock to see up and through it easily enough to sound an alarm if needed. Following link show more information about this shade netting, with pictures to help inspire you. https://www.plastic-netting.org/plastic-mesh/plastic-shade-netting.html

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

How dependent upon direct and ample sunlight is a compost pile? If it's not a critical factor, you may consider hanging what they call 'saran' (woven plastic sheeting, air & water pass through easily) over the top of the "free range" area but it provides excellent shade and hinders visibility from overhead looking down into your run while still allowing your flock to see up and through it easily enough to sound an alarm if needed. Following link show more information about this shade netting, with pictures to help inspire you. https://www.plastic-netting.org/plastic-mesh/plastic-shade-netting.html

Shading wouldn’t be a problem, but we’d need to move the fence around, so the top netting would need to move too... it all just sounds like it might be more work than we are up for, so still considering. I’ve looked at s few netting’s on Amazon, like
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01I9XJRKI/?tag=backy-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XRWGTZM/?tag=backy-20

 

[Ebony Rose]

Good pricing on that Consider too that cargo straps work wonders when you need to move / reposition something like this. Following link is an image on amazon.com for illustrative purposes only as I'm not personally familiar with this brand. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F7KSAGI/?tag=backy-20

 

[MIchickenlady]

I just got a little toy piano/xylophone with 4 keys for $1 at a thrift store. I set it on a cement block and I'm teaching them to 'play' it One of my hens may be a little virtuoso, shes picking it up fast. so fun.
I also give them a seed block to peck at on rainy days, its suspended so it swings when they peck at it and it takes them quite a while to get much off it. Last winter I filled a 2 liter plastic pop bottle with oyster shell and chicken feed, poked holes in it and let them push it around and try to get the goodies out. I do dump my lawn mower bagger in the coop, but I mow every 3-4 days so the clippings are always short. They LOVE that. I even stuff freezer bags with grass clippings to give them through the winter.
I put one really big tree branch and some smaller ones to climb on in the run. Most of all they like their space to run around.
Thats about all I do to entertain my girls, except for our daily talks and maybe a little singing and dancing lol

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I bought a few square metal bird seed hangers and put a mealworm and seed square in it for them. They love it and it takes time to peck at. I do this most in the winter to keep them busy and fights to a minimum.. we can have some crazy winters with 3 ft of snow so there are times no one goes out lol. I keep some outside in the summer and some inside for winter. My birds all free range so they usually aren't cooped up unless its winter with crazy weather.

 

[FlyWheel]

Yep, have seen several cases.
Tho it can depend on the type of grass, how long the clippings are, and various other factors.

When I mow my yard the mower is set to "mulch", so the clippings get ground up into almost a mash and are left on the yard. Since I plan on letting my biddies periodically free range (supervised) they should have a lot of greens to munch on. I also plan on setting up a swing in their pen and a "jungle gym" if I can.

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thanks for all the ideas!