Extreme Coop Makeover!

[Annadoodles]

I've built a fairly large coop and run for my chickens, but sadly I'm not always around home and cannot let them free-range a lot of the day. I'm wondering what kinds of things I could add inside my run to make my hens' time inside almost as enjoyable as their time outside!

Any toys, plants, groundcover, etc...that is just FUN for hens? Thx!

 

[myfivegirls]

Take a look at my composting with chickens article. I can't free-range my chickens either, but digging in the compost pile gets them something fun to do!

 

[c2chicks]

I have some grazing frames in my run (so they always have grass), most of the run is sand, so they can bathe and dig (no smell!). There is an area of pine straw --good for digging, and a "compost area')--good for bugs! We also popped in a plastic playhouse (filled with bark chips), a nice place to hide in the rain/snow. We hang cabbages and broccoli so they have to "work" for their treats. We have a bunch of mint and some big rocks, logs to dig around in. They sure look like they're having fun in there!

 

[kkowa]

get treat balls and fill with fruits and veggies, then hang corn up with string around the coop logs straw bales ect anything keeps them occupied

 

[Irishhenman]

If you can get branches to use as roosts around the run that is good.
You could put your lawn cuttings and had he cuttings in their run for scratching.
Get some peppers and cut a square hole in it and stuff it with cheese cubes, other veg, dried fruit and nuts, then replace the square that you cut out. Do this for every compartment in the pepper (usually around 3 or 4) and when you are finished hang the pepper up from the top of your run and they will peck at it.

 

[Annadoodles]

Woah, c2chicks, I LOVE your run!

I considered the idea of making a little garden-like setup inside my run, but I thought the hens would eat the plants so much that they would die! Do you have that problem?

 

[c2chicks]

Thank you!! They'll pick at the hostas, so I did cover those with chicken wire. They won't go near the mints (many varieties), lavender or most herbs (sage, rosemary--they're not interested). Some folks here have had their rose bushes eaten by their chickens, but mine don't go near them...or the lilac. The critical part (for me, anyway) of planting in the run is to first find some things they won't eat (mints, herbs) THEN...you have to put rocks or bricks around the base of the plants, because they'll dig up the roots.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

My brother is staying here a few days this up coming week and I'm going to convince him he needs to make this for his beloved nieces chickens

http://pinterest.com/pin/192106740328268220/

You could make them a treat garland, they'd have to work to get the treat and it would probably last longer

http://pinterest.com/pin/192106740328268191/

Make them a ladder?

http://pinterest.com/pin/192106740328268384/

Yesterday I had to leave my chickens in their coop ALL day long so I added a few boards around the coop to basically make a jungle gym. The coop is super tall and I'd love to get my hands on a old ladder.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

Oh and do they have a dust bath? I gave my chicks my daughters turtle sand box and they love it!

 

[Chickens R Us]

I have 3 pallets to form a teepee, 1 on the bottom then the other 2 leaning against each other on top.