Fall/winter 'spa' ideas.

[Dona Worry]

My oldest pullets have started laying (YAY!!) and hawks are becoming more prevalent, so free range is officially canceled until next spring. I have 2 coops, plenty of space, in the runs, and have a good setup, BUT was thinking my chickens accustomed to freedom might have a hard time with total confinement for 6 months.
I had the idea to make 'chicken spas' in an attached calf hutch. It is a solar type hutch, so it will be warm on sunny days, protected from the elements etc. What to have in it? I was thinking:
A dust bath in a horse tub, with ashes and the occasional mite dusting powder
Free choice dishes of grit and oyster shell
A string I can tie the occasional head of lettuce or cabbage to

What else? Anyone else do this? How do you manage it?

 

[DoeAndGander]

Following! Great idea. The only other idea I have for you is a chicken swing

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

You can also hang suet cages stuffed with greens or fruit. That’ll keep em busy as well!

 

[Dona Worry]

Great ideas! I was also thinking of maybe some wooden boxes and things for them to climb up on and hide behind.

 

[aart]

Are your runs covered and will you put up wind blocks during winter?

 

[Dona Worry]

Are your runs covered and will you put up wind blocks during winter?

The one has a roof, no sides, the other is covered with chicken wire to keep hawks out.
I am thinking of getting some snow fence and extra tarps to help block the wind.
The calf hutches are fine-- they are poly hutches, completely enclosed. I am thinking that even if the run is unpleasantly snowy, the 'chicken spa' will give them a place to do chicken things.

 

[aart]

The one has a roof, no sides, the other is covered with chicken wire to keep hawks out.
I am thinking of getting some snow fence and extra tarps to help block the wind.
The calf hutches are fine-- they are poly hutches, completely enclosed. I am thinking that even if the run is unpleasantly snowy, the 'chicken spa' will give them a place to do chicken things.

I shovel out part of my run, near the entrance and pop door.
Then shovel a path all the way down so I have access to knock the snow off the 2x4 wire roof, and they can wander some(they don't like deep snow) and to help speed snow melt in the spring. There some roosts and a bench they can access in winter....and a clear spot under the coop that has a wind/snow break.
I'll toss out a flake of hay or a chunk of wheat fodder into the coop during those really nasty 'snowstorm weeks' when they won't come out at all.

You must have a pretty large run if a calf hatch will fit....got pics?

 

[Dona Worry]

I shovel out part of my run, near the entrance and pop door.
Then shovel a path all the way down so I have access to knock the snow off the 2x4 wire roof, and they can wander some(they don't like deep snow) and to help speed snow melt in the spring. There some roosts and a bench they can access in winter....and a clear spot under the coop that has a wind/snow break.
I'll toss out a flake of hay or a chunk of wheat fodder into the coop during those really nasty 'snowstorm weeks' when they won't come out at all.

You must have a pretty large run if a calf hatch will fit....got pics?

I have some somewhere, but the calf hutches will be attached to the run, so technically outside of it.
The big one (for 9 or 10 birds) is an 18 foot pool frame, quite sizable, and there will probably be 2 hutches I mean spas attached, the smaller one, (for 5 or 6 birds) is a 10×10 square, and I will probably only attach 1 hutch.

The hutches come in 6' round or 4x6 rectangle, I have 1 rectangle and 2 rounds.

 

[Dona Worry]

The only water will be in the coops but I'll probably put a feeder in each hutch as well, just so they have OPTIONS.