Help break the boredom for my chickens

[Henrietta 65]

Hi there due to a bird flu outbreak in the uk we have to keep our birds in lockdown so I can’t let them out there pens or free range them I can’t help but feel they are bored not having as much space and enrichment so I would love tho hear people ideas and suggestions please bear in mind I can’t really go shopping for resources due to COVID thanks

 

[Pentatonchix]

1. An idea could be to poke holes in a plastic water bottle (empty) and put mealworms, feed, or treats inside for the birds to peck at and roll around to get the treats.
2. If you have any logs, branches, or wood planks, adding roosts could help entertain them.
3. An old tire and some dirt provides for a nice dust bath.
4. Hang some cabbage or lettuce on a string for a fun boredom busting treat ball. Just make sure to remove the string once the vegetables are gone so the chicks don't choke. And use a thick string firmly attached somewhere so they can't digest it.
5. This article by @Banriona has some fun ideas: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...important-and-how-you-can-provide-them.66136/
6. A pumpkin is a delicious treat!
7. That old Christmas tree will provide a unique foraging experience.
8. Make fodder! article by @gtaus https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...odder-tower-with-dollar-tree-dish-bins.75190/

 

[Henrietta 65]

Great idea I’ll try this yes they have a few branches and logs but I might move them around a bit and add some more

 

[rosemarythyme]

Adding clutter https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/ and piles of stuff to dig through (such as dried leaves, pulled weeds, etc) are easy ways to keep them busy without filling them full of treats.

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Hi there due to a bird flu outbreak in the uk we have to keep our birds in lockdown so I can’t let them out there pens or free range them I can’t help but feel they are bored not having as much space and enrichment so I would love tho hear people ideas and suggestions please bear in mind I can’t really go shopping for resources due to COVID thanks

I can’t free range mine because my dogs aren’t chicken trained and I’m super paranoid something horrible will happen to my precious babies, so I am always looking for boredom busters (even though their run is plenty big). One thing I found on a blog is to get a bale of hay and just put it in with the chickens so they can scratch it apart. Haven‘t done this yet, but I have raked up big piles of leaves from my yard for them to scratch through. Good luck!

 

[3KillerBs]

More clutter ideas:

A straw bale with one tie cut for them to sit on, hide behind, and tear apart.

A stack of concrete blocks for going up and down.

A board across two stacks of blocks to create a perch.

Your compost pile to tear to pieces.

A 5-gallon bucket on it's side, wedged by bricks so it can't roll.