How to Keep Chickens From being Bored

[HenFriend]

Mine were scared of corn cobs!!

 

[mommabird]

I usually just toss in the cabbage, zucchini or what ever else we have extra of from the garden into their run. The 6 chickens we have devour them before the day is out. We also let the chickens free range a couple of times a week and they love hunting the bugs in the yard. We have a roost hung in the corner of the run (an old limb that we cut off of a tree and screwed to the sides of the run). They love getting up on that. We also have a dishwasher drip pan full of sand in another corner of the run. They like to scratch and dust bath in there too.

 

[Stumpy]

Terry, thanks for the link to your composting system. I enjoyed your blog!

 

[sezjasper]

All day! Throw what is left away at the end of the day when you put your chickens in for the night.

I just use string to tie it up. I would not use metal baskets or things like that as there is a small risk that a chicken might fly up onto it and catch its leg or wing. This happened to one of my doves when I had a metal hanging basket in their aviary for them to nest in.

Thank you, thank you for this post!! After reading I went out to the run and took down the baskets I've been using. I never thought of the risk involved but I can see how it could happen!

 

[sassyiniowa]

This was very entertaining to read...now I'm off to hang some cabbage for my chickens. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[Lance]

Mine didn't touch the cabbage.

 

[marie47732]

My chickens have a goat to play with (pygmy), my goat has chickens to play with.

 

[ccassidy18]

Another suggestion is to sprinkle a bunch of chicken feed all over in their run. I do that with mine all the time. Also, if you have a rooster, he will be pretty occupied with the hens, and they will bekinda busy looking out for when he comes.

 

[vbgarden]

You haven't had a good laugh until you throw a mess of leftover cooked linguini into the chicken run. They LOVE it - one will grab a strand and run like a maniac with the noodle flapping behind them and the others in hot pursuit. We've gotten so amused that we now routinely cook more noodles than we are going to eat..... and then head out to the run for Chicken Noodle Soccer.

 

[7 Biddies]

All day! Throw what is left away at the end of the day when you put your chickens in for the night.

I just use string to tie it up. I would not use metal baskets or things like that as there is a small risk that a chicken might fly up onto it and catch its leg or wing. This happened to one of my doves when I had a metal hanging basket in their aviary for them to nest in.

I screwed one of those large eye hooks into the end of the cabbage and hung it on a chain from the ceiling of their run.Worked really well. Unfortunately, the little snots didn't care for the cabbage, but it was easy to put up and remove.