How to Keep Chickens From being Bored

[blessedchick]

All such great ideas!!!
I have a bunch of "boulders" of varying sizes in their run and they love to jump all over them to play (I have silkies). Every couple of days I move the rocks to different spots and the chickies go crazy over the bugs that are now exposed - plus the new rock configurations to play on...simple yet effective!

 

[scriptkiddie]

Mine go MAD over watermelon, cucumbers, and bolted lettuce. Seriously, it's like seeing my sisters at a 50% off shoe sale. I do it not b/c they're bored, but b/c I find it more entertaining than tv.

 

[LakeBird]

Cooked noodles - that's awesome! I have one question though. After I cook my noodles, I throw a bit of olive oil in there to keep it from clumping. Would it be a problem to give them the noodles w/ oil on it?

You can also run noodles under cold water to keep from clumping.

 

[Bizichick]

Thanks to the starter of this site! So many awesome ideas!

 

[fishnet1971]

Silly chicken owners.... Don't you know that to keep chickens occupied all day you need to hire a chicken sitter like me to come and play with them all day?

But seriously, Mine love the cabbage hung from tree outside and ceiling inside. Just dont give to much or they will get the runny poos. They love a bale of straw put in there too. They take awhile to shred it up. Make sure you take off the baling twine first. Once it rains on it flip it over for them if they havent totally killed it. They love the bugs under it and in it once it gets wet.

I am thinking a day spa for them next year.... lol

 

[SouthernHoney]

A couple of things I've done:

1.) We had about a 2 week stint of 108 - 110 degree days. It was terrible. I kept my chickens supplied with their electrolyte water and, in addition, I would make chicken jello. I put orange wedges, grape halves, blueberries and tomato wedges in a bowl and poured prepared unflavored gelatin and let it set in the fridge over night. The chickens LOVED it and the kid-o liked helping me "cook" it.

2.) We grow our own tomatoes. Lots and lots of tomatoes. When I come across an over-ripe one I toss it down to the chickens. Adults can lay waste to a whole tomato in no time but for the little ones, Ill go ahead and tare it open for them. Mine also like leftover grilled corn. They'll clean a cob in no time flat.

3.) One word: Watermelon.

4.) Cottage cheese. This was like chicken crack. I never gave them a lot. I would take a big ol' spoon full down and they'd have to come get it from me. It was a good idea for enticing nervous chicks to become more social with me. After the others figured out what I had, it would cause too much commotion and I'd give up.

5.) the heels of the sandwich bread. I leave them out overnight to dry up and get hard. Then I'll toss it out to the chickens to peck at.

 

[Back2MyRoots]

Oh my gosh! Crazy good ideas! What a good idea for a thread! I am getting some ideas for changing things up for my chickies.

For now, our girls have a suet cage that I stuff with greens, watermelon or other melon rinds almost every day, a plate of yogurt and cereal every morning and frozen gatorade bottles to "snuggle" with to keep cool. I'm thinking of a perk system with different veggies at the perches to give them a little more action!

 

[Chicks Galore3]

my chickens LOVE a wuffle ball stuffed with bread crumbs or pieces of squash, cucumber, you name it!

 

[Lacy Blues]

my chickens LOVE a wuffle ball stuffed with bread crumbs or pieces of squash, cucumber, you name it!

This is one I might try. Have to get a wuffle ball though.

 

[rekkas peeps]

This is one I might try. Have to get a wuffle ball though.

how awesome to hang mutliple wuffle balls around too!!!! great ideas!!