How to stop excessive scratching?

[AraucanaMama]

Hello!
Both of my Silver Laced Wyandottes have a habit of constantly scratching up new bedding and getting it everywhere. Does anyone else have chickens that do this? I'm constantly having to fill in potholes they have left in the run.
I am wondering if this is something caused by lack of stimulation, as I don't currently have any toys in the run and haven't for a while now. If so I would really appreciate it if anyone have ideas for DIY boredom busters/toys for chickens. Thanks!

Have a nice day!

 

[nuthatched]

some hens have to everything just right. You can try a nest box with higher sides.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Sounds like normal chicken behavior to me. Mine do it and they have plenty of entertainment. They scratch bedding out of their nesting boxes so I put rubber mats (with holes) in there and that has worked well.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

All chickens dig and if it's in your run it sounds like they are trying to get down to the dirt for a dust bath.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Boredom busters: Anything they can hop/fly up on, run under or around. Roosts or things they can roost on. And piles of stuff like dried leaves or wood chips that they can dig through, because as you noted, they love digging.

 

[aart]

Hello!
Both of my Silver Laced Wyandottes have a habit of constantly scratching up new bedding and getting it everywhere. Does anyone else have chickens that do this? I'm constantly having to fill in potholes they have left in the run.
I am wondering if this is something caused by lack of stimulation, as I don't currently have any toys in the run and haven't for a while now. If so I would really appreciate it if anyone have ideas for DIY boredom busters/toys for chickens. Thanks!

Have a nice day!

Only in the run?
Can you post some pics?
This is normal chicken behavior, no amount of 'toys' will stop it.
They like to scratch and dig.
I put down boards and logs and pavers to keep them from digging where it could be truly detrimental.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/excavation-by-birds-a-word-of-warning.1086535/

 

[raingarden]

Chickens are designed and built to make a living by scratching up their food. Scratching is just what they do. They can't help it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Agreed. This is 100% normal chicken behavior.

In the wild it's how they'd find their food.

 

[Battlepants]

TBH, the only things I can think of that would mitigate the scratching is to give them more space to scratch (big yard) or selective space that rotates (chicken tractor that moves every day or temporary fencing around damaged areas). This way the scratched away vegetation has a chance to regrow.

But yea, as others have said, scratching is just their nature. It's not something that is breakable, just something that has to be dealt with/mitigated.

 

[AraucanaMama]

Apologies, i am aware that this is typical chicken behavior, just got kind of confused because when i see videos of other chicken coops online they don't seem to have the same digging holes. I sadly can't give them much space to scratch anymore, as there has been a bird flu outbreak in my state and until then i'm not letting them outside just to create as little contact with wild birds as possible. They do have a nice big run, how ever. It's as big as my backyard could allow. Have a nice day!