I feel bad

[k625]

Hey there everyone.. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I have been trying to put some serious ideas into this, but have come up with just about nothing. I was wondering what your guys do as enrichment for you chickens. I have 5 bantams, and they used to be able to go out all day, but then a cat got one of them, and now I only let them out when Im watching. So...I feel bad that they have to be cooped up all day. They have a lot of space, but still I think they need some extra fun. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[joanc]

I string up a cabbage in their pen and my chickies have fun pecking at it and ripping off bits and pieces. Then they run around with them like it's the best thing they've ever tasted. Of course, with 27 chickens it doesn't usually last more than a couple of hours, but with 5 bantams it would last longer. Good luck.

 

[jenichick]

I throw mine veggies and hay, and let them frolick in the goodies about two or three times a week. It's kind of hard to enrich chickens that are "cooped up" all day, but they seem happy!

 

[lurky]

I was told to give them rolling fruits in the winter for excersize. I toss out big handfuls of raisins and they go crazy over them. I feel bed when i stop. But they are all scurrying around after them. I think another thing you can do is just go hang out with them. I think they are so happy to interact with us. If you bring out a jar of raisins it will be a plus

 

[wegotchickens]

Put some crickets in one of those tubes where they can only get out one at a time. Then watch as the chickens chase down the escapees. And you can see who's the smart peep that figures out how to watch the hole and nab them as they exit the tube. My peeps love this! Sometimes a cricket will actually get away as the hens all chase the one with a cricket in her beak...

 

[k625]

Thanks all!! These ideas sound great.
wegotchickens- where do you get one of those tubes from?