Keeping chickens entertained

[Devynthecatwithsocks]

Hi so we have baby chicks that we've had since they were one week old. They are now about 7 weeks old and are outside. I wnt to get them toys but the chicken toys at the store are like 30$. I was thinking of either making some or using some old bird toys. We had finches that dies last year. Some of then got sick and the others died of old age. If i disinfected those toys would they be safe for the chickens or would i be better off finding new toys?

 

[3KillerBs]

Chickens don't need toys so much as they need the ability to follow their natural instincts and engage in their natural behaviors.

They need a place to dig and scratch and have dust baths.

They need perches to sit on.

They need places to get away from the other chickens when they're having dominance squabbles.

Here is some of what I've got in my run: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-“chickens-101”-articles-don’t-mention.76003/

And here are photos of the current setup with straw bale wind-baffles in place (those will be going away to be garden mulch soon, but a straw bale with one tie cut will give chickens days of amusement tearing it apart). https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/winterizing-coop-and-pen-nc-sandhills-version.1431885/

A very useful thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/#post-21588571

 

[Aunt Tat]

Search for "Chick Enrichment ideas" on what ever search engine you use...Look on Pintrest too.
Place a piece of your backyard sod in the brooder, their moms take them out at 3 days old and they start scratching, ingesting bugs from the dirt and it helps build their immune system, put a baby-size dust bath in the brooder and place the in it...they'll get the idea.

Anything that helps them do what "grown up girls" do, will make them healthier and happier in the coop & run.

 

[Devynthecatwithsocks]

Search for "Chick Enrichment ideas" on what ever search engine you use...Look on Pintrest too.
Place a piece of your backyard sod in the brooder, their moms take them out at 3 days old and they start scratching, ingesting bugs from the dirt and it helps build their immune system, put a baby-size dust bath in the brooder and place the in it...they'll get the idea.

Anything that helps them do what "grown up girls" do, will make them healthier and happier in the coop & run.

with the dust baths, i have chinchillas and they use dust baths as well, is it the same thing i use for them? And how often do they need duest bathes

 

[CluckerFamily]

My chickens prefer soil for a dust bath.

 

[rosemarythyme]

with the dust baths, i have chinchillas and they use dust baths as well, is it the same thing i use for them? And how often do they need duest bathes

Combination of some/any of the following should work fine: plain dirt/top soil, peat moss, wood ash, sand. Right now I use just peat moss, if I ever get my firepit going I'll save the ashes from that as well.