Keeping your chickens entertained

[a little chiken]

The swings are easy to make. I also now have added a ladder in my big coop. they like to climb high. I will be adding a monkey bars that we are cutting in half to make a triangle kind of shape to use in the runs for them to climb on. I hang lettuce and suet feeders. our tractor supply puts the suet on sale all the time and they love those. tree branches are fun for younger birds. Hope this helps.

 

[boost01]

I added the swing, but yet to have any success with it. I did add a bunch of 4' and 8' branches around the place to give them something high to run on. They seem to really enjoy that. Have just found out about "grazing frames" too, so will be putting that into action soon.

I also really need to get some photos taken so I can show off all my hard work

 

[JAZsMom]

YAY! Got creative and made them a swing! I'm going to have to go back and swap it for a wider piece of wood, though, thought a thinner one would be good to start them off with (4 weeks tomorrow). I also add a little roost, which they LOVE...again, will have to make a wider one shortly, but just wanted to keep them busy for now.

 

[boost01]

So this is my outdoor run, the open window leads to the inside coop.


I know the pictures aren't that great (hard to shoot through wire mesh) but there are polls round across the run for the girls to roost and play on.

 

[calichicken]

Joining this thread to get some great ideas for my Bantam. We do not have a lot of space so I want to keep her entertained when I she can't be out and roaming! Thanks for the great information

 

[aldarita]

I am constantly looking for ways to keep my chickens entertain. I have 2 roosters in a pen by themselves, they have a fenced area where they can roam all day but I still think they get bored so I am looking for things to add for their entertainment. I have read that hay will keep them busy for a long time, however I am concerned about them eating it and getting sour crop, any thoughts and experience about this issue? Tractor Supply has these small packs of what they call "hydrated hay" for horses that I think might work but I am still concerned about sour crop.

 

[funny farmer]

When my chickens are entertained, they entertain me. And that's part of the reason I got them in the first place (besides the eggs of course.) Here are some things my chickens enjoy.

I throw a flake of straw in the run and they go crazy, kicking, scratching at it, and rolling around in it. They literally have a "hay day"..LOL

I hang a head of cabbage with twine from a shephards hook in the yard, and let them go at it. It's like chicken tetherball.

anyway.....just a few ideas. Hope that helps.

 

[Turtles Mommy]

I play ''chicken olympics'' with mine and toss a raspberry in and watch them run for it. I have a raspberry patch on the other side of the fence that is around their outside area. I will do this as I pick the berries... three in the basket and one over the fence... it's quite funny to watch them and they love the berries. I also will go pick clover and dandelion leaves... go sit in the pen with them and let them peck the leaves and clover from my fingers. I have tossed watermelon rinds in the pen which they love... as well as corn on the cobb. They don't do well with live stuff. They look at it and walk away. I just put a fat juicy earthworm in there yesterday and they looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

 

[calichicken]

I play ''chicken olympics'' with mine and toss a raspberry in and watch them run for it. I have a raspberry patch on the other side of the fence that is around their outside area. I will do this as I pick the berries... three in the basket and one over the fence... it's quite funny to watch them and they love the berries. I also will go pick clover and dandelion leaves... go sit in the pen with them and let them peck the leaves and clover from my fingers. I have tossed watermelon rinds in the pen which they love... as well as corn on the cobb. They don't do well with live stuff. They look at it and walk away. I just put a fat juicy earthworm in there yesterday and they looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

LOL.....mine literally go banana's for any live insect that has the misfortune of crossing her path!!! She even makes a little excited "bark" noise as she pecks and eats them!!! So funny your does not like bugs....must be a vegetarian LOL

 

[boost01]

...They don't do well with live stuff. They look at it and walk away. I just put a fat juicy earthworm in there yesterday and they looked at me as if I had lost my mind.

Mine will literally take my fingers off for a juicy earthworm. I found a few while planting some vines to give them shade from the summer heat and found a few in the dirt... was rather funny to watch them run over and pinch it out of my finger.