Mirrors?

[Ezio]

Do chicken's like mirrors the way parrots and other birds do?

I'm think of ways to make their habitate more enjoyable. They can't be free range due to the number of predators in the area ( feral cats, snakes, raccoons, bobcats, coyotes, stray dogs, hawks).

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You can give a dustbath, hang a head of cabbage, throw them some non-poisoned grass clippings or leaves to scratch through in season, and give them alfalfa hay (you can cut to very short 2-3 inch lengths if you are worried about impacted crop, but they LOVE the leaves).

I would only use a mirror for a lonely single chicken if it were me.

Also you can give them a roost to sit on, make a chicken swing for them to swing on, and put a sand pit or dig them a hole- they love holes. Give them shade or pallets to hide under (on blocks), cut them squares of sod and throw it in the run like a pizza.

 

[JanetS]

We buy crickets from the pet store(or bait shop) and put them in the run.

Rake up a big pile of dirt and put scratch or meal worms in it.

We get a shovel full of dirt from in the yard and put in the run. New dirt and bugs. Mine love this.

This is just a few things we do because our chickens can't free range either.

 

[Ezio]

You can give a dustbath, hang a head of cabbage, throw them some non-poisoned grass clippings or leaves to scratch through in season, and give them alfalfa hay (you can cut to very short 2-3 inch lengths if you are worried about impacted crop, but they LOVE the leaves).

I would only use a mirror for a lonely single chicken if it were me.

Also you can give them a roost to sit on, make a chicken swing for them to swing on, and put a sand pit or dig them a hole- they love holes. Give them shade or pallets to hide under (on blocks), cut them squares of sod and throw it in the run like a pizza.

How did you make your chicken swing?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:

I haven't ever made a chicken swing but remembered seeing this video. I love it!

 

[gnocchi18]

I gave my chickens a mirror when they moved into their coop because there is not a ton of natural light in there. They do seem to enjoy it, but don't obsess on it. I can tell they spend time with it as it gets a bit dirty. They seem to take turns, my Rhode Island Red and Jersey Giant seem most enamored by it.

 

[Hrhchazman]

We play some Glen Miller, or Big Bad VooDoo Daddy for our Silkie girls. You should see how those girls swing!!!

 

[lnpranch]

Is grass hay ok for them? ours can smell when we get the hay for the horses and they will get into the truck, cart, and hay shed so they can dig thru the loose pieces. We have tried to stop them but we can't, they always find away.
We also noticed since we opened the pen up during the day they all cluck more like they are much happier.

 

[Perris]

I had a mirror just being stored in the shed when I put some new birds in there for quarantine, and discovered they liked it - they stood looking at their reflections for quite some time, even sat next to it. I'm not sure it would be a good idea if you have a rooster though.

 

[red mommy]

My husband made ours a swing, I have never seen them use it but they like their wooden perch